Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 02/09/2013 | 110373 | 1 | |
| Just purchase my 2001 dodge ram the day before, took it for a drive to neighboring town. was going 45 mph and the road was somewhat bumpy, the vehicle began to shake violently and very bouncy. the town was 10 miles away. arrived, turned vehicle off and went into market for approximately 20 minutes. drove back home with the same thing happening(violent shaking and very, very bouncy) all the way back. very scary and definitely not right. steering was difficult due to the bounce and shake. interestingly my father drove this vehicle 300 miles to bring it to me the previous day with no incident of the shaking or bouncing. a friend told me about the death wobble and after looking it up on the internet, i cannot believe this issue has not been resolved, either by a recall or dodge! not even a concrete fix for the problem? i am a single mother without a large sum of money to purchase a vehicle, let alone fix major repairs. i need a safe vehicle for myself and my children. i feel like i have been scammed by the dealer, dodge, the previous owner, and the nhtsa. this is not an isolated problem in my vehicle! *tr | |||
| 02/09/2013 | 110373 | ||
| Just purchase my 2001 dodge ram the day before, took it for a drive to neighboring town. was going 45 mph and the road was somewhat bumpy, the vehicle began to shake violently and very bouncy. the town was 10 miles away. arrived, turned vehicle off and went into market for approximately 20 minutes. drove back home with the same thing happening(violent shaking and very, very bouncy) all the way back. very scary and definitely not right. steering was difficult due to the bounce and shake. interestingly my father drove this vehicle 300 miles to bring it to me the previous day with no incident of the shaking or bouncing. a friend told me about the death wobble and after looking it up on the internet, i cannot believe this issue has not been resolved, either by a recall or dodge! not even a concrete fix for the problem? i am a single mother without a large sum of money to purchase a vehicle, let alone fix major repairs. i need a safe vehicle for myself and my children. i feel like i have been scammed by the dealer, dodge, the previous owner, and the nhtsa. this is not an isolated problem in my vehicle! | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 50 | ||
| When we purchased this truck new in aransas pass tx & it rode like the springs were soft & bounced all over . it got worse at higher speeds. we had the springs checked & were told that they were good & this truck just rides this way. it started wearing the tires real bad and we had them replaced.then we had to have them replaced again ( only getting 13,000 miles on them before they were almost worn out) so we took it in again ( 3rd time ) to get tireswith under 76,000 miles on it. we went to firestone in corpuschristi texas & got new tires again but they could not do the allignement because the ball joints are real bad. we had no idea that it had a problem because we were told its normal for it to ride that way.so it has been the ball joints all along and it is getting more dangerous every day- bounces and feels like it may turn over. it really scares me. ii found over many complaints about ballljoints being bad on this vehicle from the beginning & dodge replaced them at at under 25,000 miles till the 3rd year.then way too many to count have had to replace the ball joints between 36000 and 80,000 miles. also we have never gotten any recalls on theis vehicle and we lived at the same address. there are many recalls i see that we did not get notice of . this truck is and has always been dangerous. we have had it for a long time but cant drive it much because of the bouncing and swaying.we have felt from the beginning that it is dangerous and could cause a bad accident. but we were told it just rides like that because of the vehicle and the tow package.so in 2004 we bought another vehicle to use because this one feels scarry.so we have put an average of only about 6500 miles a year because we are afraid of it. plus it is on the 4th set of tires and has always worn them out really fast. it still rides the same way it did from the 1st day we got it.scarry. . | |||
| 06/15/2007 | 60000 | 1 | |
| My dodge ram pick up developed the death wobble 3 years ago and it is now so bad, i won't take it on the freeway since it does the wobble at 50 mph. it is very frightening and i don't trust the truck anymore. *tr | |||
| 04/13/2009 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Front end death wobble on dodge ram 1500 4x4 2009 trucks. when hit a rough patch of freeway road at 70 mph the front end shakes out of control until truck is slowed down to 45 mph. several repairs have been done including replacing the track bar, steering arms, ball joints, front end alignments, with no fix. the web has several problems listed but no fix. this must be fixed by dodge with a recall. can you help! *tr | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 1 | 10/12/2001 | |
| While driving at 40 mph something under the 2001 dodge ram malfunctioned resulting in the consumer loosing braking and steering ability. the vehicle went off an embankment and hit a tree. *mr *sc the consumer believed the problem may have been a ball joint or tie rod end. *jb | |||
| 04/17/2005 | 3000 | 1 | 10/17/2000 |
| Vehicle started exhibiting steering problem at 3000 miles. the original dealership did a realignment of the front end, installed new shocks, we replaced the tires even though the original tires were not worn out, and the problem continued to get worse. we had the shocks replaced under the warranty twice without any difference. we had the front end realigned at our expense three times without any difference. the local dealership replaced the pitman arm and tie rod end sleeve, and realigned the front end to the tune of $345.00, and said this would solve the problem. when the truck hit a bump or uneven place in the pavement at freeway speeds it will start to shake uncontrollably, but this is not consistent. it doesn't happen with every bump, and there is no predicting when it will happen. in order to regain control, you have to stop immediately, and there is going to come the time when this is going to cause a multi-car crash on the freeway! fortunately this has not happened yet. the local dealership, not where we bought the truck since we don't live there anymore, wants to replace the entire front end to the tune of $2000.00, but they don't know exactly what is wrong , and dodge says they won't warranty this work even though this has been ongoing since 3000 miles. all mileage on the truck has been highway or city miles. obviously there was a defective part installed originally, and has steadily gotten worse, but the dealership can't pinpoint this defective part. the situation has now gotten very dangerous.*ak | |||
| 11/14/2004 | 63683 | 0 | 06/28/2001 |
| When i had my truck serviced the technician told me my left tire had been rubbing on the shock absorber bracket. the tire had a smooth spot where it had been rubbing on the bracket, and there was a second tire on the back with a smooth spot. the tire in the back had been rotated from the front to the back at the last oil change. i took the truck to the dealer and they welded a extension on to the stopper to keep the tire from turning into the bracket. they told me my tires were to big for the truck, i put 245/75/ r16 on the truck in june 2003 and have had no trouble out of them. the truck was at the dealer in february 2004 to get the front end checked, this was eight months after the tires had been on the truck, i believe if the tire was rubbing the technician would have noticed. i will not have to replace the tires because the rubbing was caught early. i wonder how many people are driving around with this problem and don`t know. i have seen other complaints about this same problem on your website,i guess dodge is going to wait till their customers start getting killed before they acknowledge the problem and fix it.in the past year i have had to have the instrument panel replaced and both the hub assemblies on the front,i am buying another truck in the next year and it will definitely will not be a dodge. *nm | |||
| 08/09/2004 | 20000 | 2 | |
| While driving, the vehicle began to shake violently. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer and was told there was nothing wrong. please provide additional details. *jb | |||
| 09/12/2003 | 13360 | 1 | 11/27/2000 |
| The front tires wore out every 6,000 miles. the problem was not with the tires. please provide further details. *nlm the factory had no provision for correcting wear of tires nor aligning the tires. factory rep. stated there was nothing that could be done about it. *ph *jb | |||
| 07/10/2001 | 55671 | 3 | 07/22/2000 |
| After hitting a slight bump at 55mph the truck begins a loss of control shudder that caused me to nearly lose control twice. today a dodge service technician lost control of the vehicle after hitting a bump. it took him 'quite a while' to regain control. the service manager said it was due to the heavy duty suspension that comes with the off-road package. i am used to a rough ride. loss of control is not acceptable. this is an extremely dangerous situation that will kill someone if not resolved.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The vehicle wandered off the road, the tires were replaced, however the problem persisted.*jb | |||
| 11/19/2001 | 10 | 11/19/2001 | |
| Unable to steer vehicle straight. it will either pull to the left or the right and when driver accelerates vehicle will turn to the left.*akconsumer has had vehicle in for the same problem on six different occasions. the problem was almost corrected. within 1000 miles the problem reoccured. chrysler refuses to obide by illinois law which states that a vehicle repaired four times without correcting the problem, the vehicle will be replaced. consumer was told not to call again. *jg | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 15 | 10/01/2000 | |
| There is vibration when hitting a bump at 60-65 mph. dealer has replaced front tie rod.but, it has not remedied the problem.*akconsumer adds that this is not just vibrations but intense ascillations that alternate left to right. the bouncing makes the vehicle difficult to control and will not subside until broughtr to a complete stop. upon checking several times, the tires were choppy and needed replacing, the track bar needed replacing, and a special part for the tie rod was ordered, also the left mirror was not heating, also the clock spring was replaced, also tires were showing wear.. *jg | |||
| 04/15/2001 | |||
| Vehicle wanders arcoss the road when driven 50 mph or more. vehicle been in dealer shop on three occasions for various repairs and parts replacement, but the problem still reoccurring. feel free to provide any further details on this matter.*ak | |||
| 03/28/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states while driving, when he steps on the clutch pedal, theres a noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. and the same noise can be heard while driving over bumps.*ak *jb *scc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 08/20/2011 | 60000 | ||
| On my 2001 dodge 1500, there is a ton of rust on the underside parts. the frame and body aren't bad, but the things that attach are failing. the brkae lines went, and the emergency brake all went at the same time, almost resulting in a wreck. the straps that hold the gas tank in place rusted out. the sheet metal attachment for the front axle is the latest. i's almost rusted out, and would have caused the front axle to detach if not replaced. ($$$$) yes, the truck is 10 years old and i live in nw pa where we use salt. critical parts need to be protected from rust or made from stailness. this truck could have killed someone, probably me! | |||
| 08/07/2008 | 46000 | ||
| From aug 08 to present at sppeds of 40 mph and up my 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4 when hitting a bump the front end developes the death wobble have had to two different dodge dealers and have paid to have all ball joints, tie rod ends, steering box etc replaced and problem is still there now i start looking online and i see i am one of many out there with this problem. something needs to be done to have dodge come up with an actual fix for this it is very dangerous and i have personally had this happen on the the pa turnpike and numerous other roads and been very close to some deadly accidents with it. i have astually bought another vehicle and truck is sitting in my yard. the answer i get from dodge is trade it in if it is such a problem but i refuse to put another family in that position. so i sit here listening to my money in the yard waste away. | |||
| 05/20/2010 | 98000 | ||
| Inspected vehicle, found deep groove worn into cord level of sidewalls of both left-side tires. found left front shock absorber support bright, shiny, polished there is no, or misadjusted, stop so left front tire and shock support attempt to occupy same space during sharp left turns, gouging tire. intereference here existed for at least 10,000 miles given time of last tire rotation that put damaged tire on rear. severe potential for blowout exists. have seen other reports of similar problems through dodge ram 1500s. this is 6 cylinder model. problem will immediately recur if tires replaced and turn sharp left parts are available for inspection as not yet replaced. | |||
| 04/23/2010 | 92494 | ||
| Coil spring broke from driver side. the mechanic said he has never seen this happened on dodge 1500. | |||
| 12/22/2007 | 48435 | 1 | |
| This problem is on a 2001 dodge ram 1500 truck with only 48,435 miles on it. (ball joint failure) one lower ball joint had .25 inch of free play the other one had .10 inch of free play, one upper joint had .07 inch of free play . i replaced all 4 of the ball joints just for safety. total cost was $780 . if these ball joints had grease nipples this failure would not have happened. i contacted dodge and they would only cover $110 of the replacement cost. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 03/18/2001 |
| Clunking noise under front end of truck really noisy when cold weather is out sounds like the front end is falling out quite after it has been run awhile or when it warms up. *ak | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving consumer heard a clunky noise coming from the front end. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and dealer could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak | |||
| 04/18/2003 | 1 | ||
| Truck wonders left to right, pulls hard right. was told that all four ball joints and trac locator bar needs replacing.parts most be replaced by dodge parts. why replace parts with more bad parts. truck has 50,000 miles. never been off road. front end should not have went out!!!! never buy a dodge!!!*ak | |||
| 08/04/2002 | 4 | 10/01/2000 | |
| While driving on the highway at approx 60 mph, we hit a mild bump on the left side. the front end immediately started vibrating horribly, alternating left:right. it was very challenging for my husband to maintain control of the truck, but he managed to pull over to the shoulder. this has happened at least 3 times before, possibly more. i believe the first incident may have occurred late last year, with periodic similar episodes continuing through the early spring. we took the truck in to our local dealer, who replaced the tie rod and bar track on march 27, 2002, as a result of their analysis of the problem. however, we have had two more occurrences since then. it only happens at highway speeds (>50mph) and begins after taking a bump, which doesn't necessarily have to be a large bump or pothole.*ak | |||
| 07/03/2001 | |||
| Received notice #01v153000. clock spring broke while making a turn. contacted dealership. urged to bring vehicle in for repairs. after arriving was informed to leave vehicle, and would get to it when time allowed. no appointment was made. dealership did not accept or make appointments.*ak | |||
| 03/09/2001 | 5 | 09/01/2000 | |
| After many visits to the selling dealer, and a meeting with the chrysler rep. my truck still exhibits problems such as sat.4/28/01 while driving i turned the truck right and noticed the steering was extremely tight, when the steering wheel was turned back to the straight position, something inside cracked, almost immediately the (air bag) light came on and remainred on, truck was brought to dealer and was set for an appointment for monday, 4/30/01. the ownersmanual states ( warning ignoring the air bag light in your instrument panel could mean you won't have the air bags to protect you in a collision) the dealer failed in attempt after attempt to investigate my complaints, and now caused me to have to drive this defective truck. the brakes at times while comming to a stop shudder, or do you call it wheel hop , 3/15/01 dependable dodge replaced the brake drums on the rear after the service director drove the truck on 3/9/01. the truck now three times is exhibiting front tire wear, first time they match mounted the tires as well as took one of the front tires off the rim and exchanged it with the spare tire under the truck, second time they aligned the frontend and rotated the tires, 200 miles later the tires showed signs of wear again, truck was taken to 2 different michelin tire dealers and they informed me that the tires are wearing prematurely, to soon with only 1000 miles on them since the alignment. the truck ehibits what the service director says is a ping, i was informed to increase the octane from 87 to 89, which has done nothing. i am in the process of entering into the lemon law process and am very dissapointed with the response i have received from the dealer as well as the manufacturer. thank you. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 57000 | 1 | 07/31/2001 |
| While getting an oil change and tire rotation the technician noticed rubbing on the inside front tires. upon further investigation he noticed where the tires are rubbing against the lower a-arm. needed to replace tires. *jb | |||
| Vehicle failed annual inspection as a result of lower and upper ball joints being bad.contacted dealer.this was a common problem.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 37496 | 25 | 01/14/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's steering was very loose and there was difficulty in keeping the vehicle straight. there was a distinct pull to the right. after the vehicle was taken to the repair shop for realignment, the vehicle began pulling to the left. the repair shop realigned the vehicle again, and determined everything was aligned to specifications. while at another repair shop where the brake rotor and alignment were checked, they determined that the castor was off and aligned the castor. after this service, the problem still persisted. the vehicle was taken to several repair shops who could not determine how to repair the vehicle. the contact inspected the vehicle's tires and found that the tires were getting chewed up on the inside right above the rim. the insurance agency determined that the tires on the vehicle were oversized and recommended that they be replaced. if the problem still existed after replacement, the agency advised the vehicle to be taken to the dealer's service department that specializes in troubleshooting defects. | |||
| 03/06/2006 | 49273 | 1 | 10/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while turning the steering wheel there was a squeaking noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. they determined the upper and lower control arms needed to be replaced however no repairs were made. the manufacturer was alerted. | |||
| 03/21/2004 | 56000 | 1 | 08/13/2000 |
| During routine inspection the dealership informed the consumer that right lower control arm cracked. *ak the crack was not caused by overloading or hitting an object. the cracks developed at the lower control arm welds. (factory defect) *sc *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 02/13/2006 | 30000 | 1 | 10/09/2000 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while taking the vehicle to the independent repair shop for normal maintenance, the mechanic discovered the front ball joints needed replaced. upon further inspections, the seal around the ball joints were worn and the lubricant leaked out; however no repairs were made. the consumer stated there were no grease fittings on the joints. updated 03/17/06. *jb | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Dt: the contact stated the vehicle was driving funny. he took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection. they determined the ball joints needed to be replaced at 40,000 miles. the vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense with no assistance from the manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 55000 | 0 | |
| Upper and lower ball joints are worn out @ 60,000 miles. diagnosed by dodge dealership. causing excessive tire wear and handling problems. dodge custonmer service (file 13615741) refused to fix problem even though durangos have had a recall for similar issue. | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 50000 | 2 | 09/10/2001 |
| Both upper and lower ball joints had to be replaced at 25000 miles under warrenty now again at 50000 the dealer said there bad again and won't cover charges. the truck has never been driven on a dirt road and has been extreamly well maintained.*ak | |||
| 06/16/2004 | 41761 | 1 | |
| While driving at any speed consumer heard a loud clicking noise coming from the front end. dealership repaired the front upper/lower ball joints. *ak | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 36800 | 1 | 07/23/2001 |
| When getting the front end aligned the ball joints were checked and failed inspection and had to be replaced. when i returned to the dealer for reimbursement they said that, the part was not recalled on the dodge ram, however was recalled on the dodge durango and dodge dakota. being rather rude about it, i was told since i didn't get the ball joints replaced at a qualified chrysler dealer they would not reimburse me. i had 36,800 miles on the ram so it wasn't a question of warranty but one of safety, that had to be performed whether it was a dodge garage or not and i think i should be reimbursed for these parts and labor. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2004 | 29000 | 1 | 03/03/2002 |
| Ball joint failure on a 2001 dodge 1500 pickup in less than 30k miles. caused by no means of lubrication. | |||
| 03/27/2004 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle has 59,000 miles and needs upper and lower ball joints. *jb | |||
| 09/30/2003 | 26990 | 1 | 07/28/2000 |
| While driving the vehicle's steering wheel become loose. the technician serviced the truck and noticed that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *nm *jb | |||
| 02/05/2004 | 39380 | 07/25/2001 | |
| Control arm upper and lower ball joints | |||
| 07/07/2003 | 27000 | 1 | 04/01/2001 |
| The truck would pull to the right. it had 27,000. dealer said had to have the ball joint replaced. they refused to cover under warranty. cost $500.00. have been told ball joints should last 100,000. now i find out the darangos have a problem with the ball joint. *ak | |||
| 04/18/2003 | 1 | ||
| Truck wonders left to right, pulls hard right. was told that all four ball joints and trac locator bar needs replacing.parts most be replaced by dodge parts. why replace parts with more bad parts. truck has 50,000 miles. never been off road. front end should not have went out!!!! never buy a dodge!!!*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER ARM | |||
| 03/06/2006 | 49273 | 1 | 10/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while turning the steering wheel there was a squeaking noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. they determined the upper and lower control arms needed to be replaced however no repairs were made. the manufacturer was alerted. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 02/13/2006 | 30000 | 1 | 10/09/2000 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while taking the vehicle to the independent repair shop for normal maintenance, the mechanic discovered the front ball joints needed replaced. upon further inspections, the seal around the ball joints were worn and the lubricant leaked out; however no repairs were made. the consumer stated there were no grease fittings on the joints. updated 03/17/06. *jb | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Dt: the contact stated the vehicle was driving funny. he took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection. they determined the ball joints needed to be replaced at 40,000 miles. the vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense with no assistance from the manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 55000 | 0 | |
| Upper and lower ball joints are worn out @ 60,000 miles. diagnosed by dodge dealership. causing excessive tire wear and handling problems. dodge custonmer service (file 13615741) refused to fix problem even though durangos have had a recall for similar issue. | |||
| 10/19/2004 | 1 | 10/10/2004 | |
| Ball joints on 2001 dodge ram 1500 truck are bad at less than 40,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 50000 | 2 | 09/10/2001 |
| Both upper and lower ball joints had to be replaced at 25000 miles under warrenty now again at 50000 the dealer said there bad again and won't cover charges. the truck has never been driven on a dirt road and has been extreamly well maintained.*ak | |||
| 06/16/2004 | 41761 | 1 | |
| While driving at any speed consumer heard a loud clicking noise coming from the front end. dealership repaired the front upper/lower ball joints. *ak | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 36800 | 1 | 07/23/2001 |
| When getting the front end aligned the ball joints were checked and failed inspection and had to be replaced. when i returned to the dealer for reimbursement they said that, the part was not recalled on the dodge ram, however was recalled on the dodge durango and dodge dakota. being rather rude about it, i was told since i didn't get the ball joints replaced at a qualified chrysler dealer they would not reimburse me. i had 36,800 miles on the ram so it wasn't a question of warranty but one of safety, that had to be performed whether it was a dodge garage or not and i think i should be reimbursed for these parts and labor. *nm | |||
| 10/11/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer hears a clicking noise from the front, as well has the steering wheel shake when the vehicle is making turns and is at low speeds. consumer was informed by the dealer that upper ball joints needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 7 mph the passenger's side wheel flew off. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. the cause had not been determined. *ak | |||
| 03/27/2004 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle has 59,000 miles and needs upper and lower ball joints. *jb | |||
| 09/30/2003 | 26990 | 1 | 07/28/2000 |
| While driving the vehicle's steering wheel become loose. the technician serviced the truck and noticed that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *nm *jb | |||
| 02/05/2004 | 39380 | 07/25/2001 | |
| Control arm upper and lower ball joints | |||
| 04/18/2003 | 1 | ||
| Truck wonders left to right, pulls hard right. was told that all four ball joints and trac locator bar needs replacing.parts most be replaced by dodge parts. why replace parts with more bad parts. truck has 50,000 miles. never been off road. front end should not have went out!!!! never buy a dodge!!!*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 98000 | 1 | 03/01/2001 |
| Front wheel hub assembly for a 2001 dodge ram 1500 just bought the truck and the first day i drive it, i find out the hub was bad and the dealer said it was a part not under warranty. *jb | |||
| 07/02/2003 | 51000 | 1 | 11/15/2001 |
| Both front hub bearings were completely shot on my 2001 dodge ram 1500. the truck has only 51,000 with no off road use. there should be no reason to replace sealed hub bearing after only 51,000 miles. continued use could have resulted in the front wheels locking up with a resulting accident.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 07/30/2006 | 44000 | 2 | 10/01/2000 |
| Front tires are being cut by shock bracket. there is no stop to keep tires from rubbing against shock brackets while making sharp turns. this is a safety defect. truck is equipped with factory rims and tires that are of specified size by manufacturer. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2006 | 53000 | 1 | 01/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle presented on going problems with the steering. prior to steering failures, the warning was uncontrollable steering and pulling on normal road conditions. the vehicle was taken to dealers twice for alignment readjustments. the problem persisted causing an accident when the vehicle hit a pedestrian. the vehicle was checked by independent mechanic who observed a grove near the tire. the nature of the failure gradually became worse. the insurance company inspected the vehicle and determined that the problem was caused by a manufacturer defect. the bolt in the front shock absorbers extend over without safety stop and cuts into the bead of the tire right above the rim on the inside of the tire. the manufacturer was contacted and refused to replace tires and repair the vehicle, which was still under warranty. the manufacturers would not acknowledge that the problems was caused by a defect. the contact expressed that other complaints were made about the suspension as well online. the insurance company bear the cost of repairs to the vehicle and had the vehicle repaired at an independent mechanics. the insurance company also paid for another manufacturer defect concerning the steering, which the manufacturer also refused to acknowledge or repair. the problem with the bolt cutting into the bead of the tire above the rim still persists. | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 37496 | 25 | 01/14/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's steering was very loose and there was difficulty in keeping the vehicle straight. there was a distinct pull to the right. after the vehicle was taken to the repair shop for realignment, the vehicle began pulling to the left. the repair shop realigned the vehicle again, and determined everything was aligned to specifications. while at another repair shop where the brake rotor and alignment were checked, they determined that the castor was off and aligned the castor. after this service, the problem still persisted. the vehicle was taken to several repair shops who could not determine how to repair the vehicle. the contact inspected the vehicle's tires and found that the tires were getting chewed up on the inside right above the rim. the insurance agency determined that the tires on the vehicle were oversized and recommended that they be replaced. if the problem still existed after replacement, the agency advised the vehicle to be taken to the dealer's service department that specializes in troubleshooting defects. | |||
| 12/18/2000 | |||
| 4 shock absorbers are inadequate for size of vehicle. if vehicle hit a bump in the road,it will bounce all over, causing uneven tire wear, and loss of control. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/22/2004 | 33000 | 1 | |
| While driving passenger's rear leaf spring failed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 53000 | 2 | 10/01/2001 |
| A few months ago my truck started to make noise that sounded like metal rubbing. i got it to the shop and they say it's the front left bearing and hub. i only have 53,000 miles and an extended warranty. however, the warranty will only cover the front bearing on a front wheel drive vehicle. my truck is rear wheel drive but the front bearings are not covered? why not, don't you need all of them to drive the thing. so it's now going to cost me $300+ to fix the left bearing. any they say the right one will need to be replaced soon also. what a waste, on both the truck and the warranty. this is the 3rd time it's been in the shop in 3 years. they have previously replaced the power steering component and the brake cylinders.*ak | |||
| 12/13/2004 | 39035 | 2 | 08/01/2001 |
| Wheels bearing going out at 39,000 miles. no off road use, abuse, no wet conditions. warranty 3/36 expired back in august of 2004. bought the extended warranty and to my suprise the front wheel bearings were not covered under the plan. these wheel bearings are sealed units. these bearings are not made to be serviced. this is a dealer item and dealer cost is $322 for for both sealed bearings and hub assembly. total cost of parts and shop labor and turnpike dodge was going to be $524.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 11/23/2010 | 144000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500 sport. while driving 40 mph the transmission went into lower gear and the shaft on the rear end split and disconnect from each other, and was dragging on the ground. he stopped the vehicle and notice there was a big nut that was hooked underneath four other bolts which was loose from the tread. his re hooked the big nut back to gather in order for the drive shaft to stay in tact with the rear end, as he drove home at 1 mph. the dealer or the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage 144,000...mw | |||
| 10/16/2005 | 61300 | 1 | 01/15/2002 |
| Dt: the consumer owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500 quad cab. upon deceleration the consumer heard a roaring sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. when he accelerated the roaring sound went away. when the consumer let off of the accelerator the second time he heard an explosion sound, and the rear end locked. upon inspection it was determined that the nut on the pinion gear had come aloose and caused the rear end to come apart. the drive shaft punctured the quad cab's interior floorboard. the service dealer referred him to the manufacturer's customer service department. the manufacturer stated this was a mechanical failure and not a defect within the vehicle. *ak (11/22/05) components affected are: rear differential assembly, transmission, transfer case and driveshaft. *sc | |||