Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | ||||||
| PE02096 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 12/26/2002 | 05/15/2003 | REAR AXLE FAILURE | ||
| See attached report. | ||||||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | ||||||
| PE02096 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 12/26/2002 | 05/15/2003 | REAR AXLE FAILURE | ||
| See attached report. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 02/05/2013 | 170000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, there was an abnormal scraping heard from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic advised the contact that the rear differential would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 170,000. | |||
| 02/05/2013 | 170000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, there was an abnormal scraping heard from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic advised the contact that the rear differential would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 170,000. kmj | |||
| 02/05/2013 | 170000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph he heard a scraping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. the contact stopped the vehicle stopped the vehicle on the shoulder of the road. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic stated the rear differential would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 170,000. da | |||
| 01/12/2012 | 95000 | ||
| Found metal pieces (broken c clip) and damage to the rear differential of my 2002 dodge ram 1500 quad cab 4x2. the whole rear end had to be replaced. this is a well documented known problem based on hundreds of forum threads under c-clip, retainer clip and/or clutch pack retainer problems. paid out of pocket to fix as warranty has expired. | |||
| 12/25/2010 | 192000 | ||
| When the truck was a stop and i would begin to drive i would hear a clanking noise that sounded like it was coming from the rear of the truck. this went on for a month i figured it was something in the bed moving around. while i was driving one night, i heard a crunch noise that then resulted in the rear tires locking up and causing me to start skidding, i was able to maintain control of the truck and stop it safely. i was able to limp the truck home this time, at 15 to 20 mph. if i went any faster it would lock again. this is the second time the rear in this truck has failed me, the first time i was cruising at highway speed when the rear locked and the drive shaft separated from the differential causing damage to my truck as well as the shaft. the first repair cost me $2500.00 and i'm being quoted $1500.00 for this repair. this is a common and known problem on these trucks, chrysler won't step up and take any responsibility they just tell me that my vin was not covered under the recall despite the fact that i am experiencing the same problems as the trucks that were recalled. i will never buy another dodge truck! | |||
| 08/07/2010 | 100000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500 with 100,000 miles. while exiting the vehicle with his children the gear shifter moved from the park position and started to roll back wards. the contact was able to apply the park brake and put the vehicle back in park gear. the contact can only start the vehicle from the neutral position. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was told that the vehicle was not included in recall 07v555000 power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift. the contact was informed that he would have to pay for the repairs.per the contact words the it is not right that a recall is determine by the vin which can determine the safety of his children's lives. bl | |||
| 01/19/2009 | 41150 | 1 | |
| 2002 dodge ram 1500. the power steering quit while i was driving and i was in a curve and almost wrecked. i have heard other people talking about this same problem. i thought safety was number one. but i guess this will not be a recall until some one from your office or someone you love is killed in this type of situation. i have read that people have ran of the road when this has happened or have struck a roadside object trying to stop. come on people lets fix this issue. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2007 | 45000 | 1 | |
| Intermittent lamp failures internally, lamp out circuit malfunctioning, rear differential failed (approaching the second failure in 40,000 miles), rear universal joint has failed twice, with a third replacement to occur soon, transmission failures. any one of these systems failing while on the road could cause a serious safety issue, for myself, my passengers, and other drivers. so far, it has been in and out of the shop, old parts are no longer available, however if required i will retain them next time they fail. i've contacted dodge, the first reply was a spam mail of coupons for oil changes, and tire rotations (the message i sent them was professional and extensive to the issues i was having), after copying the message again the next day, a representative told me that there is nothing they can do about it. i've retained the message if any parties are interested. *tr | |||
| 11/16/2002 | 100 | 15 | 11/16/2002 |
| Everything bad on my 2002 ram 4wd. i have had new bearings in my truck,radiator 2x,fron axles 3x,rear axles 2x, new engine, power steering hoses 2x, i hate ths truck i will never oen a dodge again... i have already told alot of people not to buy a dodge. driving down the road at 55 mph and the rear end locks up... they put the wrong fluid in it from the factory and burnt it up! its ony 3 years old and i got it in nov of 2002.... i have put 4 sets of front and rear brakes on it since i have had it! i took it in to be fixed everytime and it happins again with in 6 months! last dodge i will own!!!! | |||
| 03/22/2004 | 3 | ||
| Problems with vehicle's transmission.*mr the vehicle was taken to the dealer on three different occasions because of the engine light illuminating, the first time the dealer stated it was a transmission problem and the computer would need to be replaced, the second time the engine light illuminated again and the dealer stated it was sending the same code and they would replace the solenoid. the third time after having no transportation for three days, the consumer and his wife were told that a ball bearing in the valve body of the transmission was in the wrong place. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 180000 | ||
| Drive shaft | |||
| 03/29/2008 | 35000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. while attempting to park the vehicle, the contact placed the gear into park and the vehicle rolled backwards on its own. he restarted the vehicle, placed it back into park, and applied the emergency brake. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v460000 (power train: automatic transmission). the vehicle has not been repaired and he no longer drives the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 35,000. | |||
| 06/19/2008 | 44200 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that the linkage bar that connects the shifter to the transfer case is approximately 14 inches long. it is held together by rubber grommets. over time, a combination of excessive temperatures and wear and tear caused the grommets to fail. as a result, the linkage bar falls out of the vehicle without warning, which increases the risk of injury to other drivers. the vehicle has been repaired. the manufacturer did not assist. the failure and current mileages were 44,200. update 09/10/08 *cw updated 09/16/08 *jb | |||
| 07/28/2007 | 92900 | 1 | 07/09/2007 |
| I have a 02 dodge ram 4x4 quad cab with the 360 engine and the transmission is messed up i contacted a local shop and the solenoids are bad and the shop owner stated that this is a very common problem with these trucks he tried to get the parts and no one has them they are on back order till next week that says to me this is a failure on dodge for faulty equipment. *tr | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 77330 | 1 | 06/09/2002 |
| First, the automatic transmission failed due to an overdrive band that broke and then the whole transmission had to be rebuilt. second, i had the mechanics check the differential for normal servicing. it was determined that the ltd slip component had broken, which then caused bearings to break, which then nearly destroyed the axle housing. $4500 or more to repair transmission and to replace rear axle. 77337 miles, no off road use and gentle driving habits. i can have the old axle i believe. 10 days in shop so far. *nm | |||
| 03/24/2005 | 56000 | 5 | 03/18/2002 |
| First the transmission is slipping in 3rd gear at times,this has been an on going issue that the dealer can't reproduce. the lamp out light goes on and off with the bell this will do it intermittently for as long as 30 min straight and this truck is all over the road when you hit bumps at high speed. *jb | |||
| 07/09/2004 | 65000 | 1 | 07/09/2004 |
| With 65,000 miles on 2002 dodge ram 4x4 quad cab. transmission failed. only do ordinary driving, no hauling of any kind. of course no warranty. $3000 to get a new transmission. *ak | |||
| 02/27/2004 | 32000 | 1 | 06/26/2002 |
| While driving vehicle jerked forward when consumer tried to down shift the transmission gears. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak in addition, consumer is having trouble with tires and its sidewall and requesting manufacturer to design tires for off road conditions. front brake rotors are warped and the pads have 80 percent left at 34,000 miles. *la | |||
| 6 | 4 | 11/13/2001 | |
| The vehicle had an automatic transmission lock out failure. the consumer was able to change gears without first pushing on the brake pedal to shift out of park position. lock out feature worked intermittently. dealer replaced interlock cable and ignition switch. dealer worked on 4 times. however the interlock still did not engage properly. *tt *jb | |||
| 02/21/2003 | 1000 | 3 | 01/01/2002 |
| The transmission gear went into neutral, without warning. *jb the transmission problems began at 1k miles,and at 6k miles a new transmission was installed. the manufacturer felt that the problem was remedied. scc | |||
| 11/30/2001 | 1 | 11/01/2001 | |
| Have had several problems with this vehicle. some haven't been reported to the dealer yet. the transmission problem has been happening since i've had the vehicle. it shifts hard at about 2200 rpm's or around 25-30mph. dealer can't duplicate. i've had other problems that were not listed including brakes and alternator. the drivers side door mirror has recently broken and now flops in the wind on the free way and is unusable. i filed a claim with my insurance company, then found that it was a huge problem with other owners of the same vehicle. the ventilation from the panel is aslo sent to the floor vents despite the dial being set to panel not floor. the tailgate cables are mismatched. the dealer told me that it was normal. i won't place anything on the tailgate in fear that the cable might break. the exterior turn signals are not synched with the displayed trun signals. the simultaneous flash is not there. also, the alternator was found to be defective at around 600 miles. it was causing a high pitched squeaking sound similar to what a defective belt may sound like. it was replaced, but started doing it again at 6750 miles. the hood has slight dents in it like someone hit it with a ball pen hammer. apparently chrysler knows about this. i'll be taking it in the first chance i get to try to have it fixed. i've had this truck a 3 different dealers in hope that the next one would be more help than the previous. no such luck. i've had to take time off from work (about 6 days total; had to wait at dealership since it was an out of town purchase ) and rent cars 5 times while having it worked on at a local dealership in order to get to work. i've had nothing but bad luck with this vehicle. daimler-chrysler has dreadful quality control and i can't say much more for the dealers. i hope i can get the issues with this truck resolved someday. dt | |||
| 06/11/2002 | 8 | 03/01/2002 | |
| 6-11-2002 truck died out in motion. 6-15-2002 bells in truck came on, no dummy lights lasted 10-15 min then stopped on its own, also this day truck died out once in reverse, 3 times in drive. on this day i had vehicle towed to dealer. 6-22-2002 truck stuck in reverse. engine reved in reverse as if in nuetral but was clearly in reverse. car was driven to dealer that day. 6-29-2002 stuck in reverse again. dealer contacted - i was told to contact a service manager on 7-1-2002 , i obviously have an intermitent problem and nothing can be done until they can prove there is a problem. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| 08/19/2003 | 11000 | 6 | 05/31/2002 |
| When vehicle is put into a particular gear it will not respond. when the gear shift is put in park it is really in neutral. when in drive it is really in reverse. *ak when changing gears, reading in the dash board is not synchronized with the shift from park to drive. truck was repaired 4 time but with no avail. consumer feared that it was the electronic gear indicator. this is because when vehicle was in park, consumer's wife witnessed that the back-up light went on. *la | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - COLUMN SHIFT | |||
| 03/07/2008 | 1 | ||
| My dealer, united dodge of las vegas, is unable to remedy a recall, (g28) park shift lock defect, in a reasonable amount of time(over 9 weeks) due to chrysler corp. only sending two parts a week. *tr | |||
| 01/26/2008 | 157000 | 1 | 04/26/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. the vehicle was serviced for an ignition shift park interlock recall, but a nhtsa campaign id number was not found. when the vehicle was retrieved from the dealer, the gear was able to shift from park without the brake being applied. the gear was shifted back into park and the contact exited the vehicle. the vehicle then began to roll backwards. the contact was knocked to the ground by the door when he attempted to jump back in the vehicle. he was also run over by a tire. the vehicle rolled through a yard and a ditch before crashing into a fence. the contact sustained back injuries and abrasions on his foot. a police report was filed. the vehicle was not taken back to the dealer because they wanted to charge just to inspect the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 157,000. updated 06/05/08. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 06/30/2007 | 92000 | 1 | 08/15/2005 |
| (1)no events leading up to the failure. (2)rear end locked up at 55 mph, caused us to slide off the road and into the ditch. truck had to be towed home. (3)replacement not available as it was discontinued. parts are too expensive to be repaired at this time. dealer quote on parts $3500. failure at 92k miles on a $30k truck that is not a 4x4. *tr | |||
| 06/09/2004 | 57000 | 1 | 03/01/2002 |
| While driving 45 mph asphalt turned into gravel and vehicle hydro planed, landed on gravel, and passenger's side aluminum wheels broke. the vehicle hydro planed, again, twisted, and landed on roof. the vehicle was totaled. the driver sustained injuries, and was taken to hospital for surgery. *ak *sc the axle assembly failed. | |||
| 12/06/2003 | 10908 | 1 | 04/04/2002 |
| Vehicle has had repeated failures of rear axle components. all appear to be related to overstated towing capacity. after purchasing a trailer well within the vehicles tow rating the vehicle on the first trip out with the trailer exhibited a putrid smell that could not be located. this occurred on 07-25-03 at just under 8500 miles. the dealer could not locate the source of the smell, an independent garage found coagulated differential fluid and metal shavings in the rear axle. see your odi number 786051 for a similar case. the rear gears were replaced. on 12-01-03 at 10638 miles i was able to limp the truck with the trailer attached into southside dodge/kia in kissimmee, fl. the entire rear axle was so badly damaged including the antilock brake sensors that the entire unit had to be replaced. on 12-06-03 my wife and i retrieved the trailer. the truck was having trouble maintaining expressway speeds into a headwind on this trip. upon arrival at our home 265 miles later we again smelled the overheated rear axle fluid. later inspection at the dealer showed it to be burnt smelling, and discolored. further repairs are now awaited. i will be forwarding complete documentation today via usps.*ak | |||
| 07/30/2003 | 8174 | 5 | 07/30/2002 |
| Wobble in the rear wheels which has caused me on a couple of occasions to almost lose control of the vehicle. i have notified daimlerchrysler of this problem also.*ak | |||
| 12/19/2001 | 1 | 11/26/2001 | |
| Right rear axle broke while driving 40-45 mph. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak consumer sent broken shaft to dealer for testing, but dealer denied any claims, stating that it was driver neglect, one person was injured in accident caused by the defective rear axle. *tt | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT | |||
| 12/24/2005 | 48000 | 1 | 06/01/2002 |
| Power train - axle shaft broke the axle shaft broke while the vehicle was traveling on a highway. the entire wheel and tire assembly fell off the vehicle. the vehicle spun out of control. *nm | |||
| 05/29/2002 | 1 | 04/22/2002 | |
| Consumer states rear differential began making loud pinging sounds as if metal was cooling after the vehicle had been towing a trailer for three hours on the highway. paint was bubbling off of the differnetial. dealer found the entire differential and rear axle bearings needed to be replaced. *tt | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE HUBS | |||
| 10/16/2003 | 17000 | 1 | 12/31/2001 |
| Wheel and hub coming off. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 155000 | ||
| After crossing a railroad track a clicking noise became evident from rear of 2002 dodge ram 1500. i checked u joints then went to wheel bearings, they seemed slightly loose so i began changing. after pulling differential cover i found curved chunks of metal in bottom of differential housing. i took out 4 bolts and caps that hold differential in, i found major wear in aluminium housing right where bolts screw in on passenger side. i compared to drivers side of differential and found a half moon shaped cup that appears to be a dipper to collect oil it just slides in and out and the cup on the passengers side must have slid out and ground on the housing until it came out. i feel this could case a major accident as eventually the whole rear end could come out or let axles come out while driving. *tw | |||
| 10/27/2008 | 62955 | 1 | |
| During a tire rotation the mechanic noticed a defect with the rack and pinion system which was leaking and would need to be replaced. he also noticed the tire rods were defective which is allowing unnecessary movement of the tires. lastly the front differential is leaking as well. this vehicle was purchased approximately 2 years ago used with 41,000 miles and currently has 62,955. this vehicle is operated under normal conditions. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 0 | 1 | 02/20/2003 |
| Vibration in rear of vehicle. *jb | |||
| 02/18/2003 | 100 | 0 | 06/30/2002 |
| Transmission goes into high gear too soon causing too much downshifting when i need to speed up. goes into overdrive at 45 mph. very sluggish when i need to speed up unless i give it a lot of gas pedal and then it drops out of overdrive and skips 4th gear and goes down to 3rd gear. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 02/21/2007 | 135000 | 1 | 01/31/2006 |
| Rear clips broken in 2002 dodge ram 1500. *jb | |||
| 10/12/2006 | 1 | ||
| Found metal pieces the rear differential of my 2002 dodge ram 1500 quad cab 4x4. the whole rear end had to be replaced. this is apparently a well documented known problem based on hundreds of forum threads under c-clip, retainer clip and/or clutch pack retainer problems. *jb | |||
| 04/16/2006 | 1 | ||
| The retaining clips fail in the rear differential of all 02-2005 (maybe 2006) 9.25 lsds are affected from dodge ram's. mine has failed once and has been replaced under warranty. the problem is dodge just replaces them with the same ones that will continue to fail. *jb | |||
| 10/29/2006 | 37000 | 1 | 02/26/2002 |
| I have a 2002 dodge 1500 pickup with the limited slip rear differential. my differential came apart at 37,000 miles. since my incident i have discovered numerous other people with this differential in '02-'05 pickups have had similar problems. i would think this is a safety issue as if the broken parts were to get into the ring and pinion gears it could cause the truck to go out of control and crash. the manufacture is aware of the problem but seems unconcerned. i think this issue needs to be investigated. bob brandenberg. *nm | |||
| 06/06/2005 | 53500 | 1 | 04/05/2005 |
| Cluncking noise under hood. left upper control arm and ball joint. this truck has only 55,000 no off roading | |||
| 12/24/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| The differential broke in half while driving at approximately 55 mph, vehicle went off the road and down to a ditch. the vehicle is currently immobile. *ak......mad eall tires flat, and rear passenger tire detached/fell off the truck. no police report obtained. consumer claimed police were trying to get money in exchange of the report. on epicture included. *ak | |||
| 02/10/2004 | 23000 | 1 | |
| While driving at 30 mph consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the rear. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who found that the differential fluid needed changing. dealer changed the fluid and charged the consumer for the work.*ak | |||
| 01/23/2004 | 14275 | 1 | 09/16/2002 |
| Speedometer stopped functioning. found that sensor on top of differential was dislodged and oil was coming from differential. took truck to dealer. dealer replaced differential, pinion bearing, and sensor. *la | |||
| 05/29/2002 | 1 | 04/22/2002 | |
| Consumer states rear differential began making loud pinging sounds as if metal was cooling after the vehicle had been towing a trailer for three hours on the highway. paint was bubbling off of the differnetial. dealer found the entire differential and rear axle bearings needed to be replaced. *tt | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||
| 06/23/2005 | 75000 | 1 | 11/10/2002 |
| My 2002 dodge pickup developed a buzzing/rattle while driving.i first thought it to be an exhaust system failure.it turned out to the drive shaft.my truck only has 75,000 miles on it,and has never been in an accident.the dealer techs say the inner shaft failed.i still have the old part. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - UNIVERSAL JOINT | |||
| 06/08/2006 | 73000 | 1 | 10/21/2002 |
| My 2002 dodge ram vehicle began to shake uncontrollably, i was on the ramp getting onto the interstate. i though my tires were been ripped off. i immediately stopped the vehicle only to hear the bottom of the car been banged as if the floorboard was coming up into the vehicle. i had the car towed only to find out i am lucky to be alive with my three children and my three nieces and nephews that were riding with me to the children's museum. the universal joint had completely broken of the transmission and made a hole on the bottom of the truck onto the floorboard. luckily i stopped the car on time before a tragedy would have occurred. i feel the truck is not old enough for this to happen and i have never been on any type of collision that would have caused this. when i spoke to the closest dealership and my home dealership, they only cared about having or not having an extended warranty, and that they would have to look at the vehicle to make sure i did not cause the problem (how could i have ripped the u-joint). ultimately, they said, it would be up to chrysler if they would be willing to do anything for me at all. what a great company and customer service huh?? *nm | |||
| 06/24/2003 | 80000 | 3 | 04/14/2002 |
| Vehicle has had to have universal joints replaced three times. each time, dealer indicated that this was a known problem and that there seems to be some defective parts out there. they indicated that if they are not replaced in a timely fashion, then damage could occur to the drive shaft. problem is noticed when vehicle is moved from a stopped position. there is a metal-on-metal knocking sound heard from under the vehicle (and felt). it happens one time during initial acceleration. sometimes felt while shifting gears as well. vehicle purchased april 2002. first replacement was 06/24/03 at 33,716 miles second replacement was 04/01/04 at 54,257 miles third replacement was 07/14/04 at 62,636 miles. i now have 84,000 miles and it looks like it is happening again. the vehicle is out of warranty and i am sure i am going to get soaked by dodge for this one. i have had many problems like this with the vehicle and poor dodge service has caused the problems. in the past i kept telling them something was wrong with the suspension. when they found nothing wrong with the suspension, they could have looked a bit further but they did not... it ended up costing me 2 new tires (the old tires only had 20k on them and were worn beyond belief). it was an alignment issue. the dealership in question is stetler dodge in york, pa. i had a blower motor problem in the past they ignored (turned out to be a recall item), bad amplifier, brake problems and the vehicle floats all over the place when hitting little bumps. hard to control. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 1 | |||
| While traveling the vehicle was unable to pull 20 foot wilderness travel trailer. the first and second gear performed well, but the vehicle speed speed decreased when in 3rd and 4th gear. *yh *scc | |||