Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 71 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.
The 25 most recent of 71, in the owner's own words
To put it as simple as I can describe it is a death wobble. that occurs every time you hit a bump in the road, hole, or pot hole. This truck has always had this death wobble from factory. The reason why this is a safety issue is because it causes the steering wheel to go out of balance and go into other lanes in the road and potentially cause an accident.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE REAR WHEELS SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE SLID OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST, CORROSION, AND HOLES ALONG THE ENTIRE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS DETACHING DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR AXLE TO CEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REBUILD AND REPLACE THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, ONE MONTH LATER, THE PINION NUT DISCONNECTED AND DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT SWAY BARS DETACHED AND THE STEERING CONTROL ARMS SEPARATED DUE TO RUSTING OF THE SUBFRAME. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,888.
MY SON WAS ON THE I-5 COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THE SEALS BLEW ON THE RACK AND PINION. UPON TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO BLOW ANY WHERE FROM 50,000-100,000 MILES. IF WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK. WHEN THE SEALS BLEW THE TRUCK STEERING COMPONENTS BEGAN TO GRIND AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND LUCKILY MY SON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY WITH OUT INJURING ANYONE. MY FATHER WHO HAS CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL RESERVATION CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS POWER STEERING AND FRONT END ISSUES. THE ONLY REASON THEY PURCHASED THE TRUCKS WERE THAT DODGE PROVIDED THE LOW BID AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A GOVERNMENT RECALL ON THE STEERING AND THEIR PRACTICE IS TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID. THE POWER STEERING. TIE RODS AND SUSPENSION ARE MAJOR COMPONENTS TO GOING DOWN THE ROAD SAFELY. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMEONE DYING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. WHILE WE ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS CAUSED BY LARGER VEHICLES AGAINST THE NEW SMALLER LIGHTER WEIGHT CARS IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THE LARGER TRUCKS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ON OUR ROADS. THE DODGE RAM HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AS WELL AS DEALERS AND REPAIR SHOPS NOTING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. CHEVY TRUCKS, FORD TRUCKS AND TOYOTA TRUCKS DO NOT HAVE THE REPUTATION FOR HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END AND STEERING COMPONENTS. THUS THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A DEFECT ISOLATED TO THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS. SINCE YOU CANNOT REQUIRE AND INDIVIDUAL TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION THEMSELVES EVERY 50,000 MILES THE ONLY OPTION WOULD BE TO REQUIRE DODGE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTIONS. *TR
WHILE I WAS DRIVING, MY TRUCK MADE A ODD SOUND AND THEN CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. TO MY SURPRISE, THE REAR DRIVESHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED AND FELL OUT OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED AND INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NUT CAME OFF OF THE PINION GEAR. THE AXLE AND COMPANION GEAR SLIPPING OUT OF THE PINION GEAR AND THE YOLK CAME COMPLETELY OFF. THE MECHANIC WAS AS CONCERN AND SURPRISED AS I WAS, CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WEBSITE AND ADVISED THEM OF MY SITUATION. SADLY, I RECEIVED A RESPONSE STATING THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING MY ISSUE. I CONDUCTED MY OWN RESEARCH ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFECT, AND FOUND THE NHTSA DETAILS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM TRUCKS. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE ONLY REVIEWING 2008-2014 MODELS. CONSIDERING MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS INCURRED THE SAME PROBLEM, CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL ALL OF THEIR 2000 SERIES FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND OTHERS VERY LUCKY. IF THE DRIVESHAFT WOULD HAVE DISCONNECTED 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I'M FORTUNATE, I HAD REACHED MY EXIT AND WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WITH NO VEHICLE BEHIND ME WHEN MY TRUCK CAME APART AND STOPPED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND WITHIN MINUTES THE REAR AXLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS MILEAGE WAS 171,000.
OUR GEARS CAME APART, THERE WAS REAR END FLUID IN THERE BUT THE GEARS CAME APART. WHICH I WAS TOLD WHAT I NEEDED TO DO BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, BUT I WASN'T AND NOW I AM LOOKING AT A $4000 BILL TO GET THIS FIXED. HEARD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS TO HAVE REAR END ISSUES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS PERFORMING AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICED THAT TWO BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT ORDERED THE BOLTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD SEPARATED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS, FRONT STEERING, KNUCKLE HUB, ROTOR ASSEMBLY, BRAKE CALIPER, ABS SPEED SENSOR, BRAKE LINE HOSE, WHEEL, AND LUG BOLTS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FENDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
REPLACED RACK AND PINION FOUR TIMES ALONG WITH THE UPPER CONTROL ARM, UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND TIE ROD ENDS. THIS LAST TIME THE BOOTS ON THE RACK AND PINION BUSTED POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOST CAUSING STEERING TO LOCK UP. THE SEVERE UNDERLYING ISSUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS THE LEFT AND RIGHT STEERING KNUCKLES ARE FAULTY CAUSING THE TIRES TO TURN TO FAR WHICH IS CAUSING THE DAMAGE TO THE RACK AND PINION BUSTING WHICH IS CAUSING THE DRAINAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID AND LOCKING UP THE STEERING. *TR
2002 DODGE RAM 1500 WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY SEPARATION / WHEEL SEPARATION, WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 35 -40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THEN THE WHEEL RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO BECOME DISABLED DURING A SNOW STORM. *TR
THE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT WAS BOUGHT IN 2006. 2 MONTHS LATER, THE REAR END HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO WARRANTY. (2000.00 OUT OF POCKET). SIX MONTHS LATER, THE FRONT END WENT OUT. (2083.00 OUT OF POCKET). NO MORE PROBLEMS UNTIL 6 MONTHS AGO. HAD TO REPLACE ALL WHEEL BEARINGS AND BRAKES ( 1500.00 OUT OF POCKET) NOW, MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE BRAKES AND FRONT SUSPENSION HAS TO BE REPLACED(ANOTHER 2300.00 OUT OF POCKET) THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF-ROAD. IT HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. DODGE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED,NO RESPONSE. HOW CAN THEY EXPECT US TO KEEP BUYING THEIR VEHICLES, WHEN THEY CAN'T OR WON'T TELL US WHAT IS GOING ON? I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL FOR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. *TR
I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 AND I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT THE DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING AND THEN IT BEGAN TO CRACK MORE TO THE POINT OF HAVING NO DASH AT ALL. I DON'T THINK THIS IS JUST A COSMETIC DEFECT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT DOESN'T TAKE A HOARD OF INSPECTORS TO SEE HOW THIS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO OCCUPANTS IN THE TRUCK. LETS JUST FORGET ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE FOR A SECOND, AFTER BUYING A DODGE INTREPID AND HAVE THE MOTOR FAIL AT 60,000 AND I SAID " I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE", BUT I GAVE DODGE A SECOND CHANCE BECAUSE I LIKED THE LOOK OF THE TRUCK INSIDE AND OUT. WITH THAT SAID I DON'T MIND REPLACING THE CONTROL ARMS WHERE THE BALL JOINTS ARE WELDED IN, AT A COST OF 600.00 DOLLARS. WISH I WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THAT TOO, BUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE DASH IS NOT JUSTIFIED AS AN EXPENSE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. IF I SOLD THIS TRUCK TO SOMEONE I KNOW THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD SAY, "THAT DOESN'T LOOK SAFE AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT ELSE IS UNSAFE WITH THE TRUCK." IT DOES MAKE YOU WONDER ABOUT THE REST OF THE TRUCK, DID THEY CUT CORNERS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE? LET ME ASK NHTSA WHEN YOU GET IN YOUR VEHICLE TO GO HOME AFTER WORK AND YOUR DASH STARTED CRACKING, TO THE POINT OF YOUR SPEAKERS FALLING OUT WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES WOULD YOU FEEL SAFE. THAT'S MY STORY AND I AM STICKING TO IT. *TR
DODGE SLT-1500 4X4, SHORT BEDSHOPS AROUND CURVES IF YOU HIT THE SLIGHTEST BUMP IN ROAR, BRIDGE OR WHATEVER. IT SEEM THE BACK END IS TO LIGHT OR SOMETHING IS WRONG BACK THERE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK EARLY IN THE MORNING, ROADS WERE WET, TEMPERATURE WAS 23 DEGREES. WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROADWAY ABOUT 40 MPH. WAS ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH WHEN TRUCK STARTED TO FISH TAIL SLIGHTLY. REAR OF THE TRUCK SLID SLIGHTLY TOWARD DRIVERS SIDE. I TURNED THE WHEELS SLIGHTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SLIDE AND THEN STARTED TO TURN THE WHEELS BACK THE OTHER DIRECTION AS TRUCK STARTED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. AT THAT POINT I FELT SOMETHING GIVE IN THE FRONT END ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE TRUCK STARTED PULLING ACROSS THE CENTER LINE AND OFF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR A TELEPHONE POLE. I TRIED PUSHING THE BRAKES FULLY, BUT THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I CUT THE WHEELS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT , JUST MISSING THE TELEPHONE POLE. MY FRONT FENDER STRUCK A STEEL POLE FILLED WITH CEMENT NEXT TO A SPLIT RAIL FENCE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS LAYING UNDER THE TRUCK, ONLY HELD ON BY THE TIE ROD END. THIS WAS BY NO MEANS A VERY BAD CASE OF SLIDING AND OVER STEERING. THE UPPER BALL JOINT HAD JUST SEPARATED CAUSING THE TIRE TO BUCKLE UNDER. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED THIS ACCIDENT WITHOUT INJURY OR HAVING MY TRUCK ROLL OVER. I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DODGE DURANGOS WITH THE BALL JOINT SEPARATION AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IT IS THE SAME SUSPENSION PARTS USED IN THE DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCKS. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
PINION GEAR FAILURE. REPLACED REAR END FROM A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE REAREND WILL LOCK UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID TO A STOP,CAUSING DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION,AND DRIVE SHAFT. NOT TO MENTION THE 'SAFETY HAZARDS' OF POSSIBLY CAUSING A WRECK,AND WORSE INJURING SOMEONE. *TR
FRONT AXLE, I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT AXLES OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 ON BOTH SIDES AT 100,000 MILES AND THE AXLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS NOW GONE OUT AGAIN, 1.5 YEARS LATER. THE OIL PUMP HAS GONE OUT ALONG WITH ALL THE TENSIONERS, REAR AXLE IS GOING OUT, TRUCK OVERHEATS AND NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 DODGERAM 1500 TRUCK APPROX. 70,000 MILES, THE UPPER BALLJOINT (PASSENGER SIDE) BEARING FAILED, AND CAUSED UNDO STRESS ON THE LOWER BALLJOINT CAUSING IT TO BRAKE. CAUSING THE TRUCK TO PULL TO THE RIGHT INTO A TREE. *JB
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF. *NM
WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT, THIS TRUCK JUMPS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I ALMOST WAS THROWN INTO A RETAINING WALL YESTERDAY. YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING ON ROUGH SURFACES!! DANGEROUS. *JB
WHEN ON THE SLIGHTEST ROUGH SURFACE, THIS TRUCK JUMPS AND BOUNCES ALL OVER THE ROAD. I LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE TRUCK WHEN IT IS JUMPING. WORSE, THE BRAKES BOUNCE AND GRAB WHEN YOU APPLY THEM. DANGEROUS. WIDE SPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THESE SAFETY ISSUES. NEED A RESOLUTION AND RECALL. *JB
FIRST THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN 3RD GEAR AT TIMES,THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE THAT THE DEALER CAN'T REPRODUCE. THE LAMP OUT LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF WITH THE BELL THIS WILL DO IT INTERMITTENTLY FOR AS LONG AS 30 MIN STRAIGHT AND THIS TRUCK IS ALL OVER THE ROAD WHEN YOU HIT BUMPS AT HIGH SPEED. *JB
WHEN DRIVING DOWN ANY BUMPY ROAD, THE REAR OF THE TRUCK IS ALL OVER THE PLACE HAVE TO DRIVE AT 5 MPH OR LESS TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. WHEN IT'S RAINY IT'S EVEN WORSE. ON THE HIGHWAY ON WET WEATHER YOU CAN SEE THE REAR OF THE TRUCK SWAYING AFTER A BUMP - VERY SCARY THIS STARTED WHEN THE TRUCK REACHED 40,000 MILES - WILL THERE BE A REMEDY FOR THIS - HAVE TAKEN IT TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THEY ALSO AGREE WITH THE WAY THE TRUCK OPERATES AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. *NM
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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