2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB Suspension Problems

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE QUAD CAB 1500 4X2 THAT I BOUGHT NEW AND HAS ONLY 71,000 ORIGINAL MILES. I HAVE NOTICED SOME NOISE AND VIBRATION COMING FROM THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I'VE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE HAS ISSUED A RECALL (N49, N62 AND NHTSA 13-V528) THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE BUT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AFTER FURTHER INSPECTIONS. THE PART IN QUESTION IS THE LEFT TIE ROD AND STEERING LINKAGE. NEW PARTS (CBUEN491AA. CBUEN492AA) APPARENTLY ARE READILY AVAILABLE PRIOR TO JANUARY 2014 BUT MY TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REPAIR. DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PART TO SNAP OFF CAUSING INJURY AND DEATH TO ANYONE ESPECIALLY MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS MODEL YEAR? WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE FOR NOW THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED BUT WHY DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS FIRST BEFORE THE MANUFACTURER TAKES HONORABLE RESPONSIBILITY? ANOTHER ISSUE AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHER TRUCK OWNERS IS THAT THE DASH BOARD DETERIORATES AND CRACKS AND MATERIALS FALL INTO THE AIR/DEFROST DUCTING. I HOPE FOR ACTION SOON RATHER THAN RE-ACTION AFTER THE FACT AND THE PREVENTION OF LOSS TO LIFE OR INJURIES.

I GOT WIND OF THE RECALL AROUND DEC 2013 & FIGURED IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY TRUCK SINCE I HAD SPENT CLOSE TO $2000 REBUILDING THE FRONT SUSPENSION WITH OEM & AFTER MARKET PARTS. I FINALLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE N62 AT THE END OF JAN 2014. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY DEALERSHIP & THEY CONFIRMED MY TRUCK WAS INDEED INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE THE PARTS I USED WERE DEFECTIVE & BEING RECALLED. THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME IT WOULD BE AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR OR LONGER BEFORE THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR MY TRUCK WOULD ARRIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE TIE ROD BALL STUD FAILED AT HWY SPEEDS(I ALREADY KNEW THE ANSWER) & WAS TOLD IT WOULDN'T BE PRETTY. IF THE PART DID FAIL I WOULD LOSE ALL STEERING ABILITY & MORE THEN LIKELY END UP IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. MY TRUCK WEIGHS IN AT 8600 LBS + OR -,UNLOADED, WHAT EVER I RUN INTO/HIT IF THE TIE ROD BALL STUD FAILED WOULD CERTAINLY CAUSE INJURIES OR DEATH. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? PARK OUR TRUCKS UNTIL DODGE/CHRYSLER SHIPS THE PARTS IN ANOTHER YEAR OR SO? MOST FOLKS WHO OWN HD PICKUPS USE THEM TO MAKE A LIVING & CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR TRUCK PARKED FOR A COUPLE DAYS MUCH LESS A YEAR. WOULD BE NICE IF OWNERS OF THE TRUCKS AFFECTED WOULD BE REIMBURSED BY DODGE/CHRYSLER IF WE PURCHASED AFTERMARKET PARTS MAKING OUR TRUCKS SAFE TO DRIVE, RATHER THEN WAITING TO WHO KNOWS WHEN. I KNOW THAT WON'T HAPPEN, *TR

Mileage: 114,200

HAS DEATH WOBBLE AT 60MPH HITTING BUMPS IN ROAD. *TR

Mileage: 109,147

OUR 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 DASH STARTED CRACKING AND CAVING IN NEARLY A YEAR AGO. AS TIME GOES BY CRACKS WORSEN AS WELL AS NEW CRACKS HAVE APPEARED. PLASTIC DASH PIECES ARE FALLING BEHIND (INTO) DASH BOARD AND COMING OUT SOMETIMES IN THE FLOORBOARD. CONCERNED ABOUT AIR BAG SAFETY. WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE DASHBOARD IN ORDER FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE FIXED. OUR DAUGHTER OWNS THE SAME YEAR DODGE TRUCK AND HERS IS DOING THE SAME THING. ALSO, OUR STEERING WHEEL MAKES CRACKING, POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNING. AND THE BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO BE BAD. *TR

ON 7-16-03 I WAS A RESTRAINED PASSENGER IN A DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB. WE WERE RETURNING FROM A SHORT TRIP TO THE STORE. WHILE DRIVING ON A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT DRY ROAD, WITH COMPLETELY CLEAR VISIBILITY AT APPROX 3 PM AFTERNOON WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC WE UNEXPECTEDLY FELT A HARD BUMP, AS IF WE HAD HIT A POT HOLE. IT WAS SO HARD I WAS THROWN FORWARD IN MY SEAT. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY YELLED THAT THE STEERING HAD LOCKED. HE WAS ALSO TRYING DESPERATELY TO HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THEY TOO WERE NOT WORKING. THE DRIVER STRUGGLED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT TO TRY AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT WASN'T ABLE TOO. WE DROVE DIRECTLY INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE THEN LEFT THE LANE AND PROCEEDED INTO A PARKING AREA OF A CONVENIENCE STORE, WHERE WE STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. AFTER STRIKING THE PARKED VEHICLE WE WERE REDIRECTED BACK INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS AT THAT TIME WE WERE STRUCK HEAD ON BY A SEMI TRUCK. THE SEMI DROVE COMPLETELY OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DODGE TRUCK CRUSHING ME INSIDE AND ROLLING THE SEMI. THE POLICE REPORT STATES THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE WRECK. IN THE AREA WE NOTED THE INITIAL BUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS INVESTIGATED AND IT WAS FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN BROKEN COMPLETELY IN HALF; HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATED STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS TOO SEVERE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THE BALL JOINT FAILED BEFORE, OR WAS BROKEN DURING THE COLLISION. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS BETWEEN THE FAILURE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND THE COLLISION. SOMETHING FAILED ON THAT VEHICLE RENDERING IT UNCONTROLLABLE. I DO HAVE THE VEHICLE IN MY POSSESSION, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DODGE HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST WHAT SO EVER IN INVESTIGATING THIS POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE INJURIES I INCURRED FROM THIS ACCIDENT. *JB

TRUCK DEVELOPED WARPED ROTORS @ 13K MILES. ROTORS WERE TURNED AND FRON T CALIPERS REPLACED DUE TO TSB. LATER SHUDDER REAPPEARD @ ABOUT 22K MILES. DEALER TURNED REAR ROTORS. SHUDDER REAPPEARED ~6K MILES LATER. REPLACED REAR DISCS SINCE OLDER ONES WERE BEYOND TURNING. SHUDDER REAPPEARED @ 34K. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION WITH DEALER AND DODGE CUST NO-SERVICE, FRONT HUBS WERE REPLACED AND FRONT ROTORS TURNED DUE TO TSB. NOW AT 38K MILES SHUDDER IS BACK.

I HAD BOUGHT MY 2500 DODGE RAM BACK IN JUNE OF 2003. I HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS WHEN I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY GOING 75MPH AND THE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO STOP THE VIBRATIONS. I BROUGHT IT IN TO DODGE AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THINKING THIS WAS A FREAK OCCURRENCE. THEN ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO I WAS ONCE AGAIN DRIVING AROUN 60MPH HIT A BUMP AND THE VEHIVLE STARTED SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THREE DAYS( AS I WAS DRIVING A LOT THOSE DAYS). I BROUGHT IT IN TO DODGE AND THEY GAVE ME A HARD TIME, BUT ENDED UP REPLACING THE TRACKBAR AND STEERING STABILIZER. THEY SAID THEY DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM OR NOT. NOW I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER FOLKS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SHAKING AS WELL. *AK

I OWN A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB SLT VIN 1D7-HU18N53S-188168 ASSEMBLY POINT, WARREN, MICHIGAN. THE TRUCK STALLED WHILE IN TRAFFIC MAKING A 10-15 MPH RIGHT TURN. THE SECOND OCCURENCE WAS JULY15, 2004. VERY CLOSE CALL HERE. I WAS IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS CAMPING. THE SIX HOUR DRIVE HOME TOWING MY POPUP WAS NERVE RACKING TO SAY THE LEAST. ESPECIALLY, SINCE MY 13, 6 AND 3 YEAR OLD WERE IN THE TRUCK. I MENTIONED THAT THE TRUCK RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH INTERMITTENTLY TO THE DEALER MORGAN DODGE DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING AN INTERMITTENT SHUDDER THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, ALSO MENTIONED TO THE DEALER ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER SIMPLY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SHUDDER OR STALL. I ALSO HAD A SEVERE BRAKE PULSATION. THEY DID REPLACE FRONT PADS AND CALIPERS AND CUT ROTORS. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW UP WITH ME REGARDING THE SHUDDER AND STALL BUT AS OF THIS DATE, 7/18/2004 I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVE A CALL BACK.

Mileage: 32,500

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD REAR AXLE BROKE WHEEL OFF MY 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB, MY HUSBAND AND 4 YEAR OLD SON WAS ALSO IN TRUCK, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT IN TRUCK OR WHEN WHEEL FELL OFF NOT HITTING ANYONE ON A BUSY INTERSECTION. DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE THIS HAPPENED, WOULDNT GIVE US A RENTAL CAR SAYING IT WAS OUR FAULT IT BROKE ACCUSING US OF TAKING IT 4 WHEELING AND ABUSING OUR TRUCK. OUR TRUCK IS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION, AND WE BOUGHT IT NEW FOR THE FACT OF RELIABILITY AND FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT WITH 3 CHILDREN. AFTER A LONG WEEK OF WAITING AND WAITING TO HEAR SOMETHING THEY SENT OUT A INVESTIGATOR TO TAKE PICTURES OF DAMAGE WHICH WAS FINALLY DONE ON THE 11TH OF JUNE, A WEEK AFTER THIS HAPPEN. STILL NO RENTAL CAR, DAIMLER SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR ONE. WAS TOLD DAIMLER GOT THE PICTURES THAT WERE TAKEN ON THE 14TH, AND STILL WAS NOT REVIEWED. MY HUSBAND IS A TRUCK DRIVER AND TOOK A VACATION WHICH DOES NOT HAPPEN TOO OFTEN, AND SINCE SCHOOL WAS COMING TO A END, WE WANTED TO TAKE THE KIDS AWAY TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, OUR VACATION WAS A VERY DISAPPOINTING ON. DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS ACCUSED US FOR MAKING THE AXLE BREAK, I THINK IT WAS THEIR WAY OF NOT WANTING TO TAKE OUT OF THEIR POCKET A VAHICLE FOR US TO USE. THIS IS THE 2ND WEEK NOW STILL WITH NO WORD ON IF OUR TRUCK WILL BE GETTING FIXED, IT IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD TO US WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT, ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED WHERE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND DAIMLER EVEN DIDN'T TAKE THEIR WORD WITH THE DAMAMGE. MY HUSBAND SAID HE DAIMLER MADE HIM FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL AND WE WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER AND WILL ALSO TELL OTHERS THAT, AND WITH HIM BEING A TRUCK DRIVER HE CAN TELL ALOT OF PEOPLE NOT TO BUY THEIR VEHICLES. IT IS TOTALLY IS A SHAME THAT THIS COMPANY ACTS THE WAY THEY DO TO PEOPLE. I THINK DODGE IS REALLY GOING DOWN HILL. I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE AGAIN IN MY DODGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN OR IF THEY EVER GET AROUND TO FIXING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 12,000

VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED 3 TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK

Mileage: 1,000

PROBLEM WITH A VIBRATION IN THE LONG WHEEL BASE TRUCK. *MR WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS WORKING ON A FIX. *NM

I PURCHASED A NEW DODGE 2003 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB TRUCK IN THE END OF MARCH 2003. THE TRUCK WHEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 55-75 MPH CREATED VIOLENT VIBRATIONS ON CONCRETE FREEWAYS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL THE TRUCKS THEY SELL DO THE SAME THING AND IT WAS JUST ROAD CONDITIONS. I FILED A CLAIM WITH DODGE AND THEY TOLD ME TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP. I TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER (DALE SPONSELLER) AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HE SAID THAT HE FELT THE VIOLENT VIBRATIONS AND WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE RIDE OF THE TRUCK, BUT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT HE COULD DO TO REPAIR IT. *NLM

Mileage: 50

THE BALL JOINT AND AXLE FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. *JB THE BALL JOINT AND AXLE FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. PUERTO RICO POLICE REPORT 03-6-004-00805. *MR

Mileage: 1,700