Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH AND AS SEMI TRUCKS PASS ME THIS ROADTREK 190 VERILITE DODGE RAM 3500 UNCONTROLABLY MOVE A FOOT TO 2 FEET TOWARD THE CENTER LINE OF THE ROAD WHICH I FEAR COULD CAUSE A HEAD ON COLLISION. I HAVE TRIED VARIOUS TIRE PRESSURES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. I BASICALLY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES AND EXCELLENT TREAD ON TIRES.
2001 DODGE RAM 3500 2 WHEEL DRIVE. FRONT END "DEATH WOBBLE". HAPPENS OVER 40 MPH WHEN YOU HIT A LARGE BUMP. WON'T STOP TILL YOU SLOW DOWN. HAVE HAD SINCE NEW AND STARTED TO FAIL AFTER 36,000 MILE WARRANTY EXPIRED. HAVE CHANGED BALL JOINTS AND IDLER ARM AND HAS BEEN TO SEVERAL FRONT END SHOPS SAYING NOTHINGS WRONG. CURRENTLY THE TRUCK HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
2001 DODGE RAM 3500 CUMMINGS ENGINE (AUTO TRANS) ON STEERING/BRAKE HYDRAULIC ASSIST SYSTEM*CW THE CONSUMER STATED ON 5 OCCASIONS WHEN HE WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED A COMPLETE LOSS OF HYDRAULIC POWER, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE LOSS DISABLE BOTH THE STEERING AND BRAKING. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED 245 FOR REPLACING THE BRAKE FLUID. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP OR ANY OTHER COMPONENT IN THE HYDRAULIC POWER SYSTEM. THE FAILURE SUBSEQUENTLY REPEATED ON TWO MORE OCCASIONS. *JB
I HAVE A 2001 3500 DODGE RAM TRUCK, ABOUT A MONTH AGO I TOOK MY TRUCK IN TO THE FRONT ALIGNED AND THEY FOUND THAT THE FRAME WHERE THE STEERING BOX IS THE FRAME HAS CRACKED IN IT ON BOTH SIDE OF THE FRAME, CAUSING THE STEERING BOX TO HAVE PLAY IT. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REALIGNED THE FRONT END, THAT THE FRAME NEEDS TO BE WELDED AND IT WAS GOING TO COST ME 2,500.00 . SO I PARK THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE OTHER DAY I WENT TO MOVE THE TRUCK AND THE STEERING BOX FELL OFF THE FRAME, AND THE CRACK IN THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK GOT BIGGER. I HAVE TO STRAP THE STEERING BOX TO THE FRAME TO GET IT MOVED WE I CALLED DODGE ABOUT IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS ON THE FRAME THEY SAID NO, THEY ASK ME HOW MANY MILES WERE ON THE TRUCK AND I SAID WHAT DOES THAT HAVE ANY THING DO WITH IT. AT THIS POINT THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I 'M STILL PAYING THE LOAD ON IT. I NEED SOME HELP ON WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT. I FEEL DODGE SHOULD REPAIR IT, SINCE ON THE NEWER TRUCK THEY REINFORCED THE FRAME WHERE THE STEERING BOX IS ON THE FRAME. IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND THE FRAME CRACKS IN HALF IT WILL CAUSE ME TO CRASH, I'LL LOOSE MY STEERING. I NEED HELP *TR
MY HUSBAND NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, TOOK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE, TOLD ME IT NEEDED TRACK BAR AND PISTON, I QUESTIONED THE COST HE THEN TOLD ME ONLY NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, WENT TO REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDED BY DEALER, SPECIALIST WOULDN'T DO WORK BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE. TOOK TRUCK TO ANOTHER DODGE DEALER, BALL JOINTS WERE SO BAD THEY WERE DANGEROUS, TRACK BAR, INNER TIE ROD, AND THE HUB BEARINGS CRUMBLED WHEN THEY WERE REMOVED. THIS VEHICLE HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THAT IS ONLY COVERING THE BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 DODGE 3500 4X4 DUALLY, THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF PAVED ROADS IT IS NOT ABUSED AND ONLY HAS 49000 MILES ON IT AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT HELP I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANUFACTURING QUALITY. *JB
DT: JUNE 29, 2005 ON HIGHWA WHILE Y DOING 50-55 MPH PULLED INTO DRIVE AND THOUGHT HIT A POLE BECAUSE THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE WAS WIPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MIRROR COME IN, LOOKED UNDER FRONT END EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, DIDN'T HAVE STEERING PROBLEMS WENT ABOUT 30 MILES, CAME BACK, WENT TO TURN LEFT, ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO TURN LEFT. WENT HOME, GOT A FLASH LIGHT, HAD FRIEND TURN THE WHEEL WHILE CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE STEERING, IT MADE CRACKING AND POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. THE IT LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. HAD THE DEALER PUT A PUMP ON A WEEK BEFORE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THE REFERRED CONSUMERTO CHRYSLER, THEN THEY HAD HIM SPEAK WITH AN INVESTIGATOR, THEY WANTED TO COME OUT AND INSPECT WITH IN 10 DAYS. SPENT 4 HOURS LOOKING AND TAKING PICTURES, THEN GOT A LETTER, STATING THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AT THE BODY SHOP THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG EITHER. *AK
THE CUMMINGS DIESEL ENGINE. THE VACUUM PUMP COUPLINGS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE POWER STEERING UNIT WHICH SITS ON TWO 1/4 PIECES OF STEEL AND CONTROLS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE ARE BROKEN , RESULTING IN NO STEERING AND BRAKING. CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER. HOWEVER, NO ONE WILL TALK TO CONSUMER. *AK
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE RIGHT, THE WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE OWNER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON. THE OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK
THE POWER STEERING FAILED OR LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO INCIDENT. THERE WERE INJURIES.*JB
VEHICLE HANDLING.......STEERING WANDER.......SWAY........FAILURE TO TRACK.
VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER A MINIMUN OF 8 TIMES BETWEEN SEPT AND DEC. 02. STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEM HAVE NEVER BEEN CORRECTED. DEALER HAS REPLACED POWER STEERING / BRAKE FULID WHICH HAD TURNED BLACK. REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINT, TIE ROD, POWER STEERING PUMP, STEERING GEAR BOX. WITH MY PERMISSION THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DODGE TECH CENTER WHERE THE TECH / TRAINER USED MY VEHICLE FOR DEMONSTRATION LESSON /DIAGNOSIS AND DETERMINED THAT THE HYDRA PUMP (BRAKE CYLINDER) WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS TOO WAS REPLACED WITH NO BETTER RESULTS. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND STEERING ARE A PART OF THE SAME SYSTEM AND SHARE 1 PUMP. THE TECH ADVISOR AS WELL AS THE SERVICE MANAGER TOGETHER WITH THE MECHANIC AGREE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE. DT
VEHICLE WANDERS LEFT AND RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, REPLACED STEERING BOX AND TIE ROD END, DID WHEEL ALIGNMENT. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. *AK *TT
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE STEER VEHICLE IN ONE LANE, IT START TO WEAVE BETWEEN THE LANES (PLEASURE-WAY RECREATION BODY INSTALLED ON A DODGE RAM 3500 CHASSIS). *ET
VEHICLE WANDERS ALL OVER ROAD, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. TO DEALER WHO ALIGNED VEHICLE MECHANIC STATED THAT DODGE HAD A STEERING BOX PROBLEM. CONSUMER ALMOST ROLLED VEHICLE DUE TO THIS. *AK
STEERING IS MESSED UP, IT WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO STAY ON ROAD ABOVE 45MPH. *AK STEERING GEAR BOX REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRACK, ANY CORRECTION WOULD CAUSE FISHTAILING AND VEHICLE WOULD OVER CORRECT ITSELF. *SLC
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A ROAD ONTO A SERVICE RAMP AND WAS TURNING LEFT. WHEN TURNING VEHICLE BACK TO RIGHT STEERING DIDN'T MOVE AT ALL. ALSO, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON THE PANEL, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WASN'T OPERABLE.*AK
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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