Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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 27, in the owner's own words
The exhaust manifold cracked, the electrical system, supplying gas to the engine, is built into the fuse box, which is unfixable without replacing the entire fuse box. Valve on engine became extremely noisy and I’ve had to be replaced
THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HAS SHORTED OUT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND MELTS ALL WIRING IN THE AREA. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE WITH RAM IN THE 2011 YEARS. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE TRANSMISSIONS START SHIFTING SUPER HARD INTO GEAR AND JERKS THE WHOLE TRUCK REALLY BAD.
DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL RANDOMLY COME BACK ON. AFTER REPLACING BULBS & ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT ISSUE CONTINUES. FAULTY TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) SEEMS TO BE TO BLAME.
WHEN YOU START THE TRUCK, THE ASB LIGHT COMES ON. THE WIPERS, A/C, HEADLIGHTS, RADIO, AND POWER LOCKS WILL NOT WORK. IF YOU LET THE TRUCK RUN FOR ABOUT 5 MINS, YOU HEAR A 'DING' AND EVERYTHING STARTS WORKING AGAIN AND THE ASB LIGHT GOES OUT. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK WAS IN PARK. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICAL BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE IF IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE OR AT NIGHT.
IN AUGUST 2017 A DEFECTIVE ROLLER BEARING WENT OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, EFFECTIVELY DESTROYING THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. COST TO REPAIR WAS $4,000. IN DECEMBER 2017 TIPM POWER MODULE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO NOT WORK. COST TO REPLACE $1,150. BOTH ITEMS HAVE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT BEING DEFECTIVE.
THE TRUCK TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING NIGHT OR DAY. SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD CAUSE A SHORT. MY TRUCK ISN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES IT I SPOKE TO OTHER DODGE OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM
THE TIPM OUR DODGE TRUCK IS FAULTY. IT HAS ISSUES STARTING, THE LIGHTS WILL STOP WORKING, THE LIGHTS ON DASH COME ON, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE OIL JUST DISAPPEARING, THE FUEL PUMP RELAY. I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ONLINE AND SAW THAT SEVERAL VEHICLES UNDER CHRYSLER AND DODGE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH FAULTY TIPM AND THERE WAS EVEN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT,BUT THE NHTSA FELT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH OF AN ISSUE WITH THE DODGE RAMS TO PUSH FOR A RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE PUSHED FOR A RECALL. THIS ISSUE IS OCCURRING IN A LOT OF RAMS AND THEY ARE PASSED THE WARRANTY AND WHEN YOU PURCHASE A NEW WARRANTY THIS ISSUE IS NOT COVERED. ALL EXPENSES ARE PAID OUT OF POCKET. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER AND DODGE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF FOR YEARS. OUR DODGE RAM HAS BEEN AT THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES WITH ISSUES AND THEY DID NOT TELL US ONCE ABOUT THE TIPM ISSUES. WE HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT OURSELVES WITH INTERNET RESEARCH. A CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT BE PAYING CLOSE TO OR OVER $2,000 OUT OF POCKET TO FIX AN ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURING COMPANY NEW WAS A DEFECT OR FAULTY. SEVERAL MILLION DODGE RAM OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE REPORTED IT ACCORDING TO THE PUBLICATION OF THE NHTSA. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CUSTOMERS ARE BEING PUNISHED TO PROTECT THE MANUFACTURER'S MISTAKES. OUR DODGE HAS SPENT MORE TIME IN THE SHOP IN THE PAST YEAR THEN WITH US. WE HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS.
TIPM CAUSES BOTH HI AND LOW BEAMS ON PASSENGER SIDE TO GO OUT. BULBS ARE FINE. WHEN TRUCK IS STARTED OR EVEN REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK ONLY DRIVERS LIGHTS FLASH AT FIRST LIGHTS WOULD COME BACK ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES ON THE ROAD, NOW THEY STAY OFF AND HAVEN'T CAME BACK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION POOR ON LOW & HIGH BEAMS.
WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED LAST NOVEMBER. THE FACTORY WINDSHIELD IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH AT NIGHT, AND IF WE'RE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT NIGHT, WHAT LITTLE VISIBILITY THERE IS. IS LIMITED TO LESS THAN 50 FEET. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP IN COOS BAY, OREGON SAYS THAT IT'S A FACTORY-INSTALLED WINDSHIELD AND DECLINES TO TAKE ANY FURTHER RESPONSIBILITY. THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM. SAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT REQUIRES OUR USING THE HIGH BEAMS (WHEN SAFE FOR ONCOMING DRIVERS -- NOT A GOOD MIX.) THE CHRYSLER DEALER IN COOS BAY, OREGON INVESTIGATED THE HEADLIGHTS WITH A VISUAL CHECK, AND SAID THEY'RE "OKAY."
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW AND HIGH BEAM HEADLAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 04/21/2016*LJ THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEY STATED THE PROBLEM WAS POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE AND ONLY THEY COULD REPLACE IT. UPDATED 09/07/16.*JB
EVERYTHING RAN FINE IN THE MORNING, TRUCK SAT FOR A FEW HOURS THEN WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID MOTOR WON'T WORK, POWER LOCKS ARE OUT, HIGH BEAMS WON'T SHUT OFF AT ALL, AND POWER LOCKS ARE OUT AS WELL.
TIPM (FUEL PUMP RELAY) DOES NOT LET THE TRUCK START. ITS NOT ALL THE TIME MOSTLY IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE BEEN STUCK OUT WITH THE TRUCK NOT STARTING. DEALER HAS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. 1500 TO GET IT REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LED COURTESY MIRROR LIGHTS DON'T WORK ALL THE TIME. EVIDENCE OF MOISTURE ON LENSES.
HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. EVEN ON BRIGHT LIGHTS, THEY ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. IN SPEAKING WITH OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS, THEY, TOO HAVE SEEN A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT FROM THE REDISIGNED HEADLIGHTS. CANNOT HARDLY SEE 20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I CANNOT DRIVE THIS TRUCK AT NIGHT.
HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT NORMAL BRIGHTNESS (COMPARED TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER DRIVEN) AND INEFFECTIVE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. CRUISE CONTROL WORKS AND DISCONNECTS AT WILL. HORN SIGNALS AT WILL WITHOUT NOTICE AND EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF WITH KEYS REMOVED. CAUSES GREAT AND FRIGHTENING REACTION OF THIS DRIVER AS WELL AS THOSE AROUND ME.
DIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS ON A VERY DARK NIGHT AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING. THANK GOD MY TAIL LIGHTS AND HAZARD LIGHTS STILL WORKED OR I MAY HAVE HAD SOMEONE RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. I WAS ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CAR STOP AND HELP. I FOLLOWED THIS GENTLEMAN THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS USING HIS HEAD LIGHTS AND SIMPLY FOCUSED ON HIS TAIL LIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING, I STARTED MY CAR AND BOTH LIGHTS WERE WORKING AGAIN WITHOUT ANYTHING BEING DONE. NOW I HAVE THE LEFT LIGHT THAT IS NOT WORKING AND SUSPECT THAT IT WILL ALSO COME BACK ON WHENEVER IT WANTS TO. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT MAY CAUSE SOME TO RUN OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE. PLEASE ASSIST.
HEADLIGHTS, BOTH LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM WENT OUT AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON. BULBS REPLACED, STILL WILL NOT COME ON. TRANSMISSION HAS BEGUN TO SHIFT ERRATICALLY ALTHOUGH VEHICLE IS AT A CONSTANT SPEED.
THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OFF AT RANDOM TIMES. IT USUALLY COMES BACK ON WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. NOW IT IS COMPLETELY OUT. A NEW BULB WAS ATTEMPTED BUT FAILED TO FIX THE ISSUE. ALSO THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT RANDOM TIMES CAUSING THE HORN TO ACTIVATE AND VEHICLES LIGHTS TO ALL FLASH. ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE ISSUES ARE GETTING WORSE AND MORE FREQUENT. *TR
TRUCK WOULD NOT START, WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. NO WARNING LIGHTS (CHECK ENGINE) ETC. HAD TO TAKE IT TO LOCAL DEALER, DEALER CONTACTED ME NEXT DAY INFORMING ME IT WAS THE PINION WHATEVER THAT IS. COST OF REPAIRS IS OVER 1200 DOLLARS. FOUND OUT THAT THE PINION IS THE HI TECH NAME FOR THE FUSE BOX THAT'S UNDER THE HOOD. I ASKED TO SEE THE OLD PART AND THE PERSON AT THE PARTS COUNTER STATED THAT THEY CHANGED (3) THREE OF THEM TODAY,.. THAT'S VERY SAD TO HEAR FOR US DODGE OWNERS. *TR
MY TURN SIGNAL SWITCH DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE WHEN TURNING LEFT. I TURN IT DOWN TO SELECT THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND DOES NOT WORK AT ALL ANYMORE. *TR
MY RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL AND MY BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE TIPM OR A FANCY FUSE BOX . MY COMPLAINT IS THAT CHRYSLER IS AT FAULT FOR THIS DEFECT WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE LACK OF LIGHT SIGNALS. THEY NEED TO IDENTIFY AN IMMEDIATE AND A ROBUST FIX TO AVOID ACCIDENTS. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS IN MY OTHER VEHICLES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LIGHT SIGNALS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 50 YEARS . ANY INVESTIGATION AND FOLLOW UP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BEGAN WHEN I PURCHASED TRUCK OF INTEGRATED BRAKE FAILURE LATER TURNED INTO BAD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, VISOR SHORT, NEW BRAKE CONTROLLER AND LOTS OF HOURS. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE WIPERS COME ON, NO INTERIOR LIGHTS, NO TURN SIGNALS (INSIDE OR OUTSIDE) NO HEAT, NO RADIO NO TRAILER BRAKES. NOW VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DODGE FOR 2 WEEKS. THEY REPLACED, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WIRING HARNESS, TPMS AND PROBLEM REMAINS. VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS NO INDICATORS AND WIPERS CONSTANTLY ON. PROBLEM BEGAN AROUND 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASE AND PLAGUES ME TODAY. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I AM CHARGED 100.00 PER VISIT. CUSTOMER CARE WILL NOT PROVIDE ME WITH OPTIONS I MUST DICTATE MY CHOICES. TERRIBLE SERVICE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,500.
AFTER PASSING A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, MY TRUCK SHUT DOWN.THE ENGINE CUT OFF ,DASH LIGHTS AND PARK LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER ERRATICALLY AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. I MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IN ORDER TO STOP THE LIGHTS FROM FLICKERING I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY (THEY FLICKERED WITH THE SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION). AS THE LIGHTS FLICKERED I COULD HEAR RELAYS CLICKING UNDER THE HOOD AND DASH. AFTER WAITING A WHILE I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND ALL SYSTEMS CAME BACK ON AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE TRUCK AND DRIVE IT HOME. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CHECK IT OUT UNTIL WED THE 18. ALL SYSTEMS SEEM TO BE NORMAL. I HAVE TO GO TO WORK . I' M DRIVING IT 60 MILES ROUND TRIP EVERYDAY. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND I HAVE HAD MANY NEAR MISS INCIDENTS WHERE BRIGHTER LIGHTS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED SUCH SITUATIONS. WHEN REPORTED TO DODGE THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON KNOWN ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD REPORT IT. THE DIMNESS OF THE LIGHTS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHICH MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH MY FAMILY OR FRIENDS. *TR
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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