2002 Dodge RAM 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRAME AROUND THE STEERING BOX DISCONNECTED FROM THE STEERING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

THE FCM AND PDC ARE EXTREMELY BAD ON THE 2002 DODGE. THEY CORRODE CAUSING YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS, BLINKERS, HEADLIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHER NOT TO WORK. DODGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANDATED TO RECALL AND REPLACE BOTH PARTS ON EVERY TRUCK. THE CORROSION IS DO TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE PDC "FUSE BOX" WITH HOLES IN THE BOTTOM ALLOWING WATER AND MOISTURE TO ENTER THE PDC AND START TO CORRODE. THIS IN TURN CAUSING THE FCM " FRONT CONTROL MODULE" TO SHORT OUT. THIS IS A SEVERE DANGER TO THE TRUCK OWNER AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN TO AND FIXED. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE THIS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES BY MOTORISTS BEHIND ME DO TO THE FACT MY TAILLIGHTS QUIT WORKING AND MY BLINKERS DID AS WELL. I HAVE REPLACED MY FCM AND PDC 4 TIMES ALREADY AND EACH ONE SHORTS OUT AFTER A YEAR. THAT'S $600-$1200 EACH TIME. DODGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM.

MY SON WAS ON THE I-5 COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THE SEALS BLEW ON THE RACK AND PINION. UPON TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO BLOW ANY WHERE FROM 50,000-100,000 MILES. IF WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK. WHEN THE SEALS BLEW THE TRUCK STEERING COMPONENTS BEGAN TO GRIND AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND LUCKILY MY SON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY WITH OUT INJURING ANYONE. MY FATHER WHO HAS CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL RESERVATION CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS POWER STEERING AND FRONT END ISSUES. THE ONLY REASON THEY PURCHASED THE TRUCKS WERE THAT DODGE PROVIDED THE LOW BID AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A GOVERNMENT RECALL ON THE STEERING AND THEIR PRACTICE IS TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID. THE POWER STEERING. TIE RODS AND SUSPENSION ARE MAJOR COMPONENTS TO GOING DOWN THE ROAD SAFELY. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMEONE DYING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. WHILE WE ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS CAUSED BY LARGER VEHICLES AGAINST THE NEW SMALLER LIGHTER WEIGHT CARS IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THE LARGER TRUCKS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ON OUR ROADS. THE DODGE RAM HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AS WELL AS DEALERS AND REPAIR SHOPS NOTING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. CHEVY TRUCKS, FORD TRUCKS AND TOYOTA TRUCKS DO NOT HAVE THE REPUTATION FOR HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END AND STEERING COMPONENTS. THUS THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A DEFECT ISOLATED TO THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS. SINCE YOU CANNOT REQUIRE AND INDIVIDUAL TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION THEMSELVES EVERY 50,000 MILES THE ONLY OPTION WOULD BE TO REQUIRE DODGE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND COULD NOT BE TURNED LEFT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

MY TRUCK BEGAN LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE MY HOUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING, NOR MOVING. ENOUGH FLUID LEAKED OUT TO FORM A PUDDLE UNDER MY TRUCK. I USE THIS TRUCK TO TOW A 3200 POUND TRAVEL TRAILER. I AM THANKFUL I WAS NOT PULLING THIS TRAILER OR DRIVING THE TRUCK WHEN THE POWER STEERING BEGAN LEAKING. I AM NOT THE ONLY DODGE TRUCK OWNER TO WHOM THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, A SAFETY HAZARD AND THESE TRUCKS NEED TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR POSSIBLY KILLED. I LIVE IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND THE ROADS ON WHICH I TRAVEL ARE VERY STEEP AND WINDING. IT TERRIFIES ME TO THINK WHAT MAY HAPPEN IF THIS UNIT WAS TO FAIL WHILE I WAS NAVIGATING THESE ROADS. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO FORCE DODGE TO CORRECT THIS DESIGN FLAW BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. THANK YOU!

I PURCHASED MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO IN AUGUST, THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY 35 MPH ROAD JUST PASSED A DANGEROUS SCHOOL ZONE AND I HAVE A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING. TURNS OUT MY POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED. NOW IN 12 MONTH I HAVE REPLACED THE PART 4 MORE TIMES AND IT IS STILL BROKEN LEAVING ME EVERYTIME WITH A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING. THE TRUCK NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I PAY FOR IT EVERY MONTH BECAUSE DODGE WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT CANT BE FIXED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A 35MPH PAVED BUSY ROAD, THE RACK AND PINION UNDER MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 FAILS, LEAVING ME WITH A LOSS OF STEERING AND ALMOST CATCHING THE TRUCK ON FIRE FROM SO MUCH FLUID GETTING ALL OVER A HOT ENGINE BAY. NOW AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF I HAVE PAID FOR 4 MORE RACK AND PINION FAILURES AND NOW MY TRUCK IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY BROKEN WAITING FOR THE 6TH ONE. EVERYTIME IT IS A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AND THERE ARE NO WARNINGS. *TR