Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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 29, in the owner's own words
THE HEADLAMP ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING HOME. I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. IT WOULD NOT WORK. I GOT A SECOND BULB AND TRIED TO REPLACE THE LIGHT AGAIN. STILL WOULD NOT WORK. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THREE DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND NONE OF THEM COULD FIX IT. I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE FUSE BOX.
DODGE RAM 1500, BRAKE LIGHTS STAY CONTINUOUSLY ON WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS HAPPENED WHILE BEING STATIONARY.
TIPM/FCM FAILURE, INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNALS/HAZARD LIGHTS. TURN ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL RIGHT SIGNAL COMES ON, OTHER TIMES NO SIGNALS AT ALL. PROBLEM OCCURES WETHER IN PARK, DRIVING, WITH ENGINE OFF. EXTREMELY COMMON ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED WITH REPLACEMENTS COSTING OVER $400.
FIRST IT WAS FUEL LIGHT COMING ON THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. GOT THAT OFF THEN THE BLOWN LIGHT STARTED COMING ON CHANGE ALL BLOWN FUSES AND LIGHTS BUT LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OUT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. PAID TO FIXED AFTER 1 YEAR IT STARTED UP ALL OVER AGAIN.
JUST THE OTHER DAY WHEN I WENT TO GO TO THE STORE MY LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS CAME ON BUT WHEN I WENT TO GO HOME, I STARTED THE TRUCK AND THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON AND I HAD TO TAKE BACK STREETS WITH ONLY MY PARKING LIGHTS. THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS AND AUTOS FOR MANY YEARS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY $1000.00 FOR A COMPUTER BOARD WHEN THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE. AFTER LOOKING ON - LINE, I FUND THAT MANY OF DODGE'S MODELS BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS IT NOT TIME FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO FORCE DODGE TO RECALL ALL THESE MODELS AND YEARS! IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN THE LIGHTS STOP WORKING AT NIGHT WHEN THE AUTO IS BEING DRIVEN. MY LOW BEAMS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON WHEN I RETURNED TO THE TRUCK TO GO HOME SO I WAS NOT DRIVING THE TRUCK BUT NEEDED TO AND THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN I STARTED IT. (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
TURN SIGNAL, WINSHIELD WIPERS, AND SPEED CONTROL HAS A MIND OF THEIR OWN. HALF THE TIME NOT WORKING THE REST OF THE TIME THE WHEN SIGNALING TO TURN RIGHT THE RIGHT DONT WORK THEN WHEN SIGNALING LEFT THE RIGHT SIDE BLINKS INSTEAD OF THE LEFT. THE WINSHIELD WIPERS JUST RANDOMLY SWIPE SOMETIMES WHEN NOT EVEN CRANKED AND KEYS NOT EVEN IN THE IGNITION.
2004 DODGE RAM 1500 I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING SINCE THE TRUCK HAD 90000 MILES ON IT ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT AND NOT TURNING BACK ON. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT'S THE HEADLIGHT MODULE AND I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW AFTERMARKET ONE BUT THE TRUCKS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. I WAS DRIVING AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND I COULDN'T SEE AND HIT A DEER AT 20MPH ON A BACK ROAD . POLICE WERE NOT CALLED BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY THE BUMPER . BUT IF THIS DOESN'T GET FIXED SOMEONE COULD GET HURT AS WITHOUT LIGHT YOU CAN'T SEE TO DRIVE AND THE LIGHTS WON'T COME BACK ON. THIS IS JUST LIKE THE FORD RECALL I RECEIVED FOR MY CAR... *TR
HEADLIGHTS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 4PM ON 12-7-16 AND TURNED MY HEADLIGHTS ON AS I WAS DRIVING PEOPLE WERE HONKING AT ME AND THEN I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT . WENT AND INSTALLED NEW BULBS AND THEY WORKED BUT WENT OUT AND NOW THEIR STAYING OUT EXCEPT FOR THE HAZARD LIGHTS!!! I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 67 MILES HOME AS IT'S DARK AND I COULDN'T SEE AND WITH THE SPEED LIMIT BEING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, I COULDN'T WALK. *TR
THE DASH MODUAL THAT CONTROLS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS, AND INTERIOR SIGNALS NO LONGER WORKS. THE GUAGES WORK AND THE SIGNALS WORK BUT THERE ARE NO LIGHTS. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR SPEED, OIL, TEMP, AND BATTERY GUAGES. IM NOT SURE WHEN IY WENT BAD, I GOT INTO MY TRUCK ONE NIGHT AND NONE OF MY INTERIOR LIGHTS WORKED.
THE TURN SIGNALS WILL SHOW REVERSED SO WHEN YOU TURN ON THE LEFT BLINKER, THE RIGHT BLINKER WILL BLINK AND VISE-VERSA, OR SOMETIMES THE BLINKERS WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. SOMETIMES IT SHOWS THE OPPOSITE BLINKER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T SHOW THE BLINKER ON AT ALL. THIS HAPPENS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET WHEN CHANGING LANES, IN MOTION WHILE TURNING, AND STATIONARY WHILE WAITING TO TURN.
MY PARKING AND TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. , FOUND OUT THIS IS DUE TO THE DESIGN FLAW OF THE ENGINE FUSE BOX AS THE CONNECTORS ARE EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER ELEMENTS , THUS SHORTED OUT THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT SENDS THE A NEGATIVE SIGNAL TO THE PARK LAMP RELAY AT 86 ,. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS 500.00. DODGE IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AS THE REPLACEMENT NOW COMES WITH A SPLASH GUARD PLATE TO HELP PROTECT THE CONNECTORS. IF YOU GOOGLE 2004 DODGE RAM PARKING LIGHT ISSUE , YOU WILL SEE THAT A LOT OF US HAVE THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HONOR THIS RECALL AS IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH OUT THE TAILLIGHTS,. *TR
MY VEHICLES RUNNING LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS UNABLE TO BE SEEN BY OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND ME IN A SNOW STORM BECAUSE MY FUSE BOX JUST CORRODED OUT AND STOPPED WORKING CAUSING THE PARKING LAMPS RELAY TO FAULT. NOW MY VEHICLE HAS NO RUNNING LIGHTS WORKING ANYMORE AND DODGE DID NOT RECALL THIS. *TR
LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY, THE "LAMP OUT" LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON AND OFF AS IF THE BULB WAS GOING BETWEEN WORKING AND NOT WORKING. CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB WITH THE RECOMMENDED 3057 BULB BUT IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. CHANGED THE BULB HOLDER BUT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUES. CHECKED THE FUSE BUT IT WAS GOOD. FINALLY WENT UNDER THE REAR TO CHECK IF THE WIRING HARNESS WAS LOOSE AND SAW THE WIRES FOR THE REAR LAMP WAS PINCHED AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE AND THE WIRE FOR THE BRAKE LAMP WAS CUT. THERE WAS REALLY NO GIVE TO THE WIRING HARNESS; IT WAS PULLED EXTREMELY TIGHT. VEHICLE HAS NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES AND NOTHING ELECTRICAL HAS EVER BEEN TOUCHED BEFORE. THE RIGHT TAIL LAMP IS WORKING FINE BUT THE HARNESS FOR THAT SIDE WAS NOT CHECKED. ALL WIRING IS ORIGINAL FROM FACTORY. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND WE HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNERS. WE FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN IF THE BRAKE LAMPS ARE NOT WORKING ALL THE TIME. *TR
I FOUND OUT THAT I DON'T HAVE A TURN SIGNAL FOR THE TRAILER TOW ON THE LEFT SIDE IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE FUSE BOX. NOW I CAN'T TOW A TRAILER UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. THIS COULD'VE CAUSED A WRECK.I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ACTIVATING THE LEFT TURNS SIGNAL, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WOULD ACTIVATE ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE TIME, MY TURN SIGNALS AND FLASHERS DO NOT INDICATE THE SIGNAL I WANT TO GIVE. DURING THOSE TIMES, WHEN I INDICATE RIGHT IT DOESN'T FLASH AT ALL. IF I INDICATE LEFT, IT INDICATES RIGHT. ALSO IF I PUT ON THE HAZARDS, IT EITHER CORRECTS THE PROBLEM OR IT INDICATES LEFT. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND PROVIDES A BIG SAFETY INCIDENT ON THE ROAD. I HAVE NOTICED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS HAD THIS BEFORE AS IT IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE WEB. IT INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY DURING THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS AND IS ALMOST NOT EXISTENT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. IT ALSO AFFECTS MY WIPERS THAT WHEN I HAVE THE LIGHTS ON I CAN SEE THAT MY VEHICLE IS ACTING UP BECAUSE THE WIPERS ARE AT 1 DETENT LESS THAN WHAT I AM TRYING TO PROVIDE. THIS MAKES IT SO I CAN'T USE THE FAST WIPING POSITION. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *TR
THE COMPLAINT I HAVE IS RELATED TO MY 2004 DODGE RAM 1500. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT RESPOND ACCORDINGLY OR NOT AT ALL. IF TURNING LEFT, THE RIGHT SIGNAL WOULD COME ON, IF TURNING RIGHT, THE LEFT SIGNAL WOULD COME ON OR NOT AT ALL. THIS ISSUE HAS ALSO AFFECTED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS SPEED. I NO LONGER HAVE A HIGH SPEED WIPER OPTION. I FEEL THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE AS VEHICLES BEHIND ME OR IN FRONT OF ME WILL NOT KNOW WHICH WAY I AM TURNING OR SWITCHING LANES IF THE NEED IS THERE. I HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET THE SIGNALS TO WORK. THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE WITH VARIOUS YEARS OF THE DODGE TRUCKS AND DURANGOS AND BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AND IT WOULD TAKE THIRTY DAYS FOR IT TO BE RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.
TAIL LIGHTS AND PARK LAMPS ON MY 2004 DODGE RAM KEEPING FAILING DO TO I DEFECT IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER/FUSE BOX ALMOST CAUSED TO GET HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILER AT NIGHT CANT EVEN ORDER PART BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S ON BACKORDER AND DEALER KEEPS DENYING FAULT OR CHRYSLER WONT REPLACE UNIT THIS IS HAPPENING ON THOUSANDS OF 2004 2005 AND 2006 DODGE RAMS. *TR
THE TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS, AND HIGH BEAMS ON MY 04 DODGE RAM 1500 HAVE BEEN GIVING ME ISSUES FOR THE LAST YEAR. THIS STARTED OUT AS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST THE TURN SIGNALS. WHEN I WOULD SIGNAL LEFT THE RIGHT BLINKER WOULD COME ON, OR VISA VERSA. THEN SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK FINE, AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL. IT'S GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME AND NOW I AM AT THE POINT WHERE ONLY WHEN I SIGNAL LEFT WILL THE RIGHT SIGNAL COME ON; NOTHING ELSE WORKS. MY HAZARD SWITCH AT ONE TIME WOULD WORK THE LEFT SIGNAL, AND THE LEFT CLICKER WOULD WORK THE RIGHT SIGNAL BUT NOW THAT DOES NOT WORK EITHER. AT THIS POINT MY HAZARD SWITCH AND LEFT CLICKER NOW ONLY WORK THE RIGHT BLINKER AND I HAVE NO WAY TO WORK THE LEFT. AS FOR THE HIGH BEAMS, SOMETIMES I AM UN-ABLE TO DISENGAGE THEM WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ON-COMING TRAFFIC. AT THIS POINT I DO NOT RISK IT AND JUST DON'T USE THEM, WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS TO MYSELF AT SOME TIMES. THE WIPERS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. SOMETIMES WHEN I HAVE THEM ON FULL SPEED/FAST IN HEAVY RAIN THEY WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN REDUCE TO THE LOWEST OR MIDDLE SETTING. SOMETIMES THEY WILL JUST NOT TURN ON AT ALL. I ALMOST GOT INTO A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS AND NOW JUST AVOID DRIVING IN THE RAIN IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGER RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSPARENT PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERING WAS ABNORMALLY BECOMING FOGGY FROM DEW AND MOISTURE. THE FAILURE WOULD CAUSE LIMITED ILLUMINATION OF THE ROADWAY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE COVERS WOULD BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,008 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
ACTIVATED THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, AND THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL LAMPS ILLUMINATED (FLASHED) INSTEAD OF THE LEFT SIDE. *TR
DRIVING DOWN I-90 ONE NIGHT TO WORK AND WAS PULLED OVER BY SHERIFF. HE TELLS ME MY RUNNING LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING AND YOU COULD NOT SEE ME. I'VE TRIED CONTACTING DODGE AND IM ALWAYS ON HOLD FOR LIKE AN HOUR. CAN'T FIND PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS. CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND RELAYS ALL OF THEM ARE FINE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 1500. SINCE THE END OF MAY 2009, THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE NOT BEEN DISPLAYING THE CORRECT SIGNAL LIGHT. IF THE PASSENGER SIDE BLINKER IS ACTIVATED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BLINKER DISPLAYS ON THE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR AND VICE VERSA. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE NEAR CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,095.
THE RIGHT LAMPS ARE NOT RECEIVING THE PROPER CURRENT, ONLY RECEIVING CURRENT WHILE UTILIZING THE PARK LAMP. NO BRAKE, HAZARD OR TURN LIGHTS. ! USING THE TEST LIGHT I TESTED EVERY FUSE WITHIN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER WHICH INDICATED IN NO FAILURES OR BLOWN FUSES. YET WHEN UTILIZING THE RIGHT BLINKER THE RELAY HAS A MUFFLED CLICK THAT WAS BARELY AUDIBLE UNLIKE THE LEFT BLINKER WHERE THE RELAY SOUNDED NICE AND STRONG WITH OR WITHOUT THE TRAILER TOW HARNESSES BEING UTILIZED. UPON RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS YEARS OF DODGE LAM?S. II BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT VARIES IN LOW OR HIGH MILEAGE DODGE TRUCK?S NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS AND QUERIES FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE THE INTEGRATED POWER MODULE), $ 300.00 JUST SO HAPPENS TO CONTROL EVERYTHING INCLUDING MOST IMPORTANTLY THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. *AK
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