2002 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB Complaints

DURING HEAVY RAIN, OR IN A CAR-WASH, OR RUNNING THROUGH TOO LARGE OF A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE SERPENTINE BELT BEGINS SLIPPING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT. IT WILL SLIP ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE GAUGE THAT IS SHOWING THE CHARGE LEVEL TO DROP NOTICEABLY, AND IT WILL SOMETIMES DROP TO THE POINT OF NO LONGER SHOWING CHARGING AT ALL. AT THIS POINT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALSO DISPLAYED, AND IT IS NOW NECESSARY TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTART THE TRUCK TO RESET THE GAUGE AND LIGHT AND HAVE IT BEGIN DISPLAYING PROPERLY AGAIN. DURING A HEAVY DOWNPOUR OF RAIN, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AS I WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS DRIVEN BY THIS BELT. HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT I COULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED DUE TO THIS FAILURE. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A TRUCK, AND IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE SOME WATER. IF THIS PROBLEM TRULY EXISTS IN ALL TRUCKS LIKE MINE, THEN IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND FILES A LAWSUIT AGAINST DODGE, OR EVEN A CLASS-ACTION SUIT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE REALLY AFFECTED BY THE SAME PROBLEM. HAD I BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY TRUCK, IM CERTAIN THAT DODGE WOULD HAVE BEEN HELD LIABLE FOR BOTH MY DAMAGES AND WHOMEVER I HAD HIT. THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE RESOLVED BY REPLACING ALL THE PULLEYS WITH WIDER ONES AND THEN A WIDER SERPENTINE BELT, OR IT MIGHT BE RESOLVED BY ADDING SOME TYPE OF SPLASH GUARD, BUT THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT RESOLVE THE WATER COMING THROUGH THE GRILL. ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES HAS THE NEW HEMI DODGE TRUCK, AND HIS BELT IS SLIGHTLY WIDER, AND HE DOES NOT HAVE THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSMISSION GOES INTO HIGH GEAR TOO SOON CAUSING TOO MUCH DOWNSHIFTING WHEN I NEED TO SPEED UP. GOES INTO OVERDRIVE AT 45 MPH. VERY SLUGGISH WHEN I NEED TO SPEED UP UNLESS I GIVE IT A LOT OF GAS PEDAL AND THEN IT DROPS OUT OF OVERDRIVE AND SKIPS 4TH GEAR AND GOES DOWN TO 3RD GEAR.*AK

THE LIFT PUMP ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE TRUCK START JERKING EVERY TIME I WENT TO ACCELERATE AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER HAVING TALKED TO OTHERS WITH A SAME TRUCK, OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE TRUCK HAD ABOUT 19,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS A YEAR AND 6 MONTHS OLD. I WOULD NOT EXPECT THIS TYPE OF FAILUE ON A NEW TRUCK WITH SO LITTLE MILES ON IT.

DRIVERS SIDE A/C IS 23 DEGREES HOTTER THAN PASSENGER SIDE. HAD IN SHOP 2 OR 3 TIMES AND THE DEALER STILL CANT FIGURE OUT WHY. THERES ONLY ONE CONTROL KNOB ,NOT A DUAL KNOB.

REAR END OF TRUCK MOVES OVER AND MAKES TRUCK UNCONTROLABLE. THIS HAPPENS AT SPEEDS FROM 35 MPH AND UP. ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH, THE REAR END JUMPS UP AND DOWN RAPIDLY ON THE HIGHWAYS. MANY TIMES I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO 55 OR 60 TO GET IT BACK IN COMTROL. I FEAR AN ACCIDENT IS VERY POSSIBLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASE OF THE TRUCK. THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS JUST A TRUCK AND I HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. THIS IS MY 5TH TRUCK TO OWN, AND IT IS THE FIRST ONE TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS. *AK

ONGOING VIBRATION IN REAR AXLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DODGE HAS ROTATED AND REBALANCED ORIGINAL TIRES, HAD GOODYEAR REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES WITH NEW TIRES 3 TIMES, HAS SENT THE TRUCK TO BIG-O FOR ROAD FORCE BALANCING 3 TIMES, HAS REBALANCED ORIGINAL DRIVESHAFT AND THEN REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT WITH A NEW ONE ALL TO NO AVAIL. HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS 14 TIMES SO FAR. THE FINAL TIME GOODYEAR REPLACED THE TIRES, THEIR STORE MANAGER PERFORMED HIS OWN TEST FOR VIBRATION. HE MOUNTED AND BALANCED THE NEW TIRES AND THEN PUT THE TRUCK INTO THE AIR ON A HYDRAULIC LIFT TAKING IT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED. HE NOTED THE VIBRATION, THEN REMOVED THE TIRES FROM THE WHEELS, STILL NOTED THE VIBRATION AND THEN REMOVED THE WHEELS FROM THE AXLE AND STILL NOTED THE VIBRATION. THIS WAS NOTED TO BOTH REPAIR DEALERS, ALSO TO NO AVAIL.*AK

NAR 05/21/2003 *MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH GEAR SHIFTS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *CB

I BOUGHT A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB AND JUST RETURNED HOME FROM BRINGING MY VEHICLE TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. I HAD ASKED THEM TO CHECK OUT THE SHAKING THAT I EXPERIENCED DURING BRAKING. THEY INFORMED ME ALL FOUR ROTORS ARE WARPED AND THE SURFACE COULD NOT BE CUT BECAUSE THEY WOULD BECOME TOO THIN. AT THIS POINT THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO SPEND $800.00 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. BEING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THE ROTORS THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*JB

THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION, EQUIPPED WITH 3.55 GEAR RATIOS, WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE CONSUMERS 20 FEET. TRAILER. MR SCC *JB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPT. 02/20/03 REY M 03/06/03 CALLED ME. 4:30 + - PM ABOUT PART 4 CLUSTER , ARRIVED 11:15 AM 02/07/03 ASKED 4 BILL BOYD, SERVICE DIR. STATES U WILL B TAKEN CARE OFF. JIMMY LAWRENCE CALLED IN, GENERAL. SALES MANAGER. DOESN'T LIKE MY REACTION, STORMS OUT TO SEE BILL B, WHILE MY RAM IS BEING APPRAISED FOR VALUE, NEW CREDIT FORM IS BROUGHT OUT BY ART AGGUIRRE, SALES AGENT STATES HE NEEDS TO CHECK MY CREDIT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF INTEREST RATES I CAN GET, I STATE I'M NOT HERE TO DO ANOTHER APP GETS ME TO SEE JIMMY, I TELL HIM I'M DRIVING A RENTAL MORE THAN MY OWN, I MENTION YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR A RENTAL AND STATES HE DIDN'T CARE, DEALERSHIP SPENDS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON RENTALS, AND THAT I WAS CRAZY IF I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT'S ONLY A BULB HE SAYS, AND IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE YOU DRIVE IT! WOW! AND THREATENS TO CALL POLICE TO ESCORT ME OUT, ART AND I GO TO BILL, WHICH IS ALSO UPSET STATES I 'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER VEHICLE, MY WIFE IS CRYING, SHE'S UPSET AND I'M UP SET. I TOLD BILL YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE GOING TO CALL A CHRYSLER REP. AND NOTIFY ME FOR A MEETING . MY TIME'S VALUABLE AND I NEED A DEPENDABLE VEHICLE, IN TIME HE REACTED BETTER, I'VE BEEN HERE #'S X"S AND SPEND 4 - 6 HRS HERE. I DON'T LIKE IT. I SHOULD BE HERE FOR REGULAR. SERVICE ONLY. MY RAM HAS BEEN HERE 4 #'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ALIGNMENT (PULLING LIGHT) DOORS ADJUSTED., WIRING TO TCM, CONNECTION TO PCM, COMPUTER CHANGED, LET US DO PILOT TESTING, RIGHT FRONT HAS BEEN HIT/SCRAPED, NOW A PART FOUR CLUSTER, NOT TO FUEL UP W/ENGINE ON, PUT BEST MECHANIC THIS TIME. NOW DRIVING A RENTAL AGAIN 02/20/03 TO PRESENT TIME, LEFT W/ WIFE CRYING 5 HRS LATER. I HAVE TO PICK UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL & I"M OUT OF TOWN. IT HURT TO SEE MY WIFE IN THAT CONDITION, AND FOR AGENTS TO TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO! BILL B. STATED B-4 WE LEFT THAT HE WILL CALL CHRYSLER, AND WOULD CONTACT US LATER. *NLM