2002 Dodge RAM 1500

ON JULY 8, 2012, THE MOTHER CARRIED HER 2 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TO HER HUSBAND'S PARKED 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE MOTHER OPENED THE PASSENGER DOOR, INSERTED THE IGNITION KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, TURNED THE KEY AS THE MOTHER WAS TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE AIR CONDITIONER AND COOL THE VEHICLE DOWN BEFORE HER HUSBAND CAME OUT TO DRIVE THEM HOME FROM CHURCH.THE VEHICLE WAS IN 1ST GEAR AND LURCHED FORWARD WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED.THE SPEED OF 2 MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT IS AN APPROXIMATION ONLY. THE MOTHER WAS STRUCK BY THE MOVING VEHICLE WHICH KNOCKED HER CHILD FROM HER ARMS TO THE PAVEMENT. THE CHILD SUFFERED SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA AND WAS REMOVED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE CHILD LATER DIED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH WAS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH IGNITION INTERLOCK SAFETY SWITCH, COMPRESSION SPRING, AND ATTENDANT PARTS. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT INVOLVED IN RECALL NO.14V795000 AND IS AT LEAST THE SECOND DEATH CAUSED BY THIS SAME DEFECT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT RECALL NO. 14V795000 COVERS VEHICLES BACK TO ONLY 2004, AND THIS VEHICLE IS A 2002 MODEL YEAR. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKING - VEHICLE IS ALWAYS COVERED OR GARAGED OR UNDER A COVERED PARKING SPOT. DASH STARTED CRACKING AROUND MAY 2010 WHILE LIVING IN OKLAHOMA AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. PIECES HAVE BROKEN AND FALLEN INTO THE VENTS, AND WHEN THE DEFROST IS TURNED ON OR WHEN THE AC IS TURNED ON, SMALL TO MEDIUM PIECES FLY OUT AND CAN HIT SOMEONE, MYSELF OR FRONT SEAT PASSENGER IN THE EYE. AND IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYED, PIECES COULD BREAK OFF AND DO MORE INJURY TO OCCUPANTS. I HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE FOREHEAD WITH PIECES ALREADY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT MULTIPLE FRACTURES DEVELOPED ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PINION NUT WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V038000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,622. UPDATED 4/30/15*CN UPDATED 05/12/15*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURED IMPACTING THE DRIVE SHAFT WHICH THEN FRACTURED THE TRANSFER CASE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE BOLT FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND PARKED TO BE FURTHER TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V796000 (POWER TRAIN). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 5/4/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO FIX THE TRUCK WITH USED PARTS AND WAS ALSO ABLE TO SAVE THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE. THE REAREND AND DRIVESHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 11/16/2015*JS

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