Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Dodge Ram 3500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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
WHILE DRIVING MY TRUCK ON AT LEAST 10 TIMES THE VEHICLE HIT A BRIDGE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE STARTS TO HAVE A DEATH WOBBLE I CANT CONTROL IT I TRY TO STOP ON A HIGHWAY ALMOST WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILER AND OTHER VEHICLES EACH TIME I HAVE REPLACED ALOT OF FRONT END EQUIPMENT AND IT HAS 6 NEW TIRES ALSO THE DASH EXPLODED IN ALOT OF PIECES ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND VIBRATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR BUMP AND LIFT BUMP WERE FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO RESPOND AND WOULD NOT TURN. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A ROCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES AND LACERATIONS TO THE ARMS. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES, CUTS, AND ABRASIONS TO THE ARM FROM THE GLASS. BOTH OCCUPANTS REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AUTHORIZED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD, THE STEERING MECHANISM, AND THE DRIVE TRAIN FRACTURED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WERE REPAIRED SIX YEARS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. UPDATED 10/8/15 *LN UPDATED 10/15/15*BF UPDATED 10/18/2017*CN
I HIT A POTHOLE AND OMG YOU CAN NOT BELIEVE WHAT CAME AND NOW I'M FINDING OUT THAT ITS CALLED A DEATH WOBBLE AND THE NAME IS CORRECT BECAUSE IT MAKES U THINK YOUR ABOUT TO HIT A TREE OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD JUST LUCKILY NO ONE WAS COMING THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE I PROMISE U I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM DODGE NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,!!!!!!! *TR
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V528000 (STEERING) AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN SERVICED BECAUSE THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE DEALER INFORMED THAT ONE REMEDY PART WAS BEING SENT PER WEEK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN DIVIDER, SLID AND THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER MEDIAN DIVIDER BEFORE FINALLY LANDING IN A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TIE ROD FAILED AND CAUSED THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 43,566.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE OUTPUT SHAFT FRACTURED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
THE STEERING WHEEL HAD FROZEN, THE BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE AND CAUSED LOSS CONTROL, THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND OR THE TRANSMISSION COMPARTMENT, ODOR POSSIBLY COMING FROM OIL OR TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE ENGINE WAS ROUGH AND STALLED, THE VALVE SPRING HAD BROKE, AND THE CONVERTER PUMP HAD FAILED. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS GONE AND NEEDED TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED. SCC *JB
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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