Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 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 47, in the owner's own words
In the past 6 months my steering and suspension components failed causing me to wreck and also somehow my engine bay deteriorated in turn having started a fire
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. REPLACED BULBS HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT CONTROL MODULE WAS BAD. REPLACED FRONT CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEW ONE. 13 MONTHS LATER NOW THE HORN WILL STOP WORKING A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK A MOUTH VERY INTERMITTENT. TURN SIGNALS ARE INTERMITTENT ALSO. ENGINE WILL NOT START ALL THE TIME JUST CRANKS TELL YOU CYCLE THE KEY. WAS TOLD THIS IS ALL RELATED TO ANOTHER FRONT CONTROL MODULE GOING BAD. NEW MODULE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I FILL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE . I HAVE HEARD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK FOR THE DRIVER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRONIC REMOTE LOCK WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE KEY, BUT THE KEY FAILED TO TURN AND UNLOCK THE DOOR. IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER HAD TO ENTER THROUGH THE REAR DOOR AND CLIMB OVER TO REACH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW AND NEVER BEEN ABUSED BUT BACK ON 4/03/2004 MY TRUCK GAUGES WOULD FLICKER AND GO TO ZERO AND THEN GO BACK ALL IN A MILLISECOND. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. IT KEEPS DOING IT TO THIS DAY. YOU COULD BE DRIVING THE TRUCK AT LOW SPEED AND HIGH SPEEDS WHEN IT DOES IT THE GERMLIN DASH SHAKE. IT HAPPENS SO FAST THAT I CAN'T GET A PICTURE OF IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER NURMIOUS TIMES AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. BUT YET YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DODGE FORUMS AND EVERYONE THAT'S OWNS A 2003 TO 2005 DODGE RAM CUMMINS 2500 OR 3500 THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM. WHAT HAPPENS IF THE GAUGES CAUSE THE TRUCK TO SHUT DOWN AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED? I HAVE LOOKED OVER ALL THE RECALLS AND THINK A INVESTAGATION SHOULD BE DONE ON THIS. I CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE 106,000 MILES ON MY 2004! DODGE RAM 2500. LIKE I SAID THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE APRIL OF 2004 AND TO THIS DAY STILL DOES IT. LIKE I SAID I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER NURMIOUS TIMES AND THEY SAID NOTHING IS WRONG AND NO THEY SAY THEY CAN FIX IT FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY SINCE IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND MY TIPM HAS GONE BAD. NO REAR LIGHTS AT NIGHT. HAVE GONE TO DEALERSHIP AND THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER, AND HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS TRUCK IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY DODGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, BOTH THE HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. ALSO, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT OPERATE DUE TO DAMAGED ELECTRICAL WIRES LOCATED IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE WIRES BECAME DAMAGED BY OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOORS. IN ADDITION, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (JERRY WOOD DODGE IN SALISBURY, NC) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.
AIR CONDITION WIRE PLUGIN AT STEERING COLUMN GETS TO HOT AND MELTED PART OF PLUG CONNECTION I HAD TO HAVE NEW WIRE RUN JUST FOR AC FAN
DRIVING AT ANY TIME ANY CONDITIONS TURNING OR STRAIT ROADS THE ECT LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU LOOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE STEERING AND BRAKES INCLUDED. THE RPMS WILL JUMP UP HIGH THEN DROP SO LOW THE TRUCK WILL DIE OR IDLE REALLY ROUGH. RAMEYS CAN'T FIX IT LOCAL SERVICE STATIONS CAN'T FIX I'VE ALMOST WRECKED SEVERAL TIMES BC OF THIS I'VE HAD A NEW THROTTLE BODY INSTALLED NO FIX 150$ THEN A NEW BELL CRANK ASSEMBLY 400$ STILL NO FIX I'VE SEARCHED AND CALLED EVERYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE AN IDEA DODGE SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A RARE THING FROM WHAT I SEE ONLINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUMES OF BURNING WIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT WITH THE WIRING AND THE CONTROL BOX ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUSES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE CONTROL MODULE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRAILER WIRING SHORT CIRCUITING. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE TRAILER FROM BEING HAULED. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING WIRES. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR THE PART, WHICH WAS MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS AGO. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/04/16*LJ
ON JUNE 8, 2016, MY VEHICLE /TRUCK WAS DROPPED OFF AT THE INDICATED DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL WORK. DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH ECU DUE TO BATTERY CHANGE, I REQUESTED A REFLASH OF THE ECU BE PERFORMED IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO PASS SMOG. I SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM DEALERSHIP STATING VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. UPON TAKING POSSESSION OF THE TRUCK I WAS ADVISED BY PHIL (SERVICE TECH) THAT REFLASH WAS PREFORMED AND ADDITIONAL UPDATES WERE PROGRAMMED INTO THE ECU. PRIOR TO LEAVING LOCATION, I WAS ADVISED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE ECU REFLASH. ON JUNE 11, 2016, I BEGAN DRIVING THE TRUCK PER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERAL MOTORS "DRIVE CYCLE" PROCEDURES. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES INTO DRIVING VEHICLE, THE HEATING ELEMENT WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE DASH WHILE THE SEAT BELT CHIME SOUNDED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS WARNING LIGHT/SEAT BELT CHIME CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL CYCLES, EACH TIME THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATION LASTING SEVERAL MINUTES THEN GOING OFF ONLY TO SHOULD AGAIN MINUTES LATER. ON JUNE 21, 2016, I SPOKE TO PHIL (AUTONATION DODGE SERVICE TECH) WHO EXPLAINED NO WORK HAD BEEN DONE TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM SINCE JUNE, 16. AS OF THE SUBMISSION OF THIS COMPLAINT, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED TELEPHONE CALL BACK FROM DODGE. I CURRENTLY RETAIN VOICE MESSAGE FRO ADRIAN, ALL RECEIPTS/INVOICES, CELLPHONE VIDEO OF INDICATOR LIGHT/SEAT BELT ALARM SOUNDING, AS AS ALL CALL LOGS. FURTHERMORE, DODGE REFUSES TO REPAIR A PROBLEM THEY CAUSED AND IS REFUSING TO LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION TO REPAIR DAMAGE THEY CAUSED.
THE 7 PIN PLUG HAS NEVER WORKED RIGHT THE LEFT TURN AND LEFT BRAKE LIGHT DO NOT WORK NOR HAVE THEY EVER
ON THIS MODEL, AS WELL AS OTHERS WITHIN A CLOSE DATE RANGE, THE FORWARD CONTROL MODULE(FCM) SHUTS OFF THE HEADLIGHTS IF IT RECOGNIZES ANY DISRUPTION IN CURRENT OR GROUND. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR AND CAUSES A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS TURN ON MY BRIGHTS, WHICH IN TURN BLINDS OTHER DRIVERS. THE MODULE IS LOCATED OUTBOARD OF THE FUSE BOX, LOCATED ABOVE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PRICE IS USUALLY AROUND $400 FOR PART, THEN I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO SOMEBODY TO HAVE IT KEYED TO MY COMPUTER FOR ANOTHER $100-200. THERE IS NO VARIABLE AS TO WHEN IT HAPPENS, SOMETIMES WHILE IN MOTION, SOMETIMES WHILE STATIONARY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ACTIVATED INSTEAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION, A CRASH WAS AVOIDED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 5/18/15*CN UPDATED 11/17/15*JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 RAM DODGE 2500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY ACID CORRODED THE CABLE THAT RAN FROM THE PEDAL TO THE CONTROL BOX. THE CABLE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ADDED A PLASTIC COVER BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
WITHOUT THE CLUTCH BEING ENGAGED THE TRUCK WILL START. THIS IS IMPROPER AND WILL ALLOW THE TRUCK TO BE STARTED WHILE IN GEAR, ALLOWING UNWANTED MOVEMENT FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS. *JS...UPDATED 01/07/15 *BF UPDATED 05/29/2015 *JS
DRIVING WESTBOUND ON M46 DURING DUSK, HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, SUDDENLY I WAS BEING SIGNALED MY HIGH BEAMS WERE ON. I STOPPED AT A NEARBY GAS STATION TO CHECK OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ALL OF MY LIGHTS HAD FAILED. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE HAD FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *TR
PROBLEM 1) THE ENGINE HAS A EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK. THIS IS DUE TO DODGE USING INADEQUATE BOLTS ON THE HEAD AND THE BOLTS BROKE. THE REMOVAL OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REQUIRES THE BOLTS TO BE DRILLED AND TAPPED OUT. DODGE SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM BUT WOULD NOT. PROBLEM 2) THE VEHICLE LEAKS PROFUSELY IN THE CAB. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE THE CAB HAS LEAKED. IT LEAKS UNDER THE REAR SEAT AND IT LEAKS FROM THE FRONT VISOR AS WELL. I HAVE TRIED TO SEAL WITH RTV SINCE DODGE COULD NEVER FIX THE PROBLEM. IT STILL LEAKS. PROBLEM 3) THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOW WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AT BEST. PROBLEM 4) THE REAR DOORS WILL NOT RELEASE THE CHILD LOCK FUNCTION. I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT APPARENTLY THE SWITCH IN THE DOOR DOES NOT WORK. *TR
THE DRIVERS DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MALFUNCTIONED IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND THE KEY COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR. WITHOUT YOUR KEY FOB YOU ARE LOCKED OUT OF YOUR CAR! THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM THE SEARCHES I DID ON THE INTERNET. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
YOU CAN NOT TURN ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL WITHOUT THE RIGHT SIGNAL COMING ON TOO. TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN YOU NEED TO KEEP PRESSING ON RIGHT TURN SIGNAL TO KEEP IT BLINKING. I SEE MANY OTHER OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!! *TR
MY 2004 DODGE RAM 2500 DOES NOT HAVE WORKING RUNNING LIGHTS. I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. PER THE DODGE DEALER, THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED IT AS PART NUMBER 68005476AA (FUSE BOX/POWER CONTROL MODULE). THE PART IS, AND HAS BEEN, ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR A VERY LONG TIME. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM THAT OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING IN VARYING ELECTRICAL/LIGHTING WAYS. THE LACK OF IMPROPER OR NON-WORKING LIGHTS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE. THE NON AVAILABILITY OF PARTS MAKES A PERFECTLY GOOD VEHICLE NON-DRIVABLE. *TR
HORN GOES OFF RANDOMLY AT ALL SPEEDS. *TR
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT IN UNLOCK USING THE UNLOCK SWITCH. SWITCH UNLOCKS THE OTHER DOORS BUT NOT THE DRIVERS DOOR. WILL OPEN WITH INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. WHEN TRYING TO OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY IS VERY HARD. LOCK DOES NOT WANT TO STAY UNLOCKED. *TR
DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. KEYLESS ENTRY WILL NOT WORK. DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM OUTSIDE. ONLY WAY TO OPEN DOOR IS FROM INSIDE. ON-LINE RESEARCH INDICATES A COMMON PROBLEM - DOOR ACTUATOR. *TR
EMAIL FROM THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE A SAFETY RECALL ON THE 2004 DODGE PICKUP 2500 DIESEL. (PLEASE DIRECT REPLY TO CONSTITUENT WITH COPY TO CONGRESSMAN). *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH A MODULE WHERE ALL THE WIRING FOR THE HEAD LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, REVERSE LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS AND HAZARDS WERE ROUTED THROUGH THE MODULE BEFORE IT WENT INTO THE FUSE BOX. WHEN THE MODULE FAILED, SEVERAL OF THE LIGHTS CEASED TO FUNCTION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER.
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.
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