2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Other / unspecified Problems

MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT THE RATE OF 45MPH-50MPH MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, I WAS PASSENGER, AND MY 2 YEAR OLD SON WAS IN HIS CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. ALL THE SUDDEN WE HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, NO BIGGER THAN YOUR AVERAGE POT HOLES AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK BROKE OUT INTO AN ABRUPT SHAKE! IT WAS THROWING MY HUSBANDS AND MY BODY AROUND THE SHAKE WAS SO INTENSE THE STEERING WAS CONTROLLABLE BUT EXTREMELY HARD. IT FELT AS THOUGH OUR TIRES WERE FLYING RIGHT OFF THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND BRAKED AND THE VIOLENT SHAKE SEIZED AND WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND PARKED THE TRUCK. WE CHECK AND SHOOK ALL TIRES THEY WERE SECURE. WE LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK EVERYTHING SEEMED IN PLACE AND SECURE. ONCE WE GOT HOME I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND LEARNED OF THE "DEATH WOBBLE" MOST DODGE TRUCKS HAVE BECAUSE OF THE "Y" STEERING BAR WHICH MOST YEARS HAVE A RECALL TO FIX THE ISSUE HOWEVER WHEN I CALLED MY LOCAL DODGE THEY INFORMED ME MY YEAR OF TRUCK DOESN'T HAVE THE RECALL. THIS "DEATH WOBBLE" HAS BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE ROLLOVERS AND ACCIDENTS. I REACHED OUT TO CHRYSTLER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT AND THEY INFORMED ME BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL THEY WOULDN'T. WE ARE TALKING PEOPLES, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFETY! I DON'T SEE WHY THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO PAY TO FIX A STEERING BAR WHICH IS WHAT MAYBE $1000 BUT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY FOR LIVES TO BE LOST?

NHTSA ID

11093758

Incident

May 12, 2018

Mileage

229,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500 PICKUP, THE DASH STARTED CRACKING LAST YEAR. I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR A FEW WEEKS CAME HOME AND NOTICED A LARGE AREA ON MY DASH CAVED IN , THE PLASTIC IS REAL BRITTLE I AM AFRAID SOMEONE MIGHT CUT THEMSELVES ON IT AND IT LOOKS REALLY BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10357647

Incident

Aug 1, 2008

Mileage

180,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE 2500 4WD PICKUP, THE CABLE PART OF THE SPARE TIRE LIFT ASSEMBLY FAILED AND ALLOWED THE SPARE WHEEL/TIRE TO BECOME FREE FROM IT'S HOLDING AND FELL TO THE PAYMENT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING ME FOR IF THEY WERE THEY WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HIT THE WHEEL AND AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY (IES) TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED ON SEPT1 IN ROCKWELL, TEXAS. I REPORTED THIS TO ROCKWALL DODGE SERVICE DEPT AND TOLD THEM IT WAS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS BUT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY THE DODGE HEADQUARTERS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THEY ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND GAVE ME A DATE YOU COME IN TO HAVE THE ASSEMBLY REPLACED. IN THE MEAN TIME I CALLED THE DODGE CORPORATION AND REPORTED THIS INCIDENT STRESSING AGAIN THE SAFETY ISSUE AND POSSIBILITY OF A DESIGN DEFECT. 9/21/10 "TRISH' CALLED AND ADVISED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. FURTHER SHE ADVISED THEY WOULDN'T ISSUE ANY WARNINGS EITHER DUE TO THE INFREQUENT REPORTINGS. . I ADVISED HER THAT DODGE HAS TAKEN THIS TOO LIGHTLY AND THAT THEY SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON BOTH OLD AND NEW TRUCKS (ALL VEHICLES BY A REDESIGN (FAILSAFE). I OFFERED THE PARTS TO HER FOR EXAM AND ANALYSIS BUT SHE WAS NOT INTERESTED. I AM APPALLED AT SUCH A "NON-CARING" ATTITUDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356797

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

169,574 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE INSIDE BEADS OF THE WHEEL BEGAN TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE WHEELS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF HIS DRIVING HABITS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 158127. UPDATED 1/25/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ALUMINUM WHEELS WERE BREAKING THROUGH THE INSIDE BEADS. ALL FOUR OF THE WHEELS WERE BROKEN. THE WHEELS APPEARED TO HAVE CRACKED WHERE THE METAL WHEEL WEIGHT MAY HAVE BEEN LOCATED. UPDATED 01/26/10

NHTSA ID

10297212

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

157,127 mi

I OWN A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500 THE DASH HAS BEEN SEVERELY CRACKING FOR SOME TIME NOW, I THANK IT IS SOME BAD MATERIAL OR SOMETHING,I ALSO OWN A 1999 FORD THAT IS A FEED TRUCK AND THE DASH HAS NO CRACK ON IT AT ALL,THIS PROBABLY WONT HELP GETTING IT FIXED I FIGURE THAT I WOULD JUST FILE A COMPLAINT,BEING THE GOVERNMENT OR (MY FAMILY OWNS PART OF CHRYSLER) THANKS 740 BILLION LATER?????????). *TR

NHTSA ID

10272801

Incident

May 8, 2003

2001 DODGE RAM 2500. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BOTH FRONT TIRES HAD A SLOW LEAK. *MC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT ALL 4 RIMS WERE CRACKED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10198075

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA RECENTLY AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM YOU. I DID NOT WRITE THE NUMBER DOWN SO I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT AGAIN. MY HUSBAND HAS A 2001 DODGE DIESEL THAT WE BOUGHT IN 2002. WE WENT TO PUT NEW TIRES ON THE TRUCK AND TOTTEN TIRE WOULD NOT LET US LEAVE WITH THE TRUCK WITHOUT PUTTING NEW RIMS ON IT. THEY SAID THE RIMS WERE DANGEROUS. 3 OF THE 4 RIMS HAVE CRACKS UP TO 3/8 INCH WIDE, ONE HAS 10 CRACKS. I BELIEVE THE RIMS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE TIRE PLACE SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN RIMS LIKE THIS BEFORE. I AM ATTACHING A PICTURE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MORE DODGE TRUCKS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IF ONE OF THESE RIMS WOULD HAVE BROKE APART GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND THEY ARE DOING NOTHING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $700.00 WE HAD TO PAY FOR RIMS. THEY SAID THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. RIMS SHOULD NOT FALL APART IN 4 YEARS TIME. THE VIN # ON HIS TRUCK IS 387KF23651G8XXXXX. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME, AND PERHAPS SAVE OTHER PEOPLE FROM THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE RIMS ON THE DODGE RAM DIESEL PICK UPS ARE ALL CRACKING THIS BADLY MANY PEOPLE MAY BE INJURED. I WILL MAIL COPIES OF THE CRACKED RIMS WITH A COPY OF THIS COMPLAINT FOR YOUR REVIEW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *NM UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10172258

Incident

Sep 15, 2006

Mileage

126,000 mi

MY BRAKES AND STEERING HAVE FAILED FOUR TIMES ON MY DODGE RAM. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CHRYSLER AND IN BOTH CASES THE REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO ASSIST ME. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES FAIL FOUR TIMES ON MY DODGE RAM 3/4 TON TRUCK. THEY SAID MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THAT I AM 2700 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY THAT IS ALL THAT CAN BE DONE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160933

Incident

Nov 20, 2000

Mileage

4,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING THE VEHICLE WITH A UTILITY TRAILER IN TOW, THE TRAILER HITCH BRACKET FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE HITCH BRACKET WAS FRACTURED IN SEVERAL AREAS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRAILER HITCH BRACKETS WERE MANUFACTURED USING A MATERIAL WITH INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH AND THE BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE REINFORCED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V107000, REGARDING THE TRAILER HITCHES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10156674

Incident

May 3, 2006

Mileage

103,000 mi

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE RIMS. THE RIMS ARE CRACKING WHERE THE BEAD OF THE TIRE MEETS THE RIM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. *JB *SC

NHTSA ID

10119060

Incident

Apr 15, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

1. THE FIRST INCIDENT, MAY 11,2000 WAS A RECALL FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSFER PUMP DUE TO PREMATURE INTERNAL ARMATURE SHAFT BUSHING WEAR. THIS WAS A RECALL BY DODGE. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED AUGUST 24,2004. 2. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO RUN EXTREMELY ROUGH, AND MAKES THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD CAUSE A SUDDEN SLOWDOWN OF THE VEHICLE. 3. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE TRANSFER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT. THE COST TO REPLACE THESE PUMPS CAN BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH DODGE TRUCKS WHICH HAVE THE CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10118478

Incident

Aug 24, 2004

Mileage

32,787 mi

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO PULLING TO ONE SIDE. HAD STOPPED VEHICLE, CHECKED OUT TIRES AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS LOSING AIR, LIKE A SLOW LEAK. PUT AIR IN TIRE AND STARTED DRIVING, BUT TIRE CONTINUED TO LEAK. ARRIVED HOME, TOOK CLOSER LOOK, AND DISCOVERED THAT ALUMINUM ALLOY RIM FROM MANUFACTURER, HAD A CRACK THAT CAUSED THE LEAKING PROBLEM. CHECKED OTHER RIMS AND THEY WERE ALSO CRACKED. HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10117562

Incident

Apr 3, 2005

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ALLOY RIMS ON 2001 DODGE 2500 VEHICLE. *BF ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S RIM CRACKED RELEASING THE AIR IN THE TIRE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10098925

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

THE TIRES KEPT LOSING AIR. WHEN A TIRE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TIRES THEY NOTICED THAT BEAD ON THE EDGE OF ALL FOUR RIMS CRACKED IN 6 PLACES, AND WILL NOT HOLD AIR. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IMPACT DAMAGE. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091809

Incident

May 6, 2004

Mileage

68,000 mi

I WAS HEADED HOME GOING DOWN A CITY STREET HEADED TO THE HIGHWAY, WHEN I HERD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT A JOLT FROM MY 14' TANDEM AXLE ENCLOSED TRAILER. I LOOKED BACK AND NOTICED THAT THE TRAILER WAS RIDING LOWER THAN NORMAL. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND WHEN I GOT OUT TO LOOK I NOTICED THAT THE TRAILER BALL WAS ABOUT 2" OFF THE GROUND. I LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK AND NOTICED THAT THE RECEIVER HITCH HAD BROKEN. ONLY 2 OF THE 6 BOLTS WERE HOLDING IT UP, AND THE MIDDLE BOLT ON THE LEFT SIDE HADE COMPLETELY BROKE. I REMOVED THE BALL AND PUT IT ON THE BUMPER TO TOW THE TRAILER HOME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MONDAY BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE HITCHES. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE HITCH WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT MY MODEL TRUCK DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS. THEY GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER TO THE FACTORY FOR COMPLAINTS. I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER HITCH FROM ANOTHER DEALER. WHEN I GOT HOME TO PUT IT ON, I NOTICED THAT THE NEW HITCH HAD 8 BOLTS INSTEAD OF 6.SOMEONE MUST HAVE KNOWN THAT THE OLD HITCHES WERE DEFECTIVE. I CALLED THE FACTORY THE NEXT DAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING THAT THE DEALER HAD. I ASKED FOR THE NUMBER TO THE FACTORY AREA REP. AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THEM.. I CALLED THE DEALER BACK, AND TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THAT HE HAD ALREADY CALLED FOR THE REP. AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR HIM TO CALL. NO RESPONSE. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS HITCH, BECAUSE IF I WOULD HAVE MADE IT TO THE HIGHWAY,AT 65 MPH, THE HITCH COULD HAVE BROKEN ALL THE WAY, AND WITH THE SAFTY CHAINS ATTACHED TO THE HITCH, THE TRAILER WOULD HAVE BEEN ON ITS OWN AND COULD HAVE KILLED PEOPLE. I STILL HAVE HAD NO CALL BACKS. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE OLD HITCH ON MY TRUCK BEFORE I REMOVED IT.

NHTSA ID

10020673

Incident

May 23, 2003

Mileage

79,500 mi

APPROXIMATELY 4 BLOCKS FROM MY HOME MY WIFE, WHO WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK, HEAD A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I REMOVED THE TIRE AND NOTICE THAT A BRACKET ON THE BRAKING ASSEMBLY WAS GRINDING INTO THE MAG WHEEL. EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE, A SIGNIFICANT GOUGE WAS MADE IN THE THE SOFT METAL OF THE WHEEL. I PUSHED THE BRACKET BACK IN PLACE AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE "ANTI RATTLE BRACKET" AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BRAKE ASSEMBLE HAD RUSTED TO THE BRAKING ASSEMBLY. EVERYTIME I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE, IT MOVED OUT UNTIL IT WAS GRINDING ON THE MAG WHEEL. THE BRACKET WAS GRINDING ON THE WHEEL LIKE A LATHE, PEELING OFF THE METAL OF THE WHEEL. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY AND DID NOT HEAR THE NOISE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE CONTINUED GRINDING WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE WHEEL ASSEMBLE. NEITHER THE DEALER OR THE DODGE CONSUMER COMPLAIN REPRESENTIVE THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY BIG ISSUE. AT THIS TIME, I FEEL THAT THE SAFTEY OF THIS TRUCK IS A STAKE AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT IS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

767523

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW ON 6/01/01. ON 6/26/01 RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL AND AT THAT TIME I INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE MISSING "VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL". DEALER STATED "HE WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT DISTRICT MANAGER TO SEE ABOUT THIS ITEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THIS DEALER 3 MORE TIME OVER THE PAST YEAR ABOUT THIS ITEM AND EACH TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD, "WE ARE WORKING ON IT". DEALER SEEMS UNABLE TO AQUIRE THIS REQUIRED LABEL FROM DODGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

762961

CONSUMER WAS DISCONNECTING TRAILOR FROM THE HITCH, AND NOTICED THAT HOLE ON ONE SIDE WAS WORN OUT, CAUSING THE PIN TO MUSHROOM OUT. WEIGHT OF TRAILOR COULD BREAK THE PIN, LOSING ALL CONNECTIONS TO HITCH.*AK

NHTSA ID

894917

Incident

Aug 7, 2001