RoadVitals

2001 Dodge Ram Quad Cab Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jul 17, 2012
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 118 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

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 Quad Cab 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesSteering
Filed Jul 17, 2012

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN IN A PARKING LOT, GOING ABOUT 5-10MPH, WHILE I WAS TURNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL STARTED PULSATING VERY HARD - DROVE FORWARD IN THE PARKING LOT - MADE A LEFT HAND TURN STARTED GOING FORWARD AND WENT TO STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE - PEDAL WAS ROCK HARD AND WOULD NOT STOP TRUCK. AFTER FINALLY COASTING TO A STOP I PUT TRUCK IN REVERSE - BACKED UP IN VACANT PART OF THE PARKING LOT SO I COULD PUT TRUCK IN DRIVE AND THEN SWING WIDE INTO A PARKING STALL AND COAST TO A STOP - HOWEVER WHEN I WENT TO SWING THE TRUCK I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO STEERING AT ALL -FRONT WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN. HAD TO HAVE TOWED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465926
Incident
Jun 12, 2012
Mileage
200,000 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 2, 2005

TRUCK DOES NOT STEER CORRECTLY, ACTUALLY DANGEROUSLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN TOWING ,BUT WHEN NOT TOWING IT JUST ALMOST STEERS WHERE IT WANTS TO. DODGE CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT I FIND THERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE -MY CAR STATS - WEBSITE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10135217
Incident
Jan 1, 2002
Mileage
400 mi
AirbagsOther / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Jul 9, 2005
1 injury reported

CLOCK SPRING BROKE DURING FAST STOP AND A CRASH AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. I WAS INFORMED BALL JOINTS ARE ON RECALL LEFT SIDE JOINTS ARE GONE. CAR IS IBN COSTA RICA AND DODGE SAYS WARRANTY IS VOID OUT OF COUNTRY BUT THESE ARE SAFETY ITEMS ON RECALL AND NOT WARRANTY THEY WILL NORT REPAIR. THERE ISS AN AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER HERE CALLED AUTOMARTA

NHTSA ID
10128183
Incident
Mar 17, 2005
Mileage
48,000 mi
Steering
Filed May 25, 2004

CLUNK OR RATTLE FELT IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWN HILLS, SOMETIMES CAN ALSO FEEL IT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED

NHTSA ID
10073095
Incident
Aug 5, 2003
Mileage
28,439 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed May 9, 2003

STEERING PULL AND POOR HANDLING. IE WANDERING, DRIFT, PULL TO THE RIGHT EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENT(S) AT DIFFERENT SHOPS INCLUDING DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE WHEN NEW. VEHICLE NOW HAS 65,000 MILES AND HAS WORN 2 SETS OF TIRES AND ALMOST DUE FOR A 3RD SET. *JB

NHTSA ID
10018467
Incident
Jul 31, 1994
Mileage
2,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 12, 2003

VECHILE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AFTER HITTING A MODERATE SIZED BUMP. TROUBLE STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES AND WAS NOT SOMEWHAT RESOLVED FOR NEARLY 10,000 MILES. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND STRIKING A BUMP WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND START TO LEAVE THE LANE OF TRAVEL. THE SHAKING AND SHUTTERING OF THE FRONT END GAVE A FEELING LIKE THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS EITHER BOUNCING DOWN THE ROAD OR WOBBELING. THIS WAS REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER AND A CONTOL ARM AND STEERING ARM WAS REPLACED AT DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DURING THIS TIME FRAME, I EXPIERENCED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRES. A FRONT END ALIGNMENT HAS SEEMED TO REDUCE THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WOULD SEEM THAT IF THIS WAS THE SYMPTOM OF THE NEED FOR ALIGNMENT, THEN THE SERVICE CENTER WOULD HAVE KNOW THIS.

NHTSA ID
10005752
Incident
May 13, 2002
Mileage
18,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 5, 2003

STEERING IS SO BAD, I'M AFRAID WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE RAM 2W TRUCK. WHILE DRIVING IT FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE CONTROL AND RUN INTO ANOTHER CAR. IT IS A UNSAFE TRUCK TO DRIVE, AND I CAN NOT GET THE DEALER I PURCHASED FROM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY WILL NOT EVEN SPEAK WITH ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE LEFT VOICE MAIL MESSAGE FOR SEVERAL MANAGERS AND TO DATE HAVE NOT RECEIVE A CALL BACK.

NHTSA ID
10005379
Incident
Sep 11, 2002
Mileage
19,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 31, 2003

2001 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB 4X4. STEERING WANDERS EXCESSIVELY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT TRACK LINE ON THE ROAD. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE REPLACED SOME TIE RODS BUT SEEMS TO HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON THE WANDERING. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 18,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED.

NHTSA ID
10004993
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Mileage
2,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .