2003 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE RECALL PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V528000 (STEERING), 14V770000 (AIR BAGS), AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROVIDE THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

SAFETY ISSUE 1..INTERIOR DASH BOARD FIRST CRACKED, THEN CRACKED ALL OVER, THEN FINALLY FELL APART. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS PIECES OF THE DASH MADE UP OF PLASTIC IS BREAKING UP IN LARGE SHARP CHUNKS WHEN A BUMP IN THE ROAD IS ENCOUNTERED OR JARRING OCCURS. WHEN GOING OVER A RR TRACK A 5" JAGGED PIECE BROKE OFF AND A SMALL SHARD HIT ME IN THE EYE. THIS ISSUE IS WAY MORE THAN COSMETIC. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE DEALER WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. SAFETY ISSUE 2.. AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND INTERMITTENT. I RECEIVED AN AIR BAG RECALL AND I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION. AFTER SO CALLED FIX, THE WARNING LIGHT WAS OFF FOR 1 DAY THEN CAME BACK ON. THE DEALER STATES THE RECALL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS. NOW I HAVE A CURRENT 2ND AIR BAG RECALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY STATE THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS AND WILL CONTACT ME. ITS BEEN MONTHS AGO AND STILL NO PART. AGAIN THEY SAY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS NOT RELATED. SAFETY ISSUE 3... BRAKE LIGHT WARNING AND ABS WARNING STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. PAID $100 FOR THEM TO TROUBLESHOOT AND THEY SAY ITS A SENSOR ON THE RT FRONT ABS. I FEEL THIS IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND BECAME LOOSE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD BALL STUD FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD BALL STUD ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING LINKAGE ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS LATER NOTIFIED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V528000 (STEERING) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS), BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 325,500.

AS WITH MANY OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2003 DODGE RAM 3500'S THIS RAM 3500 HAS HAD ALL SUGGESTED STEERING COMPONENT UPGRADES AND RECALL UPGRADES (CHANGE STEERING TO 2008 STEERING) AND THE TIE ROD RECALL FOR THE 2008 STEERING. THE 2008 STEERING UPGRADE SEEMED TO EXACERBATE THE TIRE WEAR ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, BALL JOINTS AND SHOCKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE RAM DEATH WOBBLE AND EXCESSIVE TIE WEAR IS STILL PRESENT. THE LAST SET OF TIRES LASTED 8,000 MILES (I AM PUTTING A NEW SET ON TODAY). THE TIRE WEAR ON MY LAST TRIP OF ONLY 360 MILES WAS VERY NOTICEABLE - SO MUCH SO A TRIP OF 1,000 MILES OR MORE WOULD HAVE CAUSED DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR AND POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. DODGE HAS TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY ONLY SKIMMING OVER THE ISSUE WITH MINOR FIXES. AS A RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE - THE STEERING AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR IS UNSAFE. SINCE I AM GETTING NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT TODAY - I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TRACK MILEAGE, DRIVING CONDITIONS, NOTE STEERING ISSUES, AND PHOTOGRAPH TIRE WEAR - IF YOU WISH.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE RECENT RECALL INFORMATION YOU ARE INVESTIGATING WITH THE RAM TRUCKS. OUR 2003 RAM 3500 4X4 HAS HAD WHAT IS KNOW BY DODGE TRUCK OWNERS AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" FOR MANY YEARS. WE HAVE SUNK COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF MONEY AND TIME IN IT TRYING TO FIX IT. IT IS VERY SERIOUS AND SCARY AS THE TRUCK VIBRATES UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE/TRACKS OR SIMILAR ROAD OBSTACLES.THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO EXCEPT SLOW DOWN AND RIDE IT OUT. WE WERE SO HAPPY WHEN WE RECEIVED A RECALL/PART FIX NOTICE A FEW YEARS BACK TO HAVE IT WORKED ON BUT UPON TAKING IT TO THE DEALER WE WERE TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. I CAN TELL YOU WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY THAT WAS NOT THE CASE, IT HAS STILL DONE IT SINCE THEN. WE THINK WE HAVE IT FIXED NOW BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL BUT IT WAS VERY UPSETTING THAT ALL THE YEAR TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM WERE NOT CONSIDERED ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS IS A VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH ADDITIONAL YEAR MODELS.

THERE ARE STRIPES OF MELTING PLASTIC ON THE BACK OF THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR AND ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS