2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Other / unspecified Problems

THE WAY THESE RIMS ARE DESIGNED ARE VERY POOR. WATER GETS TRAPPED INSIDE THE RIM ROTS THEM OUT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN ALL IN A SUDDEN, THE PART OF THE RIM THAT HAS THE 8 HOLES WHERE YOU WOULD BOLT THE RIM TO THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE DRUM PART OF THE RIM, THE TIRE WENT FLAT, AND VEHICLE STOPPED. AND TO EVEN GET TO THE ACTUAL LUG NUTS, I HAD TO DESTROY THE CHROME FACE TO GET TO THEM BECAUSE THEY SHIFTED WHEN THE RIM SEPARATED FROM 8 BOLT PATTERN. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY I DIDN'T CAUSE MYSELF OR ANYBODY ELSE ON THE ROAD ANY HARM OR EVEN DEATH. AFTER SEEING THAT, I REPLACED ALL 4 RIMS AND TIRES, A $1500 BILL I WASN'T PLANNING ON BUT GOT TO BE SAFE FOR MY SAKE AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10785423

Incident

Oct 22, 2015

Mileage

140,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY IN CHICAGO IN HEAVY, HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A SMALL POTHOLE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE \ WOBBLE VIOLENTLY FROM THE FRONT END AND CAUSE IMPOSSIBLE STEERING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS SHAKING \ WOBBLE WAS TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN TO BELOW 20 MPH CROSSING 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO THE SOFT SHOULDER. IT HAS BEEN REPLICATED MULTIPLE TIMES FROM SPEEDS OF 40 MPH AND UP. AFTER TAKING THIS VEHICLE, A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 QUAD CAB, 5.7 ENGINE, STOCK WITH ALL CURRENT RECALLS UP TO DATE (EXCEPT THE AIR BAG RECALL WHICH NO ONE HAS PARTS FOR), TO MULTIPLE REPAIR SHOPS AND DODGE DEALERSHIPS, NO EXACT CAUSED HAS BEEN LOCATED INCLUDING FCA (DODGE) STATING THERE IS NO ISSUE. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THIS IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS IT CANNOT BE RESOLVED YET. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN ABOUT ISSUE IN THESE VEHICLES, COMMONLY REFEREED TO AS THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE" AS I HAVE FOUND OUT. FCA AND NHTSA NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RESOLVE THIS MAJOR ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10746517

Incident

Jul 13, 2015

Mileage

184,500 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NORMAL SPEEDS AND YOU HIT A MINOR BUMP, WHEELS WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY WITH NO ABILITY FOR DRIVER TO RECOVER STEERING. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO LET THE VEHICLE SLOW DOWN AND THEN PULL OVER. THIS IS KNOW AS THE DEATH WOBBLE AND CAN BE VIEWED ON YOUTUBE. DODGE HAS DENIED THE PROBLEM BUT YET YOU CAN BUY AN ENTIRE NEW STEERING ASSEMBLY FROM DODGE FOR $300. I HAVE SPENT OVER $4000 TRYING TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER 10 TIMES AND NO LONGER PUT MY FAMILY IN THE PICKUP AND WILL NO LONGER USE IT ON THE HIGHWAY..A SIMPLE TIEROD RECALL WILL NOT FIX THIS AND THERE IS ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM THAT THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE DODGE TO FINALLY CORRECT THIS DESIGN FLAW, BEFORE WE GET KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10617797

Incident

Jul 3, 2013

Mileage

110,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY DODGE RAM 2500 AND HIT A SERIES OF SMALL BUMPS AND MY FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH MY SUSPENSION AT ALL. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT TIRES AND THAT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593780

Incident

May 23, 2014

Mileage

136,000 mi

TRAVELING ON US 58 IN SUFFOLK, VA. I WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND HIT A VERY LARGE WATER FILLED POT HOLE. THE RESULTS WAS MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE CAME OFF THE VEHICLE AFTER BREAKING TWO LUG NUTS. THE TRUCK SLID 300 FEET DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL COMING TO REST IN THE MEDIAN. A USAA REPAIR FACILITY REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE HUB ASSEMBLY. I MOVED TO KINGS BAY GA. AND STARTED TO NOTICE A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAS 35" OFF ROAD TIRE ON IT SO I ASSUMED THE TIRES NEED TO BALANCED. AFTER ABOUT THREE WEEKS OF DRIVING THE REAL PROBLEMS AROSE. I DEVELOPED THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". IT IS A VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM THAT FORCES YOU TO SLOW TO BELOW 45 MILES PER HOUR. IT IS SO VIOLENT THAT A 36 YEAR OLD NAVY DIVER CHIEF, WHO HAS BEEN TO TACTICAL DRIVING SCHOOLS FOR THE MILITARY, HAS A DIFFICULT TIME HOLDING IT ON THE ROAD. NOW, I HAVE HAD THE DODGE DEALERSHIP DISREGARD THE PROBLEM, BALANCE THE TIRES, REPLACE THE STEERING DAMPENER, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475869

Incident

Feb 28, 2012

Mileage

153,453 mi

WE WERE DRIVING TO THE STORE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND CAUSED US TO GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. I SLOWED DOWN TO STOP, GOT OUT LOOKED FOR SOME BROKEN PART.... DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WE THEN PROCEEDED SLOWLY BACK HOME AND THE VEHICLE JUST HAD A CONTINUOUS VIBRATION, BUT DID NOT SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I THEN LOOKED IT UP ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO AVOID EXCESS COST BUT BE SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10461148

Incident

May 10, 2012

Mileage

62,180 mi

CRACKED DASHBOARD WITH JAGGED EDGES WHICH ARE IN FRONT OF MY PASSENGER SEAT. SAFETY ISSUE THAT DODGE IS NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. MY DASHBOARD NOW HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451915

Incident

Jan 5, 2009

Mileage

67,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND I WILL HIT SMALL BUMP, AND THE TRUCK WILL VIOLENTLY SHAKE AND I AM UNABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK. THE "DEATH WOBBLE" MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO STEER DURING THE SHAKING AND THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK IS TO TRY TO BRAKE AND NOT CRASH. THIS FIRST STARTED ON 12-23-11 AND HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES SINCE THEN. THE DEATH WOBBLE OCCURS AT SPEEDS AS SLOW AS 40 MPH. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DUE TO MY INABILITY TO STEER WHEN THE TRUCK SHAKES SO VIOLENTLY. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO FIX. THE TIRES SHAKE SIDE TO SIDE AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAB OF THE PICKUP IS VIBRATING VIOLENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10448511

Incident

Dec 23, 2011

Mileage

112,000 mi

WELL HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE "DEATH WOBBLE!!!?????" GOOGLE THIS AND IT WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY! MY HUSBANDS TRUCK HOPS AT 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY ALMOST CAUSING A HUGE ACCIDENT! WHY THE HELL AFTER ALL THE COMPLAINTS NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THIS ISSUE! THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS ONLINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10442307

Incident

Jan 3, 2012

Mileage

100,806 mi

I WAS REPAIRING A PART UNDER THE DASH, THE DASH SHATTERED. WE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER STATEMENTS ONLINE THAT STATED THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE I COULD SHATTER AND INJURE THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10416420

Incident

Jul 31, 2011

Mileage

134,000 mi

THE DASH ON MY 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 PICKUP HAS STARTED CRACKING,AS HAS THOUSAND OF OTHER DODGE PICKUPS,WHICH WHEN THE CONDITION WORSENS TO WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO THE OCCUPANTS.I ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER DODGE PICKUP OWNERS WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO FORCE THE CHRYSLER CORP.TO MAKE RECALL ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES NOTABLY YEAR MODELS 2000-2004. DEALERS WANT UP TO $1,500.00 TO REPAIR THEN IN A FEW YEARS THE NEW DASH STARTS CRACKING.PLEASE HELP DODGE TRUCK OWNERS! *KB

NHTSA ID

10410575

Incident

May 15, 2010

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY 03 DODGE 2500 DIESEL RAM TRUCK OCCASIONALLY GETS AN EXTREMELY VIOLENT FRONT END VIBRATION AFTER HITTING BUMPS OR RUTS IN THE ROAD. FAILURE HAPPENS ANYWHERE FROM 500 MILES TO 7000 MILES APART. *LN

NHTSA ID

10383230

Incident

Feb 17, 2011

Mileage

137,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND TURNED ON THE HEATER IN MY TRUCK AND THE WINDSHIELD IMMEDIATELY FOGGED UP TO THE POINT I COULD NOT SEE. I HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO SEE OUT AND TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION. ONCE I WAS STOPPED I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WAS NO MATTER WHAT POSITION I SET THE DEFROST OR HEAT ON, THE AIR ONLY BLEW OUT THE VENTS ON THE DASH PANEL. I WENT TO THE DODGE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THE WHOLE DASH HAD TO COME OUT OF MY TRUCK, DRAIN THE COOLING SYSTEM AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO REPLACE SOME BROKEN PLASTIC PARTS, COSTING AROUND 1,500.00 TO 2,000.00. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON LINE, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WITHIN 5 SECONDS MY VISION WAS COMPLETELY OBSTRUCTED AND COULD HAVE NOT ONLY RESULTED IN MY DEATH BUT THAT OF SOMEONE ELSE. THIS TRUCK ALMOST KILLED ME ONCE WHEN IT JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND ALMOST RAN OVER ME. YES THEY ENDED UP CREATING A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT DID NOT PAY TO REPAIR MY TRUCK OR MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE THAT MY TRUCK RAN INTO. I THINK IT IS UNFAIR FOR US AS CONSUMERS TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR DODGE'S FLAWED ENGINEERING. THEY HAVE A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM SO THEY ARE COMPLETELY AWARE OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364379

Incident

Nov 2, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

DEATH WOBBLE! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. I HAVE HAD THE FRONT END OF MY 2003 DODGE RAM CUMMINS REPAIRED TWICE. BOTH TIMES I HAVE HAD BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS REPLACED ALONG WITH AXLE U JOINTS AND FOLLOWED BY ALIGNMENT. I HAVE ALSO ADDED A DUAL STEERING STABILIZER SYSTEM. THAT HAS HELPED A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS OFTEN. THE WOBBLE HAS TAKEN ME OFF THE ROAD ONCE AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. LUCKILY, NOBODY WAS HURT. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. THANK YOU JUSTIN HULSE.

NHTSA ID

10307436

Incident

Jan 18, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

DEATH WOBBLE, ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS EXCEEDING OVER A DOZEN. I HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS FRONT END PARTS TO NO AVAIL, INCLUDING TIRES AND RIMS. IT ALWAYS OCCURRED AT HI-WAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH AND ABOVE, THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS A CRASH HAPPENING WITH OUT THE BENT METAL. I AM SURE THIS IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED IF THEY ARE AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER IF IT HASN'T ALREADY, THE DEAD DON'T TALK SO TO SPEAK, YOU CANT SEE DEATH WOBBLE AFTER THE TRUCK HAS CRASHED, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK INTO THE SINGLE VEHICLE FATALITIES OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF TRUCK I AM SURE IT IS HIGH RATIO FOR THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES SOLD, ONE IS UNACCEPTABLE IN MY OPINION. I COULD BE NEXT. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME CROSSING A BRIDGE, PAVEMENT PATCHES, ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS PASSING SLOWER VEHICLES LIKE SEMI-TRAILERS AND RV'S WHERE YOU HAVE NO WHERE TO GO BUT THE SAID VEHICLES AND OR BRIDGE WALL. THIS IS A TERRIBLE ISSUE WITH THESE TRUCKS, CHECK INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES ON DEATH WOBBLE, AND THIS IS THE TRUCK THAT COMES UP, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10290872

Incident

Nov 3, 2009

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO BLOW COLD AIR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RECIRCULATION AIR ASSEMBLY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,879 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800.

NHTSA ID

10199070

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

4,800 mi