2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Visibility Problems

Headlights- the passenger side headlight would come on then go off whenever it wants to and now the low beam does not work. I have tested the connection and replaced the bulb several times and still does not work. When driving at night it makes it difficult to see. And is also against the law to not having working headlights. Trailer lights- the drivers side brake light/blinker on any trailer that’s hooked to my truck does not work. I have taken it the a local shop (street dynamics which is out of business now) several times over the last 5 years to see if they can fix the issue. The fix was to put a jumper wire from the truck brake light to the trailer connector. I still do not have a blinker on the driver side of the trailer. Windshield wipers- the windshield wipers will come on and off whenever they want. Some times when it is raining they will turn on with the switch then will turn off while driving or will stay on after the switch is turned off. The switch has been replaced and did not change anything. It is dangerous to drive the truck during inclement weather. I am a Police officer and have been for 17 years. In the last 12 plus years I have owned the truck which is a 2006 Dodge 2500 I have been told by several dodge technicians and mechanics that the issues I’m having is being caused by the TIPM. While researching the tipm I have found out all of my trucks issues are similar to a lot of other people’s 2006 dodge 2500s. I have had issues with the trailer brake lights since I bought it.

NHTSA ID

11654389

Incident

Jan 2, 2012

This is a safety concern I have faced on multiple occasions with this pickup. I have owned it since new and kept up on maintenance and recalls. Today it happened again. What it is, the windshield wipers will erratically wipe, sometimes not wipe, not shut off, as well as come on at random. I reside in the wet side of the state of Oregon where it can be super dangerous to loose wipers in a torrential downpour of rain or snow. This pickup get use predominately for pulling trailers, which yet again adds another layer of danger when I lose much visibility of the road ahead of me. The first time this got really bad I took it to the dealer out of warranty and they diagnosed for three hours to tell me it was 90% probable that it was the Total Ingratiated Power Control Module. I said yes I will pay the total combined $1,400 to hopefully fix the problem. At times after this it has had occasional issues. Today, [XXX], it was acting about like it did the years ago that the dealer extracted, what I felt to be good money, to fix windshield wipers. I suspect in the round of diagnosis they may have messed with the wiper motor and made things marginally better for the years that I have since got out of it. On the dealer fix I researched the problem and it seemed to be kinda common in 2006 Dodge Rams at the time. Today I was doing more research to go about fixing this problem myself since the dealer fix has always been unsatisfactory to me. In this research I found two recalls for 2008-2009 Dodge Rams (NHTSA campaign #s 09V08400 & 09E009000) with what sound to be the same problem. Did a little more digging and between the part numbers, the parts appear to be the same between the model year 2006 & 2008 Dodge Ram, 2500 SLT diesel engine (this probably true to other trim and drive train too). Should this recall be extended to other vehicles that also share the same part, if it is truly the same part off the factory floor? I know I fight similar trouble. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

NHTSA ID

11571135

Incident

Feb 9, 2024

November 2022-While trying to use my windshield wipers to clean my front windshield I noticed I could not turn them off plus they would move super fast then very slow. Over the next few months my windshield wipers would sometimes work normal but now they are consistently running sporadically: running fast, slowing down starting and stopping on their own. This is a very dangerous situation during a rain storm and I am going to take my truck into the dealer for repair but for safety reasons, this needs to get looked into for recall.

NHTSA ID

11520640

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

During a recent snowstorm, the windshield wipers started acting erratically. The wiper delay function no longer works. The wipers operate at one speed, when they work, and do not turn off when I turn the switch off. They seem to time out after awhile and stop wherever they happen to be on the windshield, not the lower parked position.

NHTSA ID

11505245

Incident

Jan 18, 2023

The windshield wipers stopped working as Hurricane Nicole was hitting Lantana Florida. Got truck home and replaced wiper motor. Did not fix the problem. Replaced the Multi-function Switch (Mopar part#56049823AB) Did not fix problem. This happened around 1:00 pm. I was in traffic. It took about 1 1/2 hour to drive 10 miles because of rain bands from the storm. The wipers stopped working at regular speed and moved in slow motion at high speed, then stopped working altogether. I have not been to the dealer. I am told its probably the Body Control Module (BCM). This sound expensive. This happened 11/9/22

NHTSA ID

11493171

Incident

Nov 9, 2022

The climate control will not change to defrost. It will only blow out the dash vents. My windshield foged up while driving 70mph and I could not see. Had to stop every few miles to use my t-shirt to clean it off. Very dangerous what if I was on a small country road, there is not much room for errors.

NHTSA ID

11452599

Incident

Jan 19, 2022

BAD TIPM. WIPERS AND RADIO DONT WORK. HAD TESTED BY DEALER. $1550 FOR DEALER TO REPLACE PART.

NHTSA ID

11139939

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

175,000 mi

1ST COMPLAINT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS FOUND TO BE LOW UPON INSPECTION THE WHEEL ,17 INCH WHEEL IS CRACKED ON THE INSIDE ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG BY ESTIMATE. I HAVE PICTURES ON MY PHONE I JUST HAVEN'T HAD OPPORTUNITY TO UPLOAD TO COMPUTER YET. HAD WHEEL BLOWN IT WOULD HAVE KILLED MY FAMILY OF FOUR AS I WAS TOWING A TRAILER WHEN IT WAS NOTICED. 2ND COMPLAINT INTAKE AIR DOOR, BROKE OFF CAUSING TROUBLES WITH FREEING WINDSHIELD OF FOG DURING CERTAIN TIMES AND DAYS OF YEAR, THIS CAN BE FOUND ON GOOGLE MANY COMPLAINTS INTAKE DOOR THAT CONTROLS OUTSIDE VS INSIDE AIR.

NHTSA ID

10897794

Incident

Aug 21, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

DRIVING ON A RURAL 2 LANE ROAD IN A RAINSTORM WIPERS WERE ON LOW SPEED, STOPPED WORKING. SWITCHED WIPERS TO HIGH SPEED, WIPERS OPERATED EXTREMELY SLOWLY, THEN OPERATED AT HIGH SPEED FOR A SHORT PERIOD, THEN EXTREMELY SLOW AGAIN. ALTERNATED THIS A FEW TIMES, THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. IT TOOK ABOUT 4 HOURS TO FINISH MY DRIVE OF ABOUT 60 MILES TO MY HOME DUE TO STOPPING ALONGSIDE THE ROAD TO WAIT FOR BREAKS IN THE RAINSTORM. I REPLACED BOTH WIPER MOTOR AND WIPER SWITCH TO NO AVAIL. THEN STARTED SEARCHING ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND DISCOVERED THE TIPN CONTROVERSY HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER..

NHTSA ID

10840379

Incident

Mar 6, 2016

Mileage

59,266 mi

DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING ON HAVC SYSTEM. BLEND DOOR AND RE-CIRC DOOR GET BROKE DUE TO SENSERS (DC SERVO MOTORS) NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THEY OVER STRESS THE PIVOT PINS AND BREAK THEM. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK AND THE WINDOWS FOG/FREEZE AND YOU CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. DODGE REFUSES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10807524

Incident

Nov 21, 2015

Mileage

40,350 mi

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, IN COLORADO, TAKING MY 2 KIDS TO SCHOOL, THE TRUCK WAS IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT, ABOUT 3 MINUTES INTO THE TRIP THE WINDOWS BEGAN TO FOG UP. THEY FOGGED UP IN SUCH A WAY I HAD LITTLE TO NO VISIBILITY, I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TURN THE DEFROST ON FROM THE VENT POSITION AND HEARD WHAT WOULD BE A BROKEN BLENDER DOOR TRYING TO POSITION ITSELF TO THE DEFROST POSITION. IT DID NOT WORK, AND IT IS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN OF THE BLENDER DOOR. IT IS A PLASTIC PART WHERE THE ACTUATOR FLIPS THE DOOR, IT HAD CRACKED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS HEATER CONFIGURATION AND A DANGEROUS ONE TO SAY THE LEAST. WITHIN A MINUTE I WENT FROM SEEING TO BEING SCARED FOR MY LIFE AND CHILDRENS LIVES. I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND HAD TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT STEERING POSITON AND WIPE THE WINDOW WITH MY HAND FURIOUSLY TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THAT TIME, I COULD ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS, GET THE FRONT WINDOW CLEARED WITH SOME TISSUES AND CONTINUE ON TO SCHOOL. I HAD TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER TO GET AN ESTIMATE OF $1100 WHICH WAS MAINLY LABOR. I REFUSE TO PAY $1100 FOR THIS FIX SINCE IT IS INVOLVING A BAD DESIGN AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF VEHICLE SAFETY - VISIBILITY. I LIVE IN COLORADO AND A CAR OR TRUCK WITHOUT DEFROST IS USELESS. DODGE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BEFORE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FATALITY OCCURS. IN MY CASE I WAS VERY FORTUNATE AND NO ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED.

NHTSA ID

10786234

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHEN SWITCHING ON A TURN SIGNAL, BOTH LIGHTS FLASH OR NOTHING HAPPENS. WIPERS FAIL OR WORK SPORADICALLY. WIPERS DON'T WORK WHEN I NEED THEM TO AND CAUSES ME TO NOT DRIVE IN THE RAIN. THE BLINKERS WORK HALF THE TIME AND ALMOST CAUSES SOMEONE TO HIT MY TRUCK BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS TURNING RIGHT WHEN I HAD THE BLINKER TO TURN LEFT.

NHTSA ID

10775454

Incident

Sep 1, 2015

Mileage

1,550,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10733901

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER FLAP AND THE DEFROSTER FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO COLD OR HOT AIR BLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,607.

NHTSA ID

10730353

Incident

Mar 12, 2013

Mileage

115,607 mi

WHILE RAINING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT COME ON. AFTER SWITCHING THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES, THE WIPERS STARTED WORKING. THE WIPERS CONTINUED TO OPERATE EVEN WHEN TURNED BACK OFF. WIPERS ONLY TURNED OFF AFTER TURNING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH SEVERAL MORE TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654739

Incident

Nov 7, 2014

Mileage

62,512 mi

WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45MPH. WIPERS WERE ON HIGH AND BARELY MOVING ON WINDSHIELD. DEALER SHIP DIAGNOSED IT AND REPLACES TIPPEM, VIN LOCKED RELAY AND WIPER MOTOR. THIS ALL RUNNING ABOUT 1500 DOLLARS , AND TAKING ABOUT A WEEK. SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE IN THE DODGE RAM 2500 2006. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654058

Incident

Mar 22, 2012

Mileage

125,000 mi

WIPERS QUIT WORKING ALL OF A SUDDEN DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. UPON INSPECTION, THE WIPER SWITCH WAS REPLACED, WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND BEING THAT THIS MODEL DOESN'T HAVE A FUSE OR RELAY CONTROLLING THE WIPERS, THE ENTIRE TIPM HAS TO BE REPLACED. *JS

NHTSA ID

10592558

Incident

May 14, 2014

Mileage

113,225 mi

I LIKE TO REPORT OF PORT A PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE RAM 2006 MEGA CAB. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY OWNERS ABOUT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS AND THE PASTOR SIDE WHEN WINDOWS FRONT AND BACK HOWEVER MY PROBLEM CONSISTS OF JUST THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW APPEARS TO CRACK ON THE EDGE DOWN BELOW FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHATSOEVER WHENEVER THIS VEHICLES GET EXTREMELY COLD OR EXTREMELY WARM IN MY CASE IT WAS EXTREMELY COLD DAY WHEN MY WINDOW CRACKED ON THE BOTTOM I DID SOME CHECKING IN THE INVESTIGATION ON THIS PROBLEM IN DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MANY MANY TIMES BEFORE WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND JUST LIKE MINE IT WAS JUST PARKED IN THE FRONT DRIVEWAY OR PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND SOME PEOPLE SAID WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE'S REPORTED THIS HAPPENING WHEN I WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT SOMEWHERE BACK TO MY CASE MY CASE CONSISTS OF IT BEING PARKED IN THE FRONT DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I WENT OUT TO START THE VEHICLE I STARTED IT IN MIND YOU IT WAS 40 TO 50 BELOW ZERO BEFORE WINDCHILL I WAS I CLEANED OFF MY WINDOWS GOT IN MY TRUCK AND CLOSE THE DOOR LIKE I NORMALLY DO WHEN I SAY START TO MOVE OUT MY DRIVEWAY AND DOWN THE GRAVEL ROAD THAT I LIVE ON AND I HEARD A NOISE AND I LOOKED OVER IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF MY WINDOW HAD CRACKED ALL ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE NOW MAYBE I'M WRONG BUT I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED I WOULD APPRECIATE PROBLEM BE SOLVED FOR THESE WINDOWS IN THESE MEGA CABS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO BE REPLACING WHEN THEY GET CRACKED FOR NO APPARENTLY REASON LUCKY SOME INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL REPLACE THIS HOWEVER THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE MEGA CABS AND CAN BE VERY COSTLY FOR THESE WINDOWS RANGE QUITE A BIT PS THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING MY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565547

Incident

Jan 13, 2012

Mileage

60,000 mi

GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH IN A DOWNPOUR. HAD WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON LOW, TURNED THEM UP TO HIGH AND THEY SLOWED DOWN UNTIL THE COMPLETELY QUIT. LUCKILY GOT OFF OF HIGHWAY TO SAFE LOCATION TO GET TOWED TO MY SHOP. AFTER DIAGNOSING PROBLEM, FOUND OUT IT IS THE TIPM(TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE). *TR

NHTSA ID

10563587

Incident

Feb 8, 2014

Mileage

64,000 mi

HEATER BLOWER MOTOR MADE NOISE AND STOPPED WORKING NO DEFROST I UNDER STAND THIS COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK 1500,2500,3500 DO TO POOR DESIGN AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX NO RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10560013

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

137,000 mi

COULD NO LONGER ACTIVATE THE HIGH BEAMS AND WINDSHIELD WASHER. AFTER CHANGING THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WAS TOLD THE ISSUE IS IN THE TIPM. NEED TO REPLACE POWER MODULE ASSOCIATED WITH FUSE BOX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10555907

Incident

Nov 27, 2013

Mileage

61,000 mi

DIRECTING AIR TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD DOES NOT WORK = SAFETY HAZARD. AIR ONLY BLOWS FROM FRONT VENTS AND WILL NOT CHANGE TO ANY OTHER POSITION: DEFROST OR FLOOR, NO MATTER THE SETTING SELECTED ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL (AIR FLOW) KNOB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10554740

Incident

Dec 2, 2013

Mileage

127,456 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TOTAL OPERATING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10490222

Incident

Dec 21, 2012

Mileage

42,000 mi

LIKE MANY MANY OTHERS 2006 DODGE RAM PICK-UPS I HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIR HANDLING HEATER, DEFROST SYSTEM AND THERE IS NO CONSISTENT CONTROL OR OPERATION. THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THE SYSTEM. THIS CONDITION WILL NOT ALLOW FROST/ICE REMOVAL OR DEFOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS THAT COULD LEAD TO SEVERE INJURY AND DEATH.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486498

Incident

Nov 26, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

I HAD A WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE DODGE RAM IS THERE IS A TOTAL INTEGRATED POWER MODULE THAT CONTROLS WIPERS, LIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVISES. ONCE THE TIPM SEES THE 5TH FAULT IT SHUTS DOWN WHAT EVER IS CAUSING THE FAULT. IN MY CASE IT WAS A WIPER PROBLEM. ONCE THE UNIT FAULTS IT HAS TO BE REPLACED AND PROGRAMMED FOR THE VEHICLE. COST $1264.56 FOR A WIPER MOTOR REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479754

Incident

Sep 29, 2012

Mileage

91,000 mi