TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE WATER PUMP FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO FRACTURE. THE FRACTURED SERPENTINE BELT CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED FOR ABOUT 20 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFAC…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE WATER PUMP FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO FRACTURE. THE FRACTURED SERPENTINE BELT CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED FOR ABOUT 20 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10825056
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2015
Fuel/propulsion SystemSteering
TOOK TRUCK IN FOR REPAIR. DIDN'T HAVE PARTS. SAID WOULD CALL WHEN GOT IN. NEVER CALLED. AFRAID TO DRIVE
NHTSA ODI #10779974
Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2014
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD. THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD. THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #10650654
Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 2014
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE O…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA ODI #10641270
Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2014
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING) BUT THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING) BUT THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10632871
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2014
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA ODI #10621992
87,000 miles · Jun 18, 2014
SteeringSuspension
DODGE HAS REFUSED TO REPLACED THE CRITICAL PART AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED BY DODGE EARLY IN 2014 ABOUT THE RECALL. DEALER SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD BE MADE IN MAY 2014. WHEN CONTACTED IN MAY DEALER SAID THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2014. TRUCK HAS A SERIOUS PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND …
Read full complaint
DODGE HAS REFUSED TO REPLACED THE CRITICAL PART AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED BY DODGE EARLY IN 2014 ABOUT THE RECALL. DEALER SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD BE MADE IN MAY 2014. WHEN CONTACTED IN MAY DEALER SAID THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2014. TRUCK HAS A SERIOUS PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND SHOWS EXTREME WEAR ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. GIVEN THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF THIS RECALL I WOULD LIKE THE REPLACEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONTINUAL DELAYS BY DODGE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10604262
Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2014
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY SINCE THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,300.
NHTSA ODI #10584190
68,000 miles · May 13, 2013
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT A SPEED OF 1 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFI…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT A SPEED OF 1 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V657000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
NHTSA ODI #10511666
29,531 miles · Jul 17, 2012
SteeringSuspension
WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, WHEN CROSSING ON AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING WHEEL START VIOLENTLY SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. IT GOT SO BAD I HAD TO IMMEDIATE BRAKE HARD AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. IT DID NOT STOP SHAKING UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STOPPED. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR MY BUSINESS AND NORMALLY HAS A GOOSENECK TRAILER WITH A CONTROL ROOM AN…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, WHEN CROSSING ON AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING WHEEL START VIOLENTLY SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. IT GOT SO BAD I HAD TO IMMEDIATE BRAKE HARD AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. IT DID NOT STOP SHAKING UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STOPPED. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR MY BUSINESS AND NORMALLY HAS A GOOSENECK TRAILER WITH A CONTROL ROOM AND HEAVY UMBILICAL CABLES MOUNTED ON IT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WITH A TRAILER ATTACHED, I KNOW I WOULD HAVE CRASHED. HAD THIS HAPPENED WITH SNOW OR ICE ON THE ROAD, I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL, SPUN OUT AND MOST LIKELY FLIPPED THIS VEHICLE. I NO LONGER TRUST THIS VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS EVER HAPPENING. A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED THOUSANDS OF INCIDENTS AND YOUTUBE SHOWS VIDEO OF WHAT I ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED. IT IS REAL AND JUSTIFIES THE TERM "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". *TR
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Police vehicles, 2007-2013 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2013 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, and 2013 RAM 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may suddenly fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the alternator with a revised alternator, free of charge. The recall began on December 23, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S68.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Fuel System, Diesel
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 4500 and 5500 trucks manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 22, 2012. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: On May 19, 2015 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would replace the tie rod assembly, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is R16.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA19001 · Electrical Overstress
Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications. The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU. In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment. FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle. Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW. These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes. An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time. In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU. This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners. Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW. The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation. The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage. There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation. The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU. If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC. Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC. All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled. In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024. With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
2011 Dodge RAM 4500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year