Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 75 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 75, in the owner's own words
BRAKE LINE RUNNING FRONT TO BACK RUSTED OUT AND CORRODED BEHIND FUEL TANK STOPPED QUICKLY FROM CAR PULLING OUT AND IT RUPTURED ALSO FUEL LINES GOING FROM MASTER CYLINDER CORRODED AND LEAKING
2003 DODGE RAM 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LIGHT SWITCH STILL NOT WORKING AFTER REPAIRS. *SMD THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS STARTING TO LEAK. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AN ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES, CALIPERS, AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HUB BEARING, WHEEL HUB, AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY, AND DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. LASTLY, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE HEAD LAMP WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,281. UPDATED 06/29/16*LJ *TR
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK STARTED SHUTTING OFF, WHETHER IN IDLE OR ON THE FREEWAY. IT WOULD HAPPEN MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY. WHEN SHUTTING OFF, THE TRUCK WOULD LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. TOOK TO MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS AND MECHANICS WHO COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, WOULD NEVER THROW ANY CODES, FINALLY SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC WHO TALKED TO A COMPUTER PERSON WHO STATED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE COMPUTER FIXED BUT IT WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE FOR 3-6 WEEKS DUE TO IT BEING ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. YOU ARE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN YOU LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. NATIONAL BACK ORDER TELLS ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND DODGE KNOWS ABOUT IT.
RIGHT FRONT BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY VEERED OFF ROAD OFF SHOULDER OF HIGHWAY POWER STEERING SUCTION LINE CAME LOOSE STEERING FAILED. *TR
MY GIRLFRIEND USED THE BRAKES AND THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW HER TO SLOW DOWN AND REGAIN CONTROL CAUSE IT KEPT KICKING THE PEDAL BACK WITH NO BRAKING CONTROL WHATSOEVER. SHE HIT A GUARD RAIL AND AS THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED A PIECE OF METAL INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSED APPROX A 1 1/2 INCH TEAR IN THE SIDE OF THE AIR BAG CAUSING TO NOT INFLATE AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO HER NECK SEVERALLY TO THE POINT WHERE SHE NEEDS SURGERY NOW TO HAVE CERVICAL VERTEBRAE FUSED TOGETHER AND EXTREME SHOULDER PAIN AND UNSURE OF THE CAUSE FOR THAT NOW. IF THIS AIR BAG WOULD NOT HAVE TORE AND WORKED PROPERLY SHE WOULD HAVE A SOAR FACE RIGHT NOW AND NOT NEEDING SURGERY. YES WE FULLY INTEND TO START MAKING INQUIRIES TO LAWYERS STARTING 3/2/2015 AND FIND A REMEDY BECAUSE WITH ALL THE AIR BAG PROBLEMS DODGE HAS HAD THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. *TR
STARTED UP AND THE ABS DASH INDICATOR LIGHT STAYED ON. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANICS AND NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER WASN'T WORKING. MY MECHANICS FOUND THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS RIGHT AWAY. THEY SAID THAT A FIRE HAD OCCURRED AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ABS CONTROLLER WAS BURNT AND THE WIRES LEADING FROM IT. *TR
WHILE DRIVE AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE CENTER LINE, CROSSED OVER THE ON COMING LANE, HIT A MAILBOX, WENT AIRBORNE, CROSSED A DRIVEWAY, HIT A TREE, ROLLED, HIT ANOTHER SMALLER TREE AND CAME TO REST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FACING THE OPPOSITE WAY I WAS ORIGINALLY TRAVELING. AT THE TIME THE HUB ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, I WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL. MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO CRAWL OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE I HAD TO BE CUT OUT USING THE JAWS OF LIFE. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL TRAUMA ONE HOSPITAL VIA LIFE AIR MEDICAL RESCUE. MY DAUGHTER WAS TRANSPORTED BY GROUND. SHE HAD FIVE CHIPPED TEETH WHILE I SUSTAINED A TBI AND BROKEN KNEE CAP. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOST BUT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DOWNSHIFT AND REDUCE SPEED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS LEAKING AND CAUSING THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT METAL WAS USED FOR THE BRAKE LINE, WHICH WAS OF BAD QUALITY, AND CAUSED THE BRAKE LINES TO BECOME CORRODED WITH RUST. THE BRAKE LINE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
WHILE DRIVING CAME UP TO LIGHTS AND THE ENGINE STALLED HAD NO STEERING AND NO BRAKE PUT ENGINE IN PARK RESTARTED AND DROVE ON THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN ND OUT OF TRAFFIC. WHEN PULLING HARD TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THE ENGINE WILL BEGIN TO STALL DID THIS WHILE TRUCK WAS SITTING IN FRONT YARD. HAD A TUNE UP DONE AND WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE BUT NOW IT IS STARTING UP AGAIN. *TR
I WAS GOING OVER A BRIDGE ON 144 IN TULSA OKLAHOMA WHEN I FELT MY RIGHT WHEEL STARTING SHAKING REAL BAD SO I STARTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD , WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHEEL JUST FELL OFF WITH THE BRAKE AND ROTOR INTACT. I HAD JUST PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE 2 WEEKS EARLIER AND ONLY HAD 43,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO GET A WRECKER TO TAKE IT TO A SPECIALIST IN BROKEN ARROW WHERE HE HAD A CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE COME LOOK AT IT AND STATED THAT MODEL HAD A DEFECT IN IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPEN AT THAT MILEAGE. HE SAID THERE WAS NO WEAR AND TEAR ON THE TIRES TO PROVE WORE OUT PARTS. ALSO MY CONCERN IF THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS TYPE OF TRUCK WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED. IF THIS INCIDENT HAD HAPPEN DURING 5 O'CLOCK RUSH HOUR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THINGS LIKE THIS TAKEN CARE. *TR
THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED ON BEHALF OF THE 2003 DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK 1500 MR. JP WATERS BY HIS STEPSON. MR. WATERS WAS SEVERELY INJURED ON OCTOBER 22, 2008 AFTER PLACING THE AFORESAID VEHICLE IN PARK ON AN INCLINE, TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, AND EXITING THE TRUCK. AS HE WENT AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO RETRIEVE SOME ITEMS THE TRUCK ROLLED, KNOCKING HIM DOWN AND DRAGGING HIM ACROSS A CURB INTO A NEIGHBORS YARD. HE SUSTAINED A FRACTURED HIP/ NUMEROUS LACERATIONS/ CONTUSIONS ALL OVER HIS BODY AND CONSEQUENTLY SUFFERED HEART FAILURE AND HAD TO BE AIR LIFTED TO A HEART HOSPITAL. HIS RECALL IS THAT HE DEFINITELY PLACED THE TRUCK IN PARK POSITION (IT IS AN AUTOMATIC)/ TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND NOTICED NO MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN HE EXITED--IT WAS PARKED ON A STEEP INCLINE. THE REAR MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL HE HAD COME AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 5,000 MILES LATER, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP, AND 9,000 MILES LATER, THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS WERE CHANGED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROTORS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.*AK
2003 DODGE RAM REAR SPEED SENSOR WILL FAIL, CAUSING ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER BEHAVIOR AND DASHBOARD ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. THIS SENSOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TELLING THE ABS SYSTEM THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AND HOW MUCH PRESSURE TO APPLY WHEN BRAKING. OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THIS SENSOR NOT WORKING PROPERLY COULD LEAD TO ERRATIC STOPPING LENGTHS, NOT TO MENTION UNRELIABLE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER READINGS. THIS IS EVIDENTLY A RECURRING PROBLEM AMONG MANY YEAR MODELS OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE SAME PART NUMBER IS USED IN MANY APPLICATIONS FOR DAIMLER CHRYSLER VEHICLES. I AM YET TO GET THE PART CHANGED, BUT WILL HAVE THE REPAIR SHOP KEEP THE PART.
2003 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB - SHIMMY FELT IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE BRAKING. 1ST REPAIR 12/16/03 (7217 MILES), 2ND REPAIR 3/24/05 (23401 MILES) - DODGE REPLACED FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS, PADS AND MACHINED ROTORS. 3RD COMPLAINT 1/19/06 (33315 MILES) - DODGE REFUSES TO REPAIR BECAUSE IT'S OVER THE 1 YEAR/12000 MILE WARRANTY PERIOD. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS MAJOR VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO ROTOR WARPAGE. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL FROM ANY SPEED OVER 20 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHIMMIED,AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND PADS WERE REPAIRED EVERY FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS. *AK UPDATD 01/25/06. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V185000 CONCERNING THE ABS BRAKES MODULE. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE RELAY SWITCH FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING ONE AT A TIME. THE INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATED THAT ONLY ONE LIGHT WAS OUT. THIS DID NOT AFFECT THE LIGHT IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE RELAY SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. *AK
ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING MY DODGE RAM PICKUP. I WAS COMING TO A STOP WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I DID GET THE TRUCK TO STOP WITH OUT ANY CRASHES. EVER SINCE THEN I HAVE NOTICED BRAKE NOISE. NOW WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND I AM ON A SLIPPERY SURFACE OR GOING OVER A BUMP MY BRAKES GRIND. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO TWO DIFFERENT DODGE DEALERS AND BOTH OF THEM TRY TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL. *JB
1] NO PROBLEM JUST APPLIED BRAKES 2] WHEN I APPLY BRAKES IT VIBRATES THE FRONT END. 3] I TOOK TO RANDALL KNOLL DEALERSHIP IN TERRELL AND THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE ALL DAY AND SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM AND ASK IF I WANTED TO PUT NEW BRAKES ON SO I SAID IF IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM SO THEY APPLIED THE NEW BRAKES AND NOTHING CHANGED THE VIBRATION. OR SHAKING WHEN YOU APPLIED THE BREAKS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL SHOP AND HAD THE ROTORS TURNED AND THEN REPLACED AND STILL THE PROBLEM EXISTS. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU HAVE TO APPLY THE BREAKS QUICK YOU BECOME AFRAID THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. *JB
2003 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB REAR LAMP FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TWO REAR LAMP FAILURES ONE ON THE LEFT SIDE AND ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LAMP. UPON REPLACING LAMP, LAMP WAS IN GOOD CONDITION BUT BASE WHERE CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL WAS MADE WAS BURNED ON BOTH BULBS.
THE TRUCK HAS CONTINUALLY HAD AN INTERMITTEN PROBLEM WITH A RESISTENCE SENSATION, AS IF THY PARKING BRAKE WAS ON. I THOUGHT AT THE TIME IT WAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RAW FUEL SMELL AT THE TAILPIPE. DEALER SHOP FOUND NOTHING WRONG AT 3,218 MILES (12/01/05). AT 18,000 MILES (5/2/05) THERE WAS A COMPLETE BRAKE FALIURE, LOSE OF BRAKE PRESSURE. BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND I BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSETEM FROZE AND SHORTED OUT, BECAUSE THE UNIT WAS HUMMING VERY LOUD AND WAS GETTING VERY HOT AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED.I CALLED ON THE EVENING OF 5/3/05 AND ASKED TO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART GIVEN TO ME. THEY SAID THEY WOULD.
MY ROTORS WARPED AFTER ABOUT 10,000 MILES, THE DEALER RESURFACED THEM. THEY WARPED AGAIN AFTER ANOTHER 8,000 MILES, THEY REPLACED THEM. THEN THEY WARPED AGAIN AFTER ANOTHER 6,000 OR SO MILES. I DON'T DO HEAVY TRAFFIC DRIVING, SO I AM NOT RIDING MY BRAKES, AND EVEN IF I WERE, THEY SHOULD NOT BE WARPING SO QUICKLY.*AK
WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED IT HAS A LOT OF SHAKING, ALSO SECOND TIME THE TRUCK IS IN FOR ENGINE LIGHT AND ELECTRONIC THOTTLE MODULE. *JB
WHEN SLIGHTLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, LOTS OF SHAKING. *JB
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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