RoadVitals

1994 Dodge 1500 Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Sep 8, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 116 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Sep 8, 2020

LOWER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BROKE, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, WAS JUST MOVING FARM PICKUP OUT OF BARN AND NOT ON ROAD AT THE TIME. BARELY MOVING WHEN CONTROL WAS LOST TRYING TO TURN.

NHTSA ID
11353674
Incident
Jul 30, 2020
Mileage
300,004 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 26, 2014

WE ( MY FAMILY AND I) WERE DRIVING EAST ON I40 GETTING ON THE INTERSTATE AT PAPERMILL ROAD. THERE WAS AS SHIMMY, THEN A POP, BANG CLANK AND SHUDDER AND THEN WE LOST STEERING. IT ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES,AND HAD TO TROUBLE STEERING IT TO THE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE CROSSING OVER INFRONT OF OTHER CARS. I LOST STEERING ABILITY IN THE TRUCK WE HAD TO DRIVE IT HOME AT 25 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN WE WOULD HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD IT WOULD SHIMMY AND SHAKE. IT TAKES THREE ROTATIONS OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE EVEN A GENTLE CURVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10616551
Incident
Jul 21, 2014
Mileage
283,502 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 25, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH ON A WET ROAD VEHICLE SUDDENLY DID A COMPLETE 90-DEGREE SPIN , AND ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STOPPING. CONSUMER SUSTAINED 10 BROKEN RIBS, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AN AMBULANCE TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
10079954
Incident
Jan 26, 2004
Mileage
100,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 18, 2004

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM. STEERING COLUMN KEPT BREAKING THE CLOCK SPRING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10079500
Incident
May 6, 2004
Mileage
75,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 10, 2004

DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER WAS NOT SURE IF UPPER OR LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10062863
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Steering
Filed Jun 16, 2003

STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS.ALSO, DIMS GO OUT WHICH CAUSES THE STEERING COLUMN TO FAIL. MANUFACTURER WA NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK

NHTSA ID
10024168
Mileage
84,548 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 12, 2001

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A POPPING SOUND. *AK THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AT A POINT WHERE STEERING SHAFT COMES THROUGH FIRE WALL. *YH

NHTSA ID
880387
Incident
Feb 1, 1997
Steering
Filed Feb 4, 2001

I HAVE THIS WONDERING STEERING AS SOON AS A PICK UP FREEWAY SPEEDS I WENT TO THE DEALER AND SAID THEY HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND THEY HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS BY PLACING A RECALL ON ONE COMPONENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I PLACED AN AD ON THE EDMUND.COM, AND I WAS SURPRISED HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES,MANUFACTURER/MODEL/YEAR/SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID
740403
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Steering
Filed Mar 1, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

PITMAN SHAFT SHEARED OFF, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL STEERING.DURING MY PHONE CALL TO ORILLIA DODGE IN ORILLIA ONTARIO CANADA TO ORDER A NEW PART INFORMATION WAS GIVEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT DODGE NO LONGER USES THIS PIECE OF ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHICH IS THE COMPLETE STEERING BOX ASSEMBLY. ORILLIA DODGE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT A NEW UPGRADED MODEL IS NOW BEING USED FOR REPLACEMENT PART. THE SHAFT BROKE A NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ,COUNTRY ROAD FRESHLY GRADED AT 30 KILOMETERS PER HOUR.THERE HAS BEEN INCIDENTS OF SIMILAR NATURE KNOWN OF ACROSS CANADA. ISEEM TO FEEL IF ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IS NO LONGER RECOMMENDED FOR REPLACEMENT A RECALL SHOULD BE WARRENTED TO PREVENT FURTHER ACCIDENTS AN INJURY TO THE VEHICLE OWNER,PASSENGERS,AND OTHER PUBLIC ON OUR ROADS AND SIDEWALKS. PLEASE NOTE THAT MY ADRESS IS IN ORILLIA ONTARIO CANADA, POSTAL CODE L3V-6H2 P.S. I (KEVIN DRAPER) HAS ALSO FORWARDED A LETTER OS SIMILAR NATURE TO THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION OF CANADA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM SOON ON YOUR INTENTIONS TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS MATTER.I FEEL I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO HAVETHIS VEHILCE REPAIRED PARTS ALL BODY WORK AND LABOUR BACK TO THE CONDITION BEFORE THE ACCCIDENT COVERED BY CHRYLSER CORPORATION,BUMPER ,RIGHT FENDER,PASSENGER DOOR CAB CORNER,PASSENGER SIDE OF BOX,PLUSANY DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS LESS THE NORMAL WEAR . THE TRUCK IS NOT NEW BUT IT WAS NOT SMASHED UP BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. THANK YOU AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
719531
Incident
Feb 29, 2000
Steering
Filed Jul 14, 1999

SEAL ON PITMAN ARM STEERING BOX COMPONENT FAILED, FLUID LOSS CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND ACCIDENT. MJS

NHTSA ID
546565
SteeringSuspension
Filed Nov 18, 1998

FRONT END SUSPENSION BEARING HUB AND STRUTS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
542645
Incident
Apr 10, 1998
Steering
Filed May 5, 1998

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK.

NHTSA ID
535204
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Steering
Filed Apr 15, 1998
Fire reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER BELIEVES THE FAILURE OF THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN RESULTED IN THE VEHICLES LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH CAUSED IT TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY, OVERTURN AND CATCH ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID
534264
Incident
Sep 20, 1996
SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 17, 1997

WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK FEELS A VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE METAL IS HITTING AGAINST ANOTHER PIECE OF METAL. HAS HAD REPAIRED TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID
816442
Incident
May 9, 1996
Steering
Filed Dec 9, 1996

WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AT APPROX. 5MPH, EXPERIENCED STEERING WHEEL FAILURE, WHEN STEERING WHEEL TOTALLY SPUN AROUND IN HAND, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND LOSS OF DRIVING CAPABILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
806054
Steering
Filed Sep 25, 1995
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STEERING COLUMN BROKE CAUSING ACCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ID
972418
Incident
Jul 15, 1995
Steering
Filed May 17, 1995

HAD STEERING WHEEL RECALL DONE, KEYS STILL GET STUCK IN STEERING WHEEL. TT

NHTSA ID
965459

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .