2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Engine Problems

AT 70 MPH THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AS IF A SWITCH WAS FLIPPED. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, ALWAYS ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALWAYS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AND ACTIVE. IT OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS (110+ F). THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE THROTTLE CONTROL CIRCUIT SOMETIMES ILLUMINATES. WHILE STILL MOVING, SELECTING NEUTRAL, TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN BACK ON ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO RESTART. THIS CAN OCCUR AS FREQUENTLY AS EVERY 60 MILES, BUT THE AVERAGE OCCURRENCE WOULD BE AROUND 150 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11377535

Incident

Jun 17, 2020

Mileage

195,000 mi

ENGINE TICKING

NHTSA ID

11047568

Incident

May 4, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 05V462000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 08/17/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 2,500 MILES. THE BALL JOINTS AND WATER PUMP FAILED AND THE WINDSHIELD LEAKED. UPDATED 10/26/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10875210

Incident

Mar 22, 2006

Mileage

2,500 mi

TRUCK HAS THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS THE RECALLED NEWER TRUCKS. IT MELTED THE FUSE BOX AND THE TRUCK WONT RUN. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUSE BOX, COMPUTER, ALL COILS, ALL PLUGS, ALL WIRES, THROTTLE BODY OVER 3,000.00 AND THE TRUCK STILL DOES NOT RUN. ONLY HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND TOWED BACK OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT TELL US WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. AFTER 3,000.00 OF LETS TRY THIS I CAN NOT AFFORD ANY MORE LETS TRY THIS OR THAT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND MOST PEOPLE THINK THEY BROKE A VALVE IN THE HEMI MOTOR. I HAVE RUN A COMPRESSION TEST AND THIS IS NOT THE CASE. MY ISSUE IS ELECTRICAL AND I DON'T FEEL AS THOU I SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT WHEN THE DEALERSHIP CANT. THE TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. WHICH THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AND THEN IT ESCALADED TO THE POINT OF NOT RUNNING ANY LONGER. STARTED BY MELTING FUSES THEN MELTED THE FUSE BOX. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE IT TOOK OUT. WHEN SCANNED IT BRINGS UP DIFFERENT CODES EACH AND EVERY TIME. DEALERSHIP CHARGES FOR EACH AND EVERY WRONG PART THAT IS REPLACED AND THEN RESCANNED AND THEY ALSO CHARGE LABOR FOR EACH WRONG PART REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE. DRIVING 2 MILES DOWN A DIRT ROAD SPEED OF 25MPH, VEHICLE STARTED TO MISS AND JUST CONTINUED TO GET WORSE TO THE POINT IT WILL NOT IDLE. YOU CAN NOT HOLD A STEADY FUEL PEDAL AND KEEP IT RUNNING IT STALLS. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS RECALLED AND NOT AVAILABLE, TIE ROD ASSEMBLY IS RECALLED NOT AVAILABLE A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN I ASKED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I CURRENTLY OWN A 2003 2500 HD YARD ORNAMENT. HOW CAN CHRYSLERS GET AWAY WITH THIS?

NHTSA ID

10850474

Incident

Jul 3, 2011

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

NHTSA ID

10704893

Incident

Nov 1, 2014

Mileage

99,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATE 45MPH, WHEN I WAS ON A BANK AND NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK WAS HARD TO STEER, THE TRUCK HAD STALLED. THE TRUCK STARTED BACK UP, THANKFULLY I HAVE A MANUAL, THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD (ITS HARD TO CONTROL A 3/4 TON TRUCK WITH NO POWER STEERING), AND COULD JUST PUSH THE CLUTCH IN TO START THE TRUCK. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK STARTED, IT DIED ON ME AGAIN, STARTED IT UP, AND DROVE LESS THAN A MILE, AND DIED AGAIN. I WENT TO THE STORE, ON MY WAY HOME HAD THE SAME ISSUE, AS SOON AS I WOULD SLOW, THE TRUCK WOULD DIE, THANKFULLY IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE ON THE WAY HOME. RAN IT FOR A LITTLE IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND REVVED THE ENGINE, AND IT DIE, THREE TIMES. DID SOME RESEARCH AND SEEMS THE ISSUE MAY BE FAULTY FUEL CONTROL ACTUATOR ( OR KNOWN AS MPROP). *TR

NHTSA ID

10523495

Incident

Jul 6, 2013

Mileage

180,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, HE WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE ON A 2004 RAM 2500 AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10432611

Incident

Oct 21, 2011

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER HE IS DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE GOES TO IDLE AND STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TURNED OFF AND ON AND IN A FEW SECONDS THE ENGINE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD REPAIR THE FAILURE FOR $1000. THE DODGE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NO FAILURE AND NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 11/10/10.*LJ

NHTSA ID

10312779

Incident

Feb 9, 2010

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE 2500. WHILE COASTING AT 25 MPH, THE ENGINE WAS QUIET AND ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER BEING SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE INJECTOR PUMP THAT WAS MOUNTED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK AND INSTALLED A NEW FUEL PUMP IN THE GAS TANK. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER TWO WEEKS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 04/02/08. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10215699

Incident

Nov 1, 2004

Mileage

12,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SCENT OF OIL WAS DETECTED IN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE GASEOUS AROMA WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SCENT WAS FROM THE ENGINE CRANKCASE VENTING SYSTEM. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO PRIOR COMPLAINTS. THEREFORE, THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH A REMEDY OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 31,000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187441

Incident

Apr 9, 2007

Mileage

31,000 mi

RADIATOR FAILED ON 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 HEMI 4X4 AT 51,000 MILES. VEHICLE HAS A 7/70 DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, HOWEVER CHRYSLER SAID THAT THE RADIATOR WAS NOT COVERED. CHRYSLER HAD ME "PARTICIPATE" IN THE REPAIR BY HAVING ME PAY $150. DEALER WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE RADIATOR. I HAD TO CALL CHRYSLER CORPORATE AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10186209

Incident

Mar 22, 2007

Mileage

51,220 mi

THE CONSUMER HAS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH DECELERATING WHEN DRIVING 40 MPH OR MORE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED THREE TIMES, THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR AND THE MAP SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10119077

Incident

Aug 6, 2004

Mileage

29,341 mi

CARBON MONOXIDE WAS GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER WAS USED. A DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10117508

Incident

Jun 20, 2003

Mileage

29,000 mi

2003 DODGE RAM 2500 HEMI ENGINE STALLS OUT. NOW TRUCK IS IN GARAGE BECAUSE VALVE SPRING BROKE,CAUSING PISTON AND VALVE FAILURE. DODGE DEALER WOULD NOT CHECK ALL CYLINDERS ONLY THE ONE WITH PROBLEM. 2 WEEKS PASSED FINALLY PARTS ARE IN AND THEY ARE REPLACING WHAT BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10112726

Incident

Feb 24, 2005

Mileage

49,900 mi

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 WITH THE CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE. WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OFF, BUT THE VENTILATION (HEAT OR JUST COOL OUTSIDE AIR) ON, I HAVE DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IDLING OR MOVING AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS. THE CONDITION GOES AWAY WITH THE A/C ON OR WITH THE VENTS IN THE "RECIRCULATE" POSITION - I.E. NOT DRAWING OUTSIDE AIR IN. THE SMELL AND GASSES ARE DANGEROUS FOR ANY EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF I BREATHE THEM FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096025

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

Mileage

1,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES ON A 2003 DODGE RAM. *MR THE BRAKES WOULD SELF ENGAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENTS, THE A/C WAS ALWAYS INOPERATIVE BLOWING OUT HOT AIR, THE A/C COMPRESSOR MADE A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR MAJOR ENGINE REPAIRS, A BROKEN PISTON ROD WAS FOUND AND COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE KNOCKING, THERE WAS A VIBRATION UPON ACCELERATION. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10089110

Incident

Apr 1, 2003

THE FUMES FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE FUMES WERE COMING FROM THE BLOW DOWN PIPE WHICH COMES OFF THE CRANK CASING OF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE COOLING FAN WAS IN USE IT BLEW THE FUMES INTO THE CLIMATE CONTROL , THUS BLOWING IT INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INSTALLED A RUBBER PIPE ON THE END OF THE BLOW DOWN PIPE, THAT LEADS UNDER THE MAIN CAB OF THE VEHICLE, SO NOW WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A COMPLETE STOP, WITH THE WINDOW OPEN, THE FUMES ARE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW. ALSO AT 15,000, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD AND THE FAILS TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10074223

Incident

Apr 20, 2003

Mileage

20 mi

THE FLY WHEEL AND THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY SEPARATED AND BLEW OFF, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, A PART OF THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BECAME LODGED IN THE FLOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, AND ALMOST SEVERED THE DRIVER'S FOOT. ALSO, THIS FAILURE DESTROYED THE ENGINE BLOCK, THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, BELL HOUSING AND THE TRANSMISSION. A FACTORY DISTRICT REP,. CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, BUT DIDN'T PROVIDE A SENSIBLE REASON FOR WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10073812

Incident

Mar 18, 2004

Mileage

10,000 mi

OHARA MOTORS - 5 STAR DODGE DEALERSHIP IN FALMOUTH MA. CANNOT FIX MY DEFECTIVE 03 HEMI RAM. TRUCK WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THEM LAST YEAR, AND HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THE SME 2 PROBLEMS - AND EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK BACK WITH THE PROBLEM NOT BEING FIXED. TRUCK HAS HAD A TICKING SOUND THAT HAS GOTTEN SO LOUD, IT NOW SOUNDS LIKE A SEWING MACHINE AT IDLE. ALSO, TRUCK HAS A DRIVELINE VIBRATION THAT HAS GONE FROM SUBTLE, TO EXTREMELY AND OBNOXIOUSLY BAD. OHARA SAYS THAT CHRYSLER MAY HAVE A SOLUTION IN 90 DAYS OR SO, AND THAT I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS! I WANT MY MONEY BACK, I HAVE LOST TIME AT WORK, MONEY, AND LOTS OF AGGRAVATION. I FEEL WITH A 7 YR.70K WARRANTY, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO 'LIVE' WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP ME!

NHTSA ID

10063892

Incident

Mar 25, 2004

Mileage

2,000 mi

THE ENGINE MISFIRES AND ALMOST STALLS. I HAVE TO PULL INTO SAFE AREA AND REV ENGINE TO RESTORE POWER. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS CONVENIENT, LIKE WHEN IT HAPPENED GOING UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE ON I-10 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER BEHIND ME DOING 70 MPH. I HAVE REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALER BUT THEY UNABLE TO HELP BECAUSE NO CODES ARE GENERATED BY THE COMPUTER. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AND MY EXPERIENCE IS UNIQUE. ON A RELATED/UNRELATED MATTER, THE MUFFLER HAS TURNED BLUE FROM OVERHEATING AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS LIKE THERE IS A RESTRICTION/OBSTRUCTION IN THE MUFFLER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10058642

Incident

Nov 30, 2003

Mileage

3,400 mi