2002 Dodge RAM 1500

DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE AFTER A RAIN STORM, SEVERAL SAFETY FEATURES STOPPED FUNCTIONING: WIPERS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN, HEADLIGHT CONTROL. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE IS NOT FUNCTIONING BUT THESE HAVE BEEN VERIFIED. NARROWED THE PROBLEM DOWN TO THE FCM (FRONT CONTROL MODULE). THE FCM IS CONNECTED TO THE IPM (INTEGRATED POWER MODULE). COME TO FIND OUT THE IPM IS NOT SEALED FROM THE ELEMENTS. THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS EXPOSED FROM THE BOTTOM WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO SPLASH INTO THE MODULE THEREBY SHORTING THE FCM. I BELIEVED DODGE KNOWS THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND IS UNSAFE BECAUSE I'VE READ THAT THEY'VE DESIGNED A REPLACEMENT IPM WHICH IS SEALED FROM THE ELEMENTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF OBVIOUS REASONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. IN 2006, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE TURN SIGNALS, HORN, AND BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED. HE CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT WORK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. HE FEELS THESE ARE ALL SAFETY ISSUES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,844 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

I DROVE TO A FOOTBALL GAME ONE EVENING, WHEN I PULLED IN THE PARKING LOT, A MAN ASKED IF I KNEW THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. HE TOLD ME THE TURN SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WORKED, BUT NO TAIL LIGHTS. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME THAT NIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NO TAIL LIGHTS. THE ONLY WAY I HAD TO NOTIFY PEOPLE COMING UP BEHIND ME THAT I WAS ON THE ROAD WAS TO TURN ON MY CARGO LIGHT. THIS POSED A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NOT ONLY PASSENGER VEHICLES BEHIND ME BUT ALSO SEMI TRUCKS THAT WOULD NOT SEE ME UNTIL THEY WERE RIGHT ON TOP OF ME. I HAD NO CLUE THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BECAUSE ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WERE WORKING. I HAD ALL THE FUSES CHECKED AND THE RELAY AND EVERYTHING WAS OK THERE. THE GARAGE TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD CHECK THE FRONT CONTROL MODULE. I AM SCHEDULED TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER IN TWO DAYS. I HAVE FOUND ALOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MODULE MALFUNCTIONING. THIS CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING SINCE THE DRIVE HAS NO IDEA THAT THEY ARE OUT AND IF DRIVING ON ROADS THAT ARE NOT LIGHTED AFTER DARK THE VEHICLE BEHIND YOU HAS NO IDEA THAT YOU ARE THERE UNTIL THEY GET RIGHT ON TOP OF YOU. FOG, RAIN OR SNOW COULD COMPOUND THIS SITUATION. *TR

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

OUR DODGE RAM 1500 WAS WORKING FINE ONE DAY THE NEXT DAY THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. WE CHECKED FUSES AND ANYTHING ELSE OBVIOUS. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, AFTER HALF A DAY OF CHECKING HE FOUND THAT THE FUSE AND RELAY CENTER WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD WAS CORRODED. THIS BOX IS NOT AIR TIGHT AND ALLOWS WATER TO GET INSIDE AND CORRODE THE INSIDES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS WAY. THE TRUCK IS A 2002 AND IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT I THINK THIS IS BESIDE THE POINT. MY HUSBANDS BUSINESS PARTNER HAS THE SAME TRUCK ONLY A 2003 AND AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE PROBLEM HE POPPED THE HOOD OF HIS TRUCK AND FOUND THE VERY SAME THING WAS HAPPENING. WHEN CONTACTING DODGE THEY TOLD US THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE I BELIEVE THEY MUST RECALL THIS PART. IT IS DANGEROUS DRIVING WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS AND WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO EVEN GET THE PART TO HAVE IT FIXED. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET IN JANUARY WHEN HE TURNED THE TURN SIGNAL TO THE TURN RIGHT, HE LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WAS FLASHING TO THE LEFT. THIS PROBLEM RECURRED REPEATEDLY. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS ON, THE INDICATOR WOULD SHOW THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WAS TO THE RIGHT. THE OWNER SAID THAT SOMETIMES IF HE'D ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE INDICATOR WOULD SWITCH TO THE OTHER DIRECTION. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE OWNER CONTACTED DODGE, WHO SAID THAT THE CONSUMER COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE. THE PROBLEM INTERMITTENT. WHEN THE PROBLEM DID OCCUR, IT SEEMED TO REPEAT ITSELF THEN IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR A WHILE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY OTHER WARNINGS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK (11/21/05) *SC

1.SPARKS FROM DASHBOARD AREA NEAR HEADLIGHT SWITCH WERE SEEN BY MY WIFE WHEN SHE BORROWED THE VEHICLE. 2.NOW THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF, WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION THE FOG LIGHTS COME ON, HEAD LIGHTS ALSO WILL NOT COMPLETELY COME ON.3. SO FAR, $49 DIANOSTIC, SWITCH NEEDED (HAD TO BE SPECIAL ORDERED B/C THE PART HAS BEEN CHANGED THREE TIMES ALREADY)(DOESN'T THAT CONSTITUTE A RECALL?)ANYWAY IT IS GOING TO COST ME $79 FOR THE NEW SWITCH AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN SURE THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK