Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONCE AND THEN THEY STOP WORKING. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON A LOT OF DODGES DURING THESE YEARS. MY TRUCK DOESN'T HAVE THE RECALL. BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, I CRASHED INTO SOMEONE DUE TO IT. PLEASE FIGURE THIS OUT I KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AS WELL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DEFOGGER FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MILFORD CHRYSLER SALES (500 US-6, MILFORD, PA 18337 (570) 296-2636) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE BLEND DOOR THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND CLOSE THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE OF GLASS FALLING. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW HAD SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V452000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCE A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PART NOT AVAILABLE.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS OFTEN DONT ACTIVATE WHEN TURNED ON, AND SOMETIMES TURN ON WHEN NOT ACTIVATED. WIPERS OFTEN TURN ON WHEN UNLOCKING DOORS WITH KEY FOB. WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED ON, THEY CYCLE FOR 5 SWIPES AND THEN STOP. HAS JEOPARDIZED MY SAFETY MULTIPLE TIMES, UNTIL PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP.
THE AC/HEATER PLENUM DOORS DO NOT WORK AND DEFROSTING THE WINDSHIELD IS IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES (VERY COMMON IN ALL SIZE RAM TRUCKS). I LIVE IN COLORADO AND THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND IT IS COLD OUT. DODGE HAS TO BE AWARE OF THE CHEAP PLASTIC VENT DOORS THEY USED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND SPORADICALLY WIPED THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09E009000 (VISIBILITY). THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE WIPER WERE ON INTERMITTENT, T HEY WIPED 2-3- TIMES AT ONCE. WHEN THEY WERE ADJUSTED TO WIPE FASTER, THE DIDN'T WIPE AT ALL. THEY WOULD WIPE WHEN THE KEY FOB WAS ACTIVATED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. UPDATED 02/10/16.*JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY ON DELAY. SOMETIMES THEY WORK BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THEY DON'T. THEY ALSO STOPPED WORKING ON THE FASTEST SPEED AND WILL SOMETIMES STOP WORKING ALL TOGETHER OR COME ON BY THEMSELVES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM (GOOGLE). THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN EASY FIX UNLESS YOU START CHANGING PARTS AND MODULES. VEHICLE DOES NOT GIVE A CODE FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR
FRACTURE OF THE PITMAN ARN AT THE STEERING BOX/ HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING BOX/ FRACTURE WAS FOUND WHILE UNDERGOING WHEEL ALIGMENT/ WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT WOULD HAVE FAILED. REPLACE WATER PUMP/ 120000 REPLACE REAR UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR BAD BEARINGS/ 121,000 ENTIRE ENGINE FAN WITH PULLEY SHEARED OFF WHILE ON A TRIP/ 118000 REPLACED ENTIRE WIPER MECHANISM DUE TO COMPLETE FAILURE/122000 POORLY ENGINEERED VEHICLE/ WOULDN'T BUY ANOTHER DODGE LOTS OF SAFETY ISSUES. *TR
2004 DODGE RAM 2500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TIE ROD BALL STUD RECALL NOTICE, HEATER CONTROLLER UNIT, FRONT END STEERING CONTROL AND SUSPENSION ISSUES. CONSUMER SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING BOX AND POWER STEERING PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE SOURCE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE STEERING BOX. ALSO, IT WAS NOTED THE SWAY BAR LINKS WERE WORN OUT, AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM A FULL ALIGNMENT, BECAUSE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY MOVE THE HEATER BLENDER DOOR, IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE HEAT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS TRACED TO A FRAYED WIRE, AND EVENTUALLY FIXED. THE CONSUMER STATED A SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED HIM, NOTHING NEEDED TO BE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, AS FAR AS THE RECALL WAS CONCERNED, AFTER ONLY LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW SECONDS. *JB
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER FAILED AND CAUSED A REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BLEND DOOR PIN HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
ON THE 27TH OF NOV, 2013 MY HEATER QUIT WORKING ON THE DEFROST MODE. I TURN THE SWITCH FROM 1 POSITION TO ANOTHER AND NOTHING HAPPENS, IT JUST KEEPS PUTTING OUT AIR THROUGH THE FRONT VENTS. NOTHING OUT THE DEFROSTER. DANGEROUS IF TRYING TO DRIVE IN BAD WEATHER. *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY AM WITH FOG AND HUMIDITY, THE DEFROSTER STOPPED BLOWING WARM AIR, AS AIR WAS DIVERTED THOUGH THE DASH VENTS AND NOT THE DEFROSTER VENTS. I HAD MADE SURE THE DIAL WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT (DEFROST) BUT AIR WAS STILL COMING OUT DASH VENTS. HAD TO PULL OVER AS DASH WAS FOGGING UP. NO MATTER WHAT VENT IS SELECTED ON THE DIAL, AIR NOT CONTINUES TO BLOW THROUGH DASH VENTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE WIPERS WOULD ALSO SPORADICALLY FAIL TO OPERATE WHEN ENGAGED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROST SYSTEM DID NOT FUNCTION. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE LED TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD ONLY OPERATE THE WINDOWS BY USING THE MASTER CONTROL PANEL FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AIR WOULD NO LONGER FLOW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD DEFROST VENTS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
THE DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES, WINDOW FOGS/FROSTS UP BECAUSE BLEND CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR REPEATEDLY/UNEXPECTEDLY FALLS BLOCKING VIEW OF ROAD. DRIVER MUST TAKE ATTENTION OFF THE ROAD TO MOVE VISOR TO STOP BLOCKAGE. DRIVER IS FORCED TO PUT ATTENTION TO VISOR TO TRY TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, THUS ATTENTION DIVERTED FROM THE ROAD. BOTH THESE DEFAULTS ARE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT BLOCK VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD FOR DRIVERS. *TR
ON OUR 2004 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT CREW CAB. THE TURN SIGNAL WILL SOMETIMES INTERMITTENTLY DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION YOU CHOOSE AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT GO BRIGHT IF YOU HAVE IT ON DIM AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AS WE FOUND OUT SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK ON A RAINY DAY. IT APPEARS IT IS ALL CONTROLLED FROM ONE LOCATION ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. *TR
CLIMATE CONTROL BLEND DOORS MALFUNCTION AND CANNOT USE THE DEFROST MODE FOR THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THE BLEND DOORS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC WHICH GET STRIPPED FROM THE MOTOR COUPLING. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM FOR THE 2003 -2008 DODGE RAM TRUCK. *TR
THE INTERMITTENT WIPERS ON MY TRUCK HAVE A MIND OF THERE OWN. THEY SOMETIMES WORK, SOMETIMES STOP (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW) AND SOMETIMES CONTINUE AFTER THEY ARE SWITCHED OFF. *TR
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DELAY IS MALFUNCTIONING. SOMETIMES THE DELAY SWIPES THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND THEN NOT AT ALL. THE WIPER SWITCH MUST BE MOVED TO THE LOW OR HIGH SETTING TO ACTIVATE THE WIPERS. THEN AT TIMES THE WIPES WILL NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION. *TR
2004 DODGE RAM 2500. HEAT/DEFROST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL QUIT WORKING IN MAY 2010. THE AIR FLOW IS STUCK ON DASH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH WINTER APPROACHING. THIS IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM ON THE ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS SUCH AS EDMUNDS. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP I CONTACTED IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THAT INVOLVES EXTREME TORQUE APPLIED TO THE VENT DOORS BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL CALIBRATION OF THE MOTOR CONTROLS FOR THE DOORS, CAUSING THE DOOR TO BREAK. THE ESTIMATED COST OF THIS REPAIR IS $800.00. THIS IS A LITTLE BEYOND MY FINANCIAL MEANS. I INTEND TO CONTACT CHRYSLER TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE DEALERSHIP DID TELL ME THAT THERE IS A RECALL IN EFFECT TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2010 MODELS. THANK YOU. *TR
2004 DODGE RAM 2500. A/C AND HEATER BLEND DOORS HAVE FAILED. UNABLE TO GET AIR TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLY TO MY INQUIRY. AS A PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED ENGINEER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I JUST MOVED TO TEXAS WHERE HOT HUMID WEATHER IS THE NORM, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF ICE STORMS. NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST YOUR WINDSHIELD IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. I HAVE TO REACH FOR A TOWEL TO KEEP WIPING THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IF IT IS VERY COLD, ICING OF THE WINDSHIELD BECOMES A REAL ISSUE. WITHOUT HEATED AIR BEING DIRECTED TO THE WINDSHIELD ALLOWS FOR FREEZING PRECIPITATION TO ACCUMULATE ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER IS THEN FORCED TO STOP TO REMOVE THE ICE. MY RESEARCH INTO THIS ISSUE REVEALS THAT CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT CONTINUED TO INSTALL THE DEFECTIVE PARTS INTO NEW MANUFACTURING YEARS. ALSO, CHRYSLER WANTS UPWARDS TO $1000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE AVERAGE DRIVER CANNOT AFFORD THIS SO IS FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. IN MY OPINION THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT AFFECTS DRIVERS IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. HOPEFULLY NO HAS AN ACCIDENT AND IS INJURED OR DIES, OR CAUSES INJURY OR DEATH TO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE HE CANNOT SAFELY SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF HIS CHRYSLER VEHICLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINT AND ACT TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE CHRYSLER VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THIS DEFECT.. *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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