2002 Dodge RAM 1500

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, MY TRUCK MADE A ODD SOUND AND THEN CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. TO MY SURPRISE, THE REAR DRIVESHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED AND FELL OUT OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED AND INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NUT CAME OFF OF THE PINION GEAR. THE AXLE AND COMPANION GEAR SLIPPING OUT OF THE PINION GEAR AND THE YOLK CAME COMPLETELY OFF. THE MECHANIC WAS AS CONCERN AND SURPRISED AS I WAS, CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WEBSITE AND ADVISED THEM OF MY SITUATION. SADLY, I RECEIVED A RESPONSE STATING THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING MY ISSUE. I CONDUCTED MY OWN RESEARCH ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFECT, AND FOUND THE NHTSA DETAILS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM TRUCKS. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE ONLY REVIEWING 2008-2014 MODELS. CONSIDERING MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS INCURRED THE SAME PROBLEM, CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL ALL OF THEIR 2000 SERIES FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND OTHERS VERY LUCKY. IF THE DRIVESHAFT WOULD HAVE DISCONNECTED 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I'M FORTUNATE, I HAD REACHED MY EXIT AND WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WITH NO VEHICLE BEHIND ME WHEN MY TRUCK CAME APART AND STOPPED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TERMINAL BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED MULTIPLE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK AND LATER COLLAPSED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CRACK WAS NEAR THE AIR BAG AND COULD POTENTIALLY INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY THE AIR BAG. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PIECES FROM THE DASH BOARD FELL INTO THE AIR VENTS CAUSING THE A/C UNIT TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE HEATING AND COOLING COMPONENTS IN THIS TRUCK IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. LAST YEAR I STARTED HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE HEAT/AC NOT WORKING UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE UP POSITION. I HAD ALL THE PARTS TO THE CONTROL BOARD BEHIND THE DASH REPLACED, ALL NEW KNOBS, ETC. STILL DIDN'T WORK. THEN WE STARTED DIVING INTO THESE SITES THAT TALK ABOUT ALL/ANY ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK. SO WE SEE THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE REGISTER IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WELL THAT WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND NOW, AGAIN, IF I WANT AC/HEAT I HAVE TO RAISE THE STEERING UP AND DRIVE. NOT VERY SAFE!! ARE DEALERSHIPS HONORING RECALLS FOR THIS PART STILL? WHAT ABOUT ALL THE WIRING? DOES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED TO STOP THE CONSTANT BLOWING UP OF THE REGISTER? THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING TRUCK BUT THE MONEY DUMPED INTO IT TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD IS OUTRAGEOUS. I COULD HAVE PURCHASED TWO TRUCKS BY NOW. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCK AND RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE SHOP FOR A MUFFLER REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN THAT WAS DOING THE REPAIR NOTIFIED ME OF THE EXTENSIVE CORROSION THAT WAS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE VEHICLES FRAME JUST UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE AFT DOOR. THE CORROSION IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN AND HAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE. I HAD JUST PULLED MY CAMPER THE WEEK BEFORE WITH MY WIFE AND 3 KIDS IN THE CAR. THE FRAME IS LITERALLY HANGING ON BY A PIECE OF METAL 3 INCHES WIDE, THE BOTTOM AND SIDES OF THE FRAME ARE COMPLETELY GONE IN A 16 INCH SECTION. IN MY OPINION IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD TO BE SCRAPPED BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE METAL. NOT TO MENTION THAT IF I HAD NOT HAD MY MUFFLER REPAIRED I NEVER WOULD HAVE SEEN THE CORROSION AND WOULD HAVE PUT MY FAMILIES LIVES AT RISK. HOW MANY OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES AND DO NOT EVEN KNOW? I HAVE PICTURES BUT COULD NOT ATTACH THEM TO THIS MESSAGE.....YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE THE PICS. *TR

DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING - DEALER SAID OUT OF WARRANTY - CRACKING HAS CONTINUED. THIS VEHICLE HAS 44000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND IS IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THE AWFUL DASHBOARD PROBLEM. IF I EVER HAVE A BAD ACCIDENT THE DASHBOARD WILL COME APART AND CAUSE ADDED INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. IT IS TIME FOR RAM TO STEP UP AND GIVE SOME HELP TO ALL ITS CUSTOMERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN VARIOUS PICTURES SHOWING THE DASHBOARDS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED. THIS IS CLEARLY BEYOND A COSMETIC ISSUE AND INTO A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ANOTHER DRIVER ALERTED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS AND PARK LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.