RoadVitals

2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
10
Latest Sep 11, 2014
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.
8%
of 122 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 electrical

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

Electrical
Filed Sep 11, 2014

MY PASSENGER DOORS, FRONT AND REAR, WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH THE POWER LOCK AND THE WINDOWS CAN ONLY BE ROLLED DOWN FROM THE DRIVERS CONTROLS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME AS IT WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO QUICKLY GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE IF THEY NEED TO BAIL OUT, OR GET OUT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. IF THE DRIVER BECAME ILL HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, PASSENGERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE DOOR HARNESSES HAVE BROKEN AND CAUSED THE ISSUE TO OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10632512
Incident
Jun 14, 2014
Mileage
88,563 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 17, 2010

WENT TO TURN ON MY LEFT DIRECTIONAL AND HAD A LOSS OF DIRECTIONALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WINDSHIELD WASHER AND FOUR WAY FLASHER. CHECKED PROBLEM THOROUGHLY AND FOUND IT TO BE A FAULTY MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH INSTALLED BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10360949
Incident
Oct 16, 2010
Mileage
142,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 22, 2008

FOR 2 YEARS MY TRUCK HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD TURNING ON AND OFF FOR NO REASON. NOW THE LAMP OUT, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON ALL THE TIME. LEAVING MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL UNABLE TO WORK. WHEN THE DASHBOARD DIES, NOTHING WILL WORK. THIS INCLUDES THE LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, SPEEDOMETER, AND ALL OTHER GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN ON A FEW OCCASIONS TO BE FIXED AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING IT. IF DRIVING THE TRUCK AT NIGHT OR ON A RAINY DAY, THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE FOR THE SAME THING. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! *TR

NHTSA ID
10246359
Incident
Jul 16, 2006
Mileage
28,150 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2005

STALLING WHEN GOING FROM IDLE SUCH AS ACCELLERATING OUT OF A TURN, TURNING FROM A STOP SIGN, PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING STALL.

NHTSA ID
10133841
Incident
Nov 1, 2004
Mileage
5,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 21, 2005

THIS ISSUE OCCURS INTERMITTENLY, WHILE PULLING FORWARD INTO MY PARKING PLACE, I SHIFTED THE TRUCK INTO REVERSE AND IT STALLED. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND SHIFTED TO REVERSE THEN AGAIN AHIFTING INTO DRIVE AND THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN ONE WEEK. EACH TIME WAS AFTER DRIVING AT LEAST 15 MILES SO THE VEHICLE WAS HEATED UP. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHILE BACKING DOWN MY JET SKIS INTO THE WATER. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO DODGE FOR WARRANTY REPAIR AND AFTER 2 DAYS, THEY SAID THEY HAVE YET TO REPRODUCE OR DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
10129631
Incident
Jul 11, 2005
Mileage
34,100 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jul 18, 2004

I OWN A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB SLT VIN 1D7-HU18N53S-188168 ASSEMBLY POINT, WARREN, MICHIGAN. THE TRUCK STALLED WHILE IN TRAFFIC MAKING A 10-15 MPH RIGHT TURN. THE SECOND OCCURENCE WAS JULY15, 2004. VERY CLOSE CALL HERE. I WAS IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS CAMPING. THE SIX HOUR DRIVE HOME TOWING MY POPUP WAS NERVE RACKING TO SAY THE LEAST. ESPECIALLY, SINCE MY 13, 6 AND 3 YEAR OLD WERE IN THE TRUCK. I MENTIONED THAT THE TRUCK RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH INTERMITTENTLY TO THE DEALER MORGAN DODGE DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING AN INTERMITTENT SHUDDER THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, ALSO MENTIONED TO THE DEALER ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. THE DEALER SIMPLY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SHUDDER OR STALL. I ALSO HAD A SEVERE BRAKE PULSATION. THEY DID REPLACE FRONT PADS AND CALIPERS AND CUT ROTORS. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW UP WITH ME REGARDING THE SHUDDER AND STALL BUT AS OF THIS DATE, 7/18/2004 I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVE A CALL BACK.

NHTSA ID
10081297
Incident
Jun 26, 2004
Mileage
32,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 31, 2004

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT RED LIGHT VEHICLE WOULD DIE. TOOK PICK UP TO DEALER, AN WAS TOLD THEY COUNLDN'T GET PICKUP TO REPEAT PROBLEM. PICKED UP PICKUP FROM DEALER AN WITHIN THIRTY MINUTES PICKUP DIED AT RED LIGHT. TOOK PICKUP TO DEALER ON 3/29 AN 3/30 DEALER STILL COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. ON 3/31 TOOK PICKUP FOR DRIVE WITH DEALER MECH. AN DROVE PICKUP FOR FORTYFIVE MINTUES, WHEN PICKUP DIED AT REDLIGHT. WAS CALLED BY DEALER AN SAID THEY COULD FIND ANY CODES. WOULD KEEP PICKUP FOR TWO MORE DAYS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10064290
Incident
Mar 22, 2004
ElectricalEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed Dec 18, 2003

WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, AT TIMES ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AND RPM'S DROP TO ABOUT 350-400 RPM. APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE TIME IT HAPPENS THE ENGINE QUITS. THE OTHER 25% OF THE TIME IT HAPPENS THE RPM'S INCREASE AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (20SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE) AND IF STILL IN GEAR THE TRUCK WILL LURCH FORWARD WHEN RPMS INCREASE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO INCREASE RPM'S DOES NOT AFFECT RPM'S WHEN ENGINE IS STUMBLING AND TRUCK WILL NOT MOVE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, KNOWN PROBLEM WITH ENGINE PROGRAMMING. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE TRUCK WAS NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID
10050717
Incident
Dec 16, 2003
Mileage
500 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 15, 2003

I HAVE TAKEN MY 2003 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB SLT WITH THE HEMI (MAGNUM 5.7L SMPL V8 BACK TO ALLEN SAMUELS DODGE IN KATY,TEXAS AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES FOR A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE,PLUS AT LEAST 3 TIMES I HAVE TOLD THEM THAT FOR NO REASON AT ALL I CAN PUT MY TRUCK IN GEAR AND IT STARTS TO SHUTTER AND WONT GO OVER 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR.THEY PUT A CO-PILOT IN MY TRUCK ON JUNE 23,2003 MY TRUCK DID NOT DO THE SHUTTERING THING BUT ONE TIME AND I PUSHED THE BUTTON AS TOLD.THE DEALERSHIP LISTED IT AS TRANSMISSION CONCERN(INTERMITIENT) ON AUGUST 26,2003 I WAS CALLED AND ASKED TO BRING BACK THE CO-PILOT CAUSE THEY NEEDED IT FOR ANOTHER CAR.I DID AND LAST NOGHT I WENT TO THE STORE AND WHEN I CAME OUT AND STARTED MY TRUCK PUT IT IN REVERSE IT STARTED SHUTTERING,PUT IT IN DRIVE AND AROUND 2000RPMS IN TRIED TO GO,I STOPPED PUT IT IN PARK TURN THE TRUCK OFF ,WAITED 2 MINUTES AND STARTED IT UP AGAIN,GOT 2 BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET AND IT SHUTTERED AND EVERYTHING JUST DIED,I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED.PUT IN PARK AGAIN AND STARTED IT AGAIN,MADE IT TO THE RED LIGHT AND WHEN I STARTED TO TURN ON ALDINE-WESTFIELD IT DID THE SAMETHING AGAIN,GOT INTO THE PARKING LOT AND PUT IT IN PARK AND STARTED IT AGAIN,GOT 2 BLOCKS FROM MY STREET IT DID IT AGAIN.FINALLY I GOT ON MY STREET AND HAD MY HUSBAND ON THE PHONE TELLING WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND HE SAID FLOOR IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS,I DID AND IT RAN NORMAL.WHEN I RETURNED THE CO-PILOT I WAS TOLD BY TWO SERVICE WRITERS THAT IT IS A COMPUTER SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO FIX FOR IT.TO ME THIS IS SERIOUS CAUSE NOT ONLY AM I IN DANGER SO ARE THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME AND OTHERS WHO ALSO OWN A TRUCK LIKE MINE.A FRIEND OF MINE WHO ALSO HAS THE SAME TRUCK SAID BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 MILES IT WILL JUST DIE AND LEAVE ME STRANDED WHERE EVER I AM AT THAT TIME.CAN I MAKE DODGE PUT A NEW COMPUTER IN NOW AND KEEP ON GETTING AN NEW COMPUTER UNTIL THE SOFTWARE PROBLEM IS FIXED?

NHTSA ID
10038916
Incident
Sep 14, 2003
Mileage
1,200 mi
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Aug 13, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, INTERMITTENTLY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP/ BRAKES FAILED, AND TURN SIGNAL WAS NOT WORKING. DEALER HAD INSPECTED VEHICLE 3 TIMES; FIRS T TIME BATTERY CABLE, SECOND TIME DEALER KEPT VEHICLE 1 DAY AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THIRD TIME INSTALLED A MONITOR FOR TEN DAYS, AND STILL COULDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. (DEALER STATED THIS WA SAN ELECTRIC ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
10033812
Incident
Aug 13, 2003

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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .