2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab

AT 65 MPH USING CRUISE CONTROL, DAYTIME, DRY PAVEMENT, GOOD WEATHER, BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH WARNING CHIME. AT NEXT EXIT, OPERATOR TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP. TECHNICIAN FOUND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY WORN, ALLOWING TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO BE MOVED 1-2'' FROM VERTICAL. VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED DURING STATE INSPECTION LESS THAN 400 MILES PREVIOUSLY AND PASSED. A TOTAL FAILURE IN TRAFFIC AT SPEED MIGHT HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF HANDLING/BRAKING THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED OR WORSENED AN ACCIDENT. FAILED PART IS AVAILABLE. VEHICLE HAS ALSO SUFFERED NUMEROUS PREMATURE FAILURES INCLUDING: FAILURE OF DRIVER HEATED SEAT, FAILURE OF ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENT DUE TO ENGINE STOPPAGE AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING, FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, FAILURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, AND DAMAGE TO SPARE TIRE DUE TO MIS-ROUTED TAIL PIPE. SOME OF THESE ARE MANUFACTURER DESIGN DEFECTS, OTHERS ARE TROUBLESHOOTING OR REPAIR ERRORS AT DEALER. TWO EVENTS (FUEL PUMP, WHEEL BEARING) MIGHT HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT WITH INJURY/DEATH POSSIBLE OUTCOME. *JB

I HAVE LEES THAN 45000 MILES ON MY TRUCK AND THE BREAK PADS ON THE FRONT HAVE BEEN CHANGED SIX TIMES. ROTORS ARE FINE, THE LAST THREE TIMES THE PADS WERE CHANGED IN LESS THEN 18 MONTHS. WHEN GETTING THE PADS FROM A NATIONAL AUTO STORE THE COMPUTER BROUGHT UP BIGGER PADS THAT WOULD BE FOR MY QUAD CAB. THEY DIDN'T FIT AND I HAD TO GO WITH THE REGULAR CAB BRAKE PADS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY CHECKED THEM OUT AND SAID IT WAS THE RIGHT SIZE CALIPER ON THE TRUCK. WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE AUTO STORE ONLY BRINGING UP THE LONGER PADS THEY OFFERED TO CHANGE MY ROTORS AND BREAK FOR A GREAT DEAL OF $400. NO THANK YOU. *NM

BRAKES START TO SQUEAK AND SHIMMY. SQUEAKING VERY LOUD WHEN COMING TO STOP. SQUEAK LASTS FOR ABOUT 3 DAYS THEN SOUNDS LIKE METAL TO METAL AND CAN FEEL IN PEDAL. TRUCK STARTS TO SHIMMY AT HIGH SPEED THEN APPLYING BRAKES TO STOP. I HAVE DOWN 3 COMPLETE BRAKE JOBS FRONT AND REAR, BEST PADS, ROTORS, EVERYTHING. NEW REPLACEMENT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO WARPING. THE BRAKES SHOULD LAST LONGER THE 3-4 MONTHS WHICH IN MILES TERMS IS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES. I AM NOW ON MY 4TH BRAKE JOB AND I SHOULDN'T BE. THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS IS BECOMING EXTREMELY COSTLY. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V185000 CONCERNING THE ANTI LOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE . THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - WHEN THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE ALMOST COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED AND THAT THE PART TO REPAIR THEM WAS RECALLED. *NM

ON JULY 17, 2003, I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB, VIN# [XXX], FROM HYDE PARK MOTORS, IN HYDE PARK, NY. IN OCTOBER OF 2003, I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END SHAKING WHENEVER APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HYDE PARK MOTORS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, AND STATED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, WHICH CAUSED THE SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. I AGAIN RECENTLY NOTICED A SIMILAR SHAKING PROBLEM IN THE FRONT END WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. UPON BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO HYDE PARK MOTORS, THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO ADVISE ME THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED YET AGAIN. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT WHEN THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS LAST YEAR, IT WAS DONE SO MERELY AS A MEASURE OF "GOOD WILL", AND THIS WAS A "WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN CALLED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER AT 800-992-1997 AND SPOKE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL BY THE NAME OF JOSH. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM, AT WHICH TIME HE CONTACTED HYDE PARK MOTORS TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. UPON CALLING ME BACK, JOSH INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT OF ISSUE TO CHRYSLER AND IT WAS A "WEAR AND TEAR" SITUATION. UPON QUESTIONING THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONLY 14,746 MILES SINCE THE ROTORS WERE LAST REPLACED, I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR IN ORDER TO ADDRESS A POSSIBLE RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS ABRUPTLY TOLD BY JOSH THAT THERE IS NO SUPERVISOR AND HE IS PERMITTED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THERE. NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER, I CALLED ONCE AGAIN AND SPOKE WITH A SUBJECT BY THE NAME OF TOM. TOM ALSO CONTACTED HYDE PARK MOTORS AND GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER AS I RECEIVED FROM JOSH. I AGAIN ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND WAS REFUSED CONTACT WITH ANYONE ELSE. MY REPLY WAS SIMPLY THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL TO HAVE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE IN ELEVEN MONTHS, AND THIS IS HARDLY A "ROUTINE" SERVICE ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE, AND DAIMLERCHRYSLER REFUSES TO ADDRESS MY CONCERN.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM QUAD 1500. I JUST HAD IT SERVICED FOR ITS 30,000 MILES MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. WHILE I WAS THERE I ALSO HAD THEM LOOK AT THE FRONT BRAKES BECAUSE OF A VIBRATION I WOULD GET WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES.*AK WAS TOLD UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKES, THAT THE ROTORS WHERE WARPED. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME ONLY 30,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK STILL HAVE FULL BRAKE PADS ON FRONT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHEN TOWING TRAILERS OR HEAVY LOADES WHERE THE TRAILER HAS NO BRAKING SYSTEM. I DON'T TOW TRAILERS. IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE WAY I DRIVE IS THE PROBLEM. IF THIS WAS THE PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE SOME WARE ON THE BRAKE PADS? THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN TRUCKS LIKE MINE WITH AS LITTLE AS 11,000 MILES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I SAID THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT WITH THIS BRAKING SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME NO THAT THE BRAKES WHERE BIG ENOUGHT FOR THE TRUCK BUT THAT THEY WHERE BADLY DESIGNED WHICH CAUSES THEM TO HEAT UP AND WARP THE ROTORS. I KNOW I'M PROBABLY WASTING MY TIME SENDING THIS TO YOU. BUT I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR SOME TIME NOW I'M 53 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NEVER IN ALL MY DRIVING HAD TO EVEN REPLACE BRAKES BEFORE 40,000 MILES LET ALONE ROTORS. I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A SERIOUR PROBLEM HERE WITH THESE BRAKES. I JUST HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE BEFORE SOME ONE GETS HURT OR EVEN DIES BECAUSE OF BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE.

BRAKE ROTORS SEVERLY WARPED AT 20,000MILES. DEALER TURNED ROTORS AT CUSTOMER EXPENSE, BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON DRIVING STYLE. ROTORS WARPED AGAIN WITHIN 15,000 MILES. PROBLEM IS SO SEVERE THAT ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN FORCED OUT OF SPEC. TRUCK NOW DARTS UNDER BRAKING. THE TRUCK IS USED FOR COMMUTING. IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING AND DOES NOT FREQUENTLY HAUL LOADS. WHEN LOADED IT IS KEPT UNDER THE LOAD LIMIT. APPARENTLY, THE BRAKES ARE INCAPABLE OF SURVIVING A FEW FREEWAY OFF RAMPS ON THE DAILY COMMUTE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSES TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE NHSTA SITE IS A FRACTION OF REALWORLD PROBLEMS. EVERY OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO TO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EMPLOYEES AT THE ST. LOUIS PLANT ROUTINELY REPLACE THE BRAKES ON THEIR NEW TRUCKS WHEN THEY TAKE DELIVERY. IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BRAKES ARE SUBPAR. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CHOOSES TO CUT COSTS ON SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONANT. I WILL BE REPLACING MY BRAKE ROTORS WITH HIGH QUALITY AFTERMARKET PARTS AT MY OWN EXPENSE IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE.*AK

EXCESSIVE STOPLAMP FAILURES, REPLACED LAMPS DUE TO MELTING OF BASE REPEATEDLY,4TH TIME IN 8 MOS. NO SERVICE KIT OR UPGRADES AVAILABLE, CHECK CHEVY, SAME TAIL LIGHT BOARD SET-UP, SAME PROBLEMS, PERHAPS THEY HAVE A BULLETIN ON PROBLEM?*AK SEVERE SHAKING UNDER BRAKING, STARTED AT 15K MILES, SERVICER REFUSES TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY (12K WARRANTY), HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THESE ROTORS. SEVERE SHAKING ON SWEEPING RIGHT HAND FREEWAY TURNS, PRESENTLY SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE AT ANTIOCH/DELTA DODGE. ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLING, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM WHEN IN FOR SERVICE, NOT NOTED ON SERVICE TICKETS. INDEPENDENT FRONT END LEAKAGE, PRESENTLY SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE AT ANTIOCH/DELTA DODGE. THIS MY 3RD DODGE TRUCK SINCE 1996, 1ST ONE WAS GREAT, 2ND HAD REPEATED REAREND ISSUES, 3RD SEEMS TO BE HAVING EXCESSIVE ISSUES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF COMPONENTS, I WOULD LIKE HELP IN RESOLVING THESE ISSUES, AS PRESENTLY I STILL VIEW DODGE AS THE LEADER IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

DISC BRAKE ROTOR FAILURE - REPEATED PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS FOR THIRD TIME AT 18798 MILES. PROBLEM IS BACK, ONLY 1700 MILES SINCE LAST PAD AND ROTOR CHANGE. NO TOWING, HAULING, OR OTHER HEAVY USE INVOLVED. VEHICLE SHAKES VERY HARD AS SOON AS BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PROBLEM GETS WORSE UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS UNCONTROLLABLE IN STOPS. *LA