2003 Dodge Ram 3500 Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND WORKED ONLY AT THE SLOW SETTING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIPM MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 06E023000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND 09E009000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 230,000. UPDATED 08/14/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10969589

Incident

Mar 30, 2013

Mileage

230,000 mi

WIPER ONLY FUNCTIONS WHEN WASHER MODE IN PUSHED. THEN ONLY MAKE 1 SWIPE. HAVE REPLACED WIPER MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION, REPACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, REPACED WIPER RELAY IN FUSE BOX. STILL NO WIPERS.

NHTSA ID

10934008

Incident

Mar 6, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

AIR WILL NOT BLOW THROUGH THE DEFROSTERS. HOT AIR WILL ONLY BLOW THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON 2009 AND 2010 MODELS. THE RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652688

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

Mileage

98,000 mi

CRACKED DASH AND BROKEN, VERY SHARP ALL OVER , JUNK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10516247

Incident

Jun 1, 2013

THESE TRUCKS HAVE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC BLEND/MODE DOOR. THE DOORS BREAK AND THEN FALL DOWN INTO THE HVAC SYSTEM AND BLOCK AIRFLOW TO THE DEFROST VENTS. THIS CAN CAUSE A MAJOR VISIBILITY ISSUE WITH YOU CANNOT DEFROST YOUR WINDSHIELD. THE WARM AIR WILL ONLY BLOW THROUGH THE FLOOR OR FACE VENTS, NOT THE DEFROST. WINDSHIELD BECOMES ICED OR COVERED IN SNOW AND CANNOT MELT TO SEE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON DODGE TRUCKS AND NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447154

Incident

Jan 7, 2012

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE FLOOR AND DEFROSTER VENT FAILED. WHEN THE WINDOW WAS FROSTED, THE VENT WOULD BLOW AIR, BUT NOT DEFROST THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE HEATER FLAP BEFORE AND IT CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 198,000. UPDATED 3/18/08 *CN UPDATED 03/18/08 *TR

NHTSA ID

10217689

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

160,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF THE WIPER, THE KEY WAS MISSING FROM THE KEYWAY SLOT THAT KEEPS THE WIPER ARM ON THE SHAFT WHICH ENABLES THE WIPER TO TURN. THIS MISSING PART CAUSED THE GEARS TO BE STRIPPED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 06/27/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159597

Incident

Jun 12, 2006

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE PROBLEM IS IN A 2002 DODGE RAM VAN, STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I'VE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO FIX THE HEATER/DEFROST AND THEY CLAIM IT IS WORKING FINE. THE WINDOWS BECOME FOGGED UPON USING THE HEATER AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDOWS, WHICH IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE AND THE VAN IS TO BIG FOR THE DRIVER TO REACH THE WINDOWS AND CLEAN THEM OFF MANUALLY WITH A PAPER TOWEL. IF YOU PUT THE DEFROSTER ON HIGH THE FRONT WINDOW CLEARS UP, BUT THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER CLEAR UP AND YOU FREEZE BECAUSE THERE IS NO HEAT COMING IN. IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR DRIVING THESE BIG VANS THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS BE CLEAR AS THE MIRRORS ARE YOUR ONLY WAY TO SEE BEHIND OF NEXT TO YOU AS THE VAN IS VERY BIG. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE ALL FOGGED. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND DODGE WILL NOT TRY TO FIX IT AS THEY CLAIM IT IS WORKING PROPERLY. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WE ARE FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS WORSE. YOUR FEET ARE LIKE BLOCKS OF ICE ALL THE TIME. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG AND DODGE CLAIM THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO WORK THIS WAY. I THINK IF THIS IS TRUE THAT THERE IS A SEVERE DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE RESEARCHED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY NEXT STEP OF RECOURSE IS. PLEASE ADVISE OR HELP IF YOU CAN. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10108128

Incident

Oct 1, 2003