2003 Dodge 1500 Powertrain (other) Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the driveshaft detached. Due to the failure, the gear oil and rear differential fluid leaked out of the vehicle. The contact was able to temporarily repair the driveshaft. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Additionally, the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V312000 (Air Bags) however, the contact was informed that due to a crack in the dashboard, he would be charged for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

NHTSA ID

11551048

Incident

Oct 19, 2023

Mileage

230,000 mi

The driveshaft to pinion gear at the differential comes loose during normal driving. I have replaced the bit numerous times, but it keeps coming loose. There is a recall on same truck but different years. The exact problem the other Rams have is exact issue with mine. When it comes loose, the car grinds to a halt.

NHTSA ID

11532408

Incident

May 23, 2023

Rear end of my ram 1500 pickup model year 2003 locked up doing 60 MPH on the interstate broke the drive shaft and the front of the rear end and yoke off. This is the third rear end I have put in this truck. This has been reported all over the internet thousands and thousands of times over about these Dodge ram 1500 pickup truck rear ends having catastrophic failure causing injury and near fatalities yet Chrysler Dodge Jeep still has not issued a recall for the 2003 model year ram 1500 rear end. It is the same exact rear end as the model year 2005 which has the same recall and other years that they have issued recalls for. I cannot understand how this has gone on for years with so many reports and incidences of this happening and still nothing being done of it. Again this is the third rear end I have put in my truck. My truck only has 120,000 miles on it first rear end went out well under 100,000 mi. It was also brought to the dealership to have pinion seal and nut fixed under warranty at 30,000 miles. I have paperwork proving that there was an issue starting at 30,000 miles with this truck. I really hope somebody will finally do something about this issue that has plagued hundreds of thousands of people and their trucks. A simple internet search will show thousands and thousands of people all having the same issues with their 2003 Dodge ram 1500 pickup trucks. You can see in two of the pictures the skid marks from the rear end locking up on the road and I buy a miracle manage to keep the truck from sliding into the guardrail next to it. The vehicle is currently on a car trailer at my house and can be inspected at any time as I do not have the money to put a fourth rear end to this vehicle at this time.

NHTSA ID

11524773

Incident

May 30, 2023

Around midday of November 25, 2021, a clear day with no precipitation, while operating the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 with about 155k miles on it at approximately 35 MPH, the drive train locked up causing the vehicle to go into a skid and a spin that sent the vehicle into a telephone pole. We could have slid into oncoming traffic, fortunately, we did not. The vehicle was totaled. While loading the vehicle onto the tow truck, responders noted that the axle was sheared at the back due to the rear differential locking up unexpectedly. There was a noise, like a whistle or a whine for a few minutes leading up the incident, but not anything that I would associate with this kind or failure, no grinding, roughness, or clunking.

NHTSA ID

11446276

Incident

Nov 25, 2021

DIFFERENTIAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN GRINDING NOISE STARTED

NHTSA ID

11363298

Incident

Oct 6, 2020

Mileage

129,545 mi

I WAS DOING 65 ON FREEWAY WHEN WHEN MY DRIVELINE AND PINION BOLT CAME OFF REAR END IN 1 PIECE AND THE REAR TIRES LOCKED UP AND I SLID TO A STOP

NHTSA ID

11350285

Incident

Aug 11, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE, WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE IS PULLED INTO ANOTHER DIRECTION AND YOU TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE 4X4 WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, SO THE TRANSFER CASE WAS REPLACED. UPON REPLACING TRANSFER CASE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP AND THE REAR WHEELS WON'T MOVE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMMON AMONG DODGE RAM 1500S OF THIS YEAR( 2003) THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE RECALLED!

NHTSA ID

11308629

Incident

Feb 11, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40MPH, DRIVESHAFT FELL OFF. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I SAW THE PINION LOOSE HANGING INSIDE THE DIFFERENTIAL. I TOOK COVER OFF DIFFERENTIAL AND THE PINION AND GEAR WERE DESTROYED. THE PINION NUT WAS OFF . THAT BEING SAID, NUT CAME LOOSE, CAUSING PINION TO DROP INTO GEAR BOX , DESTROYING IT. HOWEVER, MY VIN WAS NOT RECALLED. MULTIPLE ISSUES LIKE THIS ON THIS YEAR ALSO.

NHTSA ID

11196532

Incident

Apr 5, 2019

Mileage

174,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WAS DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED MIKE PATTON CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM AT (706) 882-0600 (LOCATED AT 1408 LAFAYETTE PKWY, LAGRANGE, GA 30241) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LOCAL DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000.

NHTSA ID

11165869

Incident

Jan 6, 2019

Mileage

240,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING TO MY DRS APPOINTMENT IN A CITY STREET AT 40 MPH. I HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF MY TRUCK AND I IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER ,I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND MY DRIVE SHAFT LAYING ON THE ROAD ,MY REAR AXLE LOCKED UP , I HAD TO HAVE MY TRUCK TOWED HOME , AFTER FARTHER INSPECTION I FOUND OUT THAT THE PINION NUT CAME OFF .I RESEARCH THE AND FOUND OUT MANY COMPLAINS OF THIS PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS OF THIS YEAR ,WITH NO RESPONSE FROM DODGE .WHAT IS GOING TO TAKE A FATALITY BEFORE DODGE ISSUE A RECALL .

NHTSA ID

11130646

Incident

Sep 20, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

DRIVE SHAFT FELL OFF DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE REAR END IS COMPLETELY OUT NOW TOO!

NHTSA ID

11119255

Incident

Aug 7, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR DIFFERENTIALS GEARS SEIZED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. (MICHICIANA CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT OF MISHAWAKA, INDIANA) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE BROUGHT IN FOR A REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSESSMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.

NHTSA ID

11082019

Incident

Dec 24, 2017

Mileage

122,000 mi

ON FEBRUARY 11, 2018, WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM EMT TRAINING, I HEARD A WHINING NOISE AND THEN BOOM. PINION NUT BACKED OFF, DROPPED DOWN INTO THE GEAR AREA CAUSING MY DRIVE SHAFT AND YOKE TO BREAK AND MY REAR END TO LOCK UP, PUTTING ME INTO A SKID. I FOUND 35 OTHER COMPLAINTS WHERE CHRYSLER CORPORATION WAS NOTIFIED AND NOTHING WAS DONE. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE 2WD TRUCKS WERE RECALLED BUT NOT THE 4WD. WHEN I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION, I WAS TOLD TO KEEP MY RECEIPTS AND IF ANY RECALLS WERE TO COME THEY WOULD CONTACT ME. CHRYSLER KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY PUT MY LIFE AND MY FAMILIES LIVES IN DANGER AND WILL NOT HONOR THEIR MISTAKE. THE FOLLOWING LINK IS ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/DODGE/RAM_1500/2003/DRIVETRAIN/REAR_DIFFERENTIAL_FAILURE.SHTML.

NHTSA ID

11075552

Incident

Feb 11, 2018

Mileage

221,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREET REAR PINION NUT CAME LOOSE AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE DRIVE SHAFT AND REAR END OF THE TRUCK.

NHTSA ID

11056686

Incident

Nov 30, 2017

Mileage

197,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A FLAT, PAVED ROAD A SUDDEN SMALL GRINDING NOISE WAS DETECTED. WITHOUT WARNING, THE REAR AXLE FROZE AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. AS THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING A QUICK VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS HANGING DOWN. A LARGE AMOUNT OF VISCOUS FLUID WAS SPILLED ON THE ROAD. THE TRUCK WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD AT THIS POINT DUE TO THE LOCKING OF THE REAR WHEELS AND LACK OF A FUNCTIONING DRIVE SHAFT. THE VEHICLE WAS ON A BLIND CURVE ON A WELL TRAVELED ROAD AND THE POLICE WERE CALLED. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE OFFICER TO REMAIN AND DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND A CLAIM (# 32479801) WAS FILED VIA THE DODGE CUSTOMER CARE HOTLINE.

NHTSA ID

11030088

Incident

Sep 24, 2017

Mileage

155,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE REAR WHEELS SUDDENLY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND AXLE MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

NHTSA ID

11003287

Incident

Jul 3, 2017

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,000.

NHTSA ID

10971829

Incident

Mar 30, 2017

Mileage

79,000 mi

REAR END SEIZED UP AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK WITH MY 17 MONTH OLD CHILD.

NHTSA ID

10946407

Incident

Jan 7, 2017

Mileage

183,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO MAKE LONG D NOISE UPON SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP SIGN, THEN THE DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT OF REAR END.

NHTSA ID

10927744

Incident

Nov 23, 2016

Mileage

250,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE MY 03 DODGE 1500 STARTED MAKING A WHINING NOISE. WE PULLED OVER AND CHECK THE REAR END FLUID. IT WAS FINE. GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS STILL WHINING. MADE IT ABOUT 50 MILES DO THAT AND MY TRUCK SHUTS OF. NO POWER AT ALL. I PUT IT IN NATURAL AND GOT IT STARTED AND GOT OFF ON AN EXIT. IT BARELY HAD POWER TO MOVE. PULLED INTO A MOTEL AND POWER PICKED UP. I WAS 265 MILES FROM HOME. I HAD TO HAVE MY TRUCK TOWED THE 265 MILES NOT KNOWING THE PROBLEM AND AWAITED TO DRIVE IT ANY :* THAT. GOT HOME MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND SEALS IN THE REAR END. WELL THAT DIDN'T FIX IT. AS WE HAD THE COVER OFF THE PUNKIN OF THE REAR END WE FOUND A BROKEN PIECE IN THE BOTTOM. A FRIEND TOLD ME IT WAS A PART OF THE OPINION GEAR. I DON'T KNOW BUT A NEW REAR END COST 2500.00 IF NOT MORE. A USED ONE COSTS 350.00 TO 800.00. I'M STUCK AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I CAN'T AFFORD THE REAR END AND I HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10919304

Incident

Oct 18, 2016

Mileage

1,680,000 mi

CURRENTLY MY 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS A HOWLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. AFTER READING NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM I FEEL LUCKY THAT MY REAR-END HAS NOT YET LOCKED UP ON ME. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AS IF LOCK UP WERE TO OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SEVERE INJURY OR EVEN DEATH COULD RESULT.

NHTSA ID

10911083

Incident

Aug 4, 2016

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON DECELERATION THE GEAR SHIFT SHOOK RAPIDLY. WHILE PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE DRIVESHAFT FELL AND THE REAR DRIVESHAFT AXLE LIFTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE HE DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVESHAFT AXLE FAILED DUE TO A LOOSE REAR AXLE PINION NUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10873892

Incident

Jun 11, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AT APROX 45MPH I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND MY DRIVE SHAFT HIT THE GROUND AND MY DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP DUE TO PINION NUT BACKING OFF. I HAD NO CLUE ANYTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THANK GOD MY FAMILY WASN'T INJURED OR KILLED.

NHTSA ID

10872604

Incident

Jun 3, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10869962

Incident

Apr 7, 2016

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

NHTSA ID

10860581

Incident

Apr 4, 2016

Mileage

201,281 mi