2002 DODGE RAM 2500 Suspension Problems

I PURCHASED A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 5.7 V8 4WD. MY STEERING HAS GOTTEN REALLY LOOSE OVER THE LAST WEEK. I BROUGHT IT IN TO DEALERSHIP FOR A PREVIOUS RECALL. AND THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT MY STEERING GEAR WAS GOING OUT AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE BAD.

Mileage: 122,153

DODGE RAM "DEATH WOBBLE" OR SHIMMY PHENOMENON, WHILE IN MOTION AND ENCOUNTERING HIGHWAY ROAD SURFACE CHANGES.

Mileage: 128,392

DEATH WOBBLE. EXPERIENCE WHEN HITTING SMALL/MINOR BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR RAILROAD TRACKS. VIOLENT SHAKING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO TRY TO COME TO A STOP. SHAKING IS SO VIOLENT THAT THE DRIVER IS BOUNCED AROUND IN THE SEAT, MOMENTARILY AIRBORNE AND ITESM IN THE TRUCK FLY AROUND. LAWSUIT WAS ISSUSED ON 2004 AND NEWER MODELS BUT AFFECTS OLDER MODELS AS WELL. WE NOW HAVE PAID $900 IN PARTS TO FIX THE "DEATH WOBBLE" THAT HAD WE KNOWN WAS AN ISSUE, WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK. COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WHEN IT IS OUR DAILY DRIVER AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PARK IT AND PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO REPLACE IT WITH. CANNOT SELL IN CURRENTY CONDITION HAVING A "DEATH WOBBLE". NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PURCHASED PARTS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 160,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS DAMAGED. THE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 08/15/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD NO POWER FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE MILES. A DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THE LEFT FRONT BEARING HUB AND ANTI-LOCK SPEED SENSOR WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE TURBO CHARGER WAS BROKEN AND THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP WAS BAD. UPDATED 05/03/12

Mileage: 64,000

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH MY 02 RAM 2500 TRUCK. REAR BRAKE PADS HAD NOTHING BUT RUST HOLDING THE PADS IN PLACE, HAD THE TURBO AND FUEL PUMP REPLACED, U-JOINTS AND YOKE ON 4WD SHAFT WORN OUT AND HANGER BEARING ON REAR DRIVE SHAFT WORN OUT AT ABOUT 70,000MI, TAIL GATE CABLE BROKE AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS, WHEN CLICKING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM OCCASIONALLY ALL LIGHTS GO OUT, CANNOT USE HEATED MIRRORS BECAUSE THEY WILL BLOW A FUSE AND I WON'T HAVE ANY HEAT, AND NOW ALL BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS ARE WORN AND NEED REPLACED. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW WITH ONLY 75 MILES ON IT, WHEN I HAD THE FUEL PUMP AND TURBO REPLACED AT AROUND 78,000 MILES, MY MILEAGE INCREASED FROM ABOUT 350 MILES PER TANK TO ABOUT 550 MILES PER TANK OF FUEL. HIGHWAY DRIVING IS MUCH HIGHER MPG. FUEL GAGE NO LONGER WORKS, EMPTY AT HALF TANK OF FUEL NOW. WAS QUARTER TANK AND EMPTY. I'M SURE THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE NEXT, I'VE BEEN PUTTING SPECIAL FLUID ADDITIVE IN THAT, THIS SEEMS TO HELP WITH SMOOTHNESS OF SHIFTING AND POWER. NEVER EVER WILL I WASTE MY MONEY ON A VEHICLE MADE BY THE "BIG THREE" AGAIN. THERE IS A GOOD REASON WHY TOYOTA IS TAKING OVER THE MARKET.*TR

Mileage: 50,000

A 20002 DODGE TRUCK WITH 48000 NEEDED UPPER BALL JOINTS, THIS WAS DISCOVERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL NEARLY CAME OFF. THE CONSUMER FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A WAS LOOSE LUG NUT BUT UPON INSPECTION THE NUTS WERE TIGHT, BUT THE BALL JOINT WAS WORN AND LOOSE. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. *JB

Mileage: 48,000

AN EXCESS OF 50 THOUSANDS OF PLAY IN THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS OF MY 2002 DODGE 2500 4X4 QUAD CAB DIESEL HAS BEEN DETECTED BY TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOPS. THE DEALER, SOUTHTOWN DODGE, REFUSES TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS UNDER WARRANTY, CITING ONLY 20 AND 24 THOUSANDTHS PLAY WITH 30 THOUSANDTHS ALLOWABLE. OVER THE LAST 5000 TO 6000 MILES, THE BALL JOINT WEAR HAS CAUSED THE STEER TIRES TO WEAR RAPIDLY AND ERRATICLY STEERS ITSELF WHEN IN MOTION. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FOR "AROUND $800" IF I AM "SO CONCERNED. *AK

Mileage: 35,100

AN EXCESS OF 50 THOUSANDS OF PLAY IN THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS OF MY 2002 DODGE 2500 4X4 QUAD CAB DIESEL HAS BEEN DETECTED BY TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOPS. THE DEALER, SOUTHTOWN DODGE, REFUSES TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS UNDER WARRANTY, CITING ONLY 20 AND 24 THOUSANDTHS PLAY WITH 30 THOUSANDTHS ALLOWABLE. OVER THE LAST 5000 TO 6000 MILES, THE BALL JOINT WEAR HAS CAUSED THE STEER TIRES TO WEAR RAPIDLY AND ERRATICLY STEERS ITSELF WHEN IN MOTION. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FOR "AROUND $800" IF I AM "SO CONCERNED. *AK

Mileage: 35,100

THE VEHICLE'S TIE RODS AND BALL JOINTS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *MR

Mileage: 17,000

THE VEHICLE'S TIE RODS AND BALL JOINTS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *MR

Mileage: 17,000

SINCE NEW MY DODGE 2500 4X4 DIESEL P/U HAS WORN THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT TIRES. WITH ONLY 23000 MILES I HAVE JUST PURCHASED NEW TIRES. THE MECHANIC AT THE TIRE STORE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INFORM ME THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT WITH DODGE TRUCKS, AND THERE IS A FIX. THIS WOULD COST ME BETWEEN $250.- $350. DEPENDING ON LABOR. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS INHERENT PROBLEM BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER OVERSIGHT AND POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. *JB

Mileage: 23,000

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, CHECKED OUT PROBLEM, BUT FOUND NOTHING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK

Mileage: 26,000

TRUCK WONDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD, BUMP STEER. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE SHIMMY'S ALL OVER THE ROAD. CONSUMER STATES IF YOU HIT A POT HOLE, COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

UPON PURCHASING VEHICLE AND AFTER ACCUMULATING 500 ADDITIONAL MILES STEERING WOULD MAKE A TREMENDOUS GRINDING NOISE. PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED TO TURNING EITHER DIRECTION WITH SAME NOISE PROBLEM WITH ADDITIONAL POPPING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED STEERING COLUMN AND SHAFT WITH NO CHANGE IN CONDITION. *AK

THIS TRUCK HAS A VIOLENT VIBRATION BOUNCING OSILALTION ON THE FREEWAY. OTHER TRUCK DON'T DO THIS. THE DEALER SAYS NO PROBLEM WITH IT AND THEY WONT DO ANYTHING. I COMPLAINED AFTER 1 MILE OF OWNERSHIP. THE TRUCK IS NOT SAFE. NO STATEMENT WAS GIVEN TO ME THAT I WAS GETTING A TRUCK THAT CAN'T BE USED TO DRIVE AT NORMAL FREEWAY SPEEDS. ADDING 500LBS IN THE BED DOES NOTHING TO HELP.THEN I WAS TOLD I NEED A CAMPER ADDED SO I GOT ONE. IT'S A $2,200 MISTAKE. NOW I AM TOLD TO TRY SOME RUBBER SPRING SHACKLES CALLED VELVET RIDES. THEY SEEM TO MAKE IT BETTER EXCEPT NOW WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE WHOLE TRUCK UNLOADS AND THE REAR LIFTS UP AND LOOSES REAR TRACTION TOO EASY. IM TAKING THEM OFF IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM WITH FRONT AND REAR END PROBLEM. *AK