RoadVitals

2001 Dodge Ram Van 2500 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
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Latest Dec 23, 2014
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Dodge Ram Van 2500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Suspension250.0%
  • Airbags125.0%
  • Steering125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

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reports

From owner reports, verbatim

VAN STEERING IS UNSTABLE (WANDERS) AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (>60 MPH) WHEN CHANGING LANES OR PASSING LARGE TRUCKS WITH WEIGHT (TWO ADULTS) IN REAR SEAT/BACK OF REAR AXLE. UNABLE TO FULLY UTILIZED VEHICLE BECAUSE OF WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS CAUSED BY IMPROPER REAR SUSPENSION. DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF TSB THAT WOULD HAVE CORRECTED PROBLEM UNTIL VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY IN FEB. 2004. NEVER NOTIFIED BY CHRYSLER OR BY DEALER SERVICE CENTER DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE VISITS.*AK

NHTSA ID 10065997 · filed Apr 12, 2004

IN APRIL '02, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE 2500 VAN BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THERE WAS ALSO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN A LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE HE FOUND THE WHEEL WAS COMING OFF BECAUSE THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE DISINTEGRATED AND NO GREASE WAS THERE. SOME PARTS OF BRAKING SYSTEM WERE ALSO DAMAGED AND IN NEED OF REPAIR. AT OUR INSISTENCE, THE OTHER SIDE WAS CHECKED WHICH ALSO NEEDED NEW BEARINGS. THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE INSPECTED AND GREASED ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURES SCHEDULE IN AUG. '02. IN JAN. OF '03, A NOISE AND GRINDING WAS HEARD IN THE FRONT END. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ONCE AGAIN REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT BEARINGS. AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WERE SEEING THIS PROBLEM IN A LOT OF THE 2500 VANS AND THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND "WORKING ON IT". IN MAR. OF '03, THE SAME NOISE AND GRINDING SOUND WAS HEARD, AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. ONCE AGAIN IT WAS THE WHEEL BEARINGS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THE REPAIR UNDER THE WARRANTY THIS TIME AS THEY SAY THE CAR WAS NOT MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE. THE WARRANTY COMPANY SAYS THE WHEEL BEARINGS MUST BE SERVICES EVERY 9,000 MILES WHILE THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS EVERY 15,000 MILES ON ONE SCHEDULE AND DOESN'T EVEN MENTION THEM ON THE OTHER SCHEDULE. FIRST, I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AS IT A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY FACTOR THAT YOUR WHEEL CAN FALL OFF WHEN THE BEARINGS FAIL. I AM ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THEY WERE SEEING MANY VANS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND NOW THE WARRANTY COMPANY IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS BY SHIFTING THE BLAME TO THE CONSUMER. PERHAPS THEY SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE REASON FOR THE MULTIPLE FAILURES RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING NOT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *JB

NHTSA ID 10010658 · filed Mar 18, 2003

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40-45MPH AND NEITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

NHTSA ID 10026883 · filed Jul 9, 2003

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

FRONT STEERING COMPONENT RUSTED OFF THE FRAME. *TR

NHTSA ID 10668077 · filed Dec 23, 2014

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .