2003 Dodge RAM Quad Cab

A-PILLAR-MOUNTED INGRESS HANDLE ON PASSENGER SIDE. I OWN A 2003 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB PICKUP. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN OCTOBER 2003. TODAY, I WAS TRYING TO GET IN THE TRUCK THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND STOOD UP TO TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE A-PILLAR-MOUNTED INGRESS HANDLE CAME OFF. THIS TRUCK HAS 4X4 SO IT IS TALLER THEN THE REGULAR TRUCK. YOU HAVE TO USE THAT HANDLER TO KEEP YOUR BALANCE. LUCKILY ,I DIDN'T GET HURT BECAUSE I USED THE SEAT AND THE DOOR TO AVOIDE FALLING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND UNFORTUNATELLY THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING TO REPLACE THE A-PILLAR-MOUNTED INGRESS HANDLE BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE TRUCK HAS OVER 60,000 MILES AND I'VE HAD IT 36 MONTHS. MY COMPLAINT WAS WHY DON'T THEY BUILLD THIS HANDLES STRONGER. THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO HELP THE PERSONS GET INTO THE VEHICLES. SHOULDN'T THEY BE ABLE TO HOLD AT LEAST AN AVERAGE SIZE PERSON?*AK

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB WITH THE 4.7 LITER ENGINE. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER (AT ABOUT 90,000 MILES), THE THROTTLE CABLE BEGAN STICKING IN COLD WEATHER (ABOUT 25F AND BELOW). MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003 WHEN IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 6,000 MILES ON IT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2006. AS THE ENGINE WARMED UP, THE CABLE WOULD STOP STICKING. ON VERY COLD MORNINGS, EVEN AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP, THE CABLE WOULD START TO STICK WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WOULD PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE CABLE WOULD FREE UP. I REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT SINCE. I REPLACED THE CABLE ON 1/21/07. IT HAS BEEN VERY COLD HERE LATELY AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING FINE. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCES OR INABILITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IF THE THROTTLE IS STUCK AT NEAR WIDE OPEN THROTTLE. I DO STILL HAVE THE THROTTLE CABLE THAT I REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. *NM

03 1500 RAM QUAD CAB WIND NOISE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE WIND NOISE IS SO BAD THAT YOU THINK THERE IS A WINDOW DOWN ESPECIALLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, I HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES THEY REPLACED WEATHER STRIPING ON BOTH SIDES BUT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS A VERY BAD WIND NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DEALER KEEPS SAYING (COULD NOT DUPLICATE COMPLAINT) I AM A RETIRED MECHANIC AND KNOW BETTER BECAUSE I RIDE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN MY WIFE DRIVES AND IT WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY I KNOW THAT THE WIND NOISE IS NOT A NORMAL CONDITION YOU CAN LOOK AT THE REAR DOORS ON BOTH SIDES AND SEE THEY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED DOWN BUT IT'S OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY NOW BUT IT WAS IN IT AT THE TIME OF (COMPLAINT'S) SO I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR IT MYSELF. I HAVE RIDDEN IN OTHER TRUCKS WITH QUAD CABS AND THEY ARE SO MUCH QUIETER SO WHAT IS THE DEAL ! ( IT TAKES 2 PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSE THE COMPLAINT) YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT BUT NOT AS BAD. PERSONALLY I THINK THEY ONLY SEND 1 PERSON WHEN THEY TRY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SO I GUESS ILL HAVE TO DIG OUT MT TOOL BOX AND FIX IT PROPERLY MYSELF. I AM A VERY DISGUSTED DODGE QUAD CAB 1500 OWNER! *JB

MY TRUCK ALL OF THE SUDDEN WHEN DRIVING THE NIGHT BEFORE WAS UNABLE TO TURN TO THE RIGHT (VERY DIFFICULT..NO PROPER STEERING TO THE RIGHT). TO THE LEFT IT WAS FINE. IT CONTINUED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM WHEN I TRIED DRIVING AGAIN TODAY. I TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TODAY (NEXT MORNING) AND THEY TOLD ME THE TRUCK NEEDED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK, & PINION. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH JUST OVER 50,000 MILES ON IT...IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WELL TAKEN CARE OF SINCE PURCHASING IT FROM DODGE DEALER LAST FALL. THIS IS THE 2ND MAJOR REPAIR IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS (I JUST HAD A REAR SEAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT REPLACED AS WELL). AS OF RIGHT NOW THE TRUCK IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL I DECIDE WHAT TO DO. THEY SAY IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTIES FOR THIS ISSUE OR ANY RECALLS. IT IS VERY UPSETTING THAT THIS NEW OF A VEHICLE HAVE SUCH MAJOR ISSUES ALREADY. *JB

THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE THERE WAS A VIBRATION. I TOLD THEM IT WAS A U-JOINT OR BEARING GOING OUT. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN IN THE SAME SHOP 4 TIMES, FOR THE SAME THING -THE U-JOINT OR BEARING. THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP SAID THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED BUT THEY DID NOT DO THAT AT THIER SHOP. I TOKK IT TO ANOTHER PLACE, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE TIRES DID NOT NEED TO BE BALANCED,BUT THEY BALNCED THEM ANYWAYS. SO I HAD TWO OPINIONS ON THE TRUCK. THE NEXT NIGHT I PICKED UP THE GUYS I WORK WITH AND WE WENT TO WORK. ON THE WAY HOME THE DRIVE SHAFT, DRIVE LINE,YOLK, AND TRANSFERCASE CAME APART AND TRIED TO COME UP THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING HOLES IN THE FLOORBOARD, AND IT PULLED THE ELECTRICAL WIRING OUT WHICH CAUSED ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS TO COME ON. ANYONE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. I GOT THE THE TRUCK TO A NEARBY CONVIENENT STORE AND I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TOW MY TRUCK TO THE SHOP. I CALLED MY WIFE AND WE WENT AND PICKED UP ALL THE PARTS OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE TRUCK, WHICH IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND SENT THEM TO THEIR REPS. THEIR REPS IN ANOTHER STATE SAID IT WAS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE IN 4 LOW UNDER EXTENSIVE TORQUE IN A MUD HOLE. IT HAD NOT RAINED HERE IN OVER A MONTH. SO THE DIRT ROAD I WAS ON WAS DRY AND SMOOTH. I DID NOT HAVE IT IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. WHY BUY A 4 WHEEL DRIVE IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO USE IT. THEY SAID I WAS DRIVING FAST CAUSING EXTENSIVE TORQUE!? I WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT AND PEOPLE DRIVE FAST AND THEIR VEHICLES DON'T FALL APART. THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T COVER THE DAMAGE, EVEN THOUGH THEIR MECHANIC MADE A WRONG DIAGNOSIS. IT IS THEIR FAULT AND THEY SHOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX IT, WITH NO MONEY COMING OUT OF MY POCKET. I GET PAID TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK. NOW I DON'T HAVE A TRUCK TO GET ME TO WORK. THE SHOP SAYS THEY WILL PAY HALF THE COST TO FIX IT AND I CAN PAY THE OTHER HALF. THEY SAY THEY ARE DOING ME A FAVOR BY DOING THIS. *NM

ON JULY 30, 2006 MY CABIN CONTROLS (A/C, DEFROST, VENT AND WINDOW WIPERS) WOULD NOT WORK. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM IN THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. MY LOCAL MECHANIC MADE AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN HE CONTACTED DODGE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART THEY REFUSED TO SELL IT TO THEM DUE TO A RECALL ON THE MODEL YEAR BEFORE MINE (2002). I HAD TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO DAVE CROFT MOTORS IN COLLINSVILLE, IL FOR REPAIR COSTING ME APPROX 2X'S MORE THAN MY LOCAL SHOP. DAVE CROFT SAID THE WIRING HARNESS AND IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD DUE TO THE FAULTY PART. WHEN I QUESTION DODGE ABOUT THIS HARNESS AND THE RECALL THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME ANY INFORMATION. DAVE CROFT FIXED THE PROBLEM AS OF THIS DATE HOWEVER, I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM DODGE IF THEY WILL COVER THIS REPAIR. (RECALLED PART IN 2002 DODGE IS THE SAME PART IN MY 2003). *JB

I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $198.03 TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RESURFACE THE FRONT ROTORS OF MY 2003 DODGE 1500 LONESTAR PICKUP. THE SERVICE TECH VERIFIED THAT I STILL HAVE 8MM OF ORIGINAL BRAKE ON THE FRONT AND 10MM OF ORIGINAL BRAKE ON THE BACK. SINCE I AM PAST THE 12000 MILES REQUIRED BY CHRYSLER THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS A NORMAL WEAR PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES PULSATING EACH TIME I APPLIED THEM I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED AS IT WAS BECOMING WORSE. I FAIL TO SEE THIS AS NORMAL WEAR IF MY BRAKES ARE IN SUCH GOOD CONDITION. I FEEL THAT IT IS A POOR DESIGN OR MATERIAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY CHRYSLER AND NOT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE VIEWED WEB SITES THAT SHOW MANY OWNERS OF 2003/2004 DODGE 1500 WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE TECH STATED THE SAME THING. *NM

ON 7-16-03 I WAS A RESTRAINED PASSENGER IN A DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB. WE WERE RETURNING FROM A SHORT TRIP TO THE STORE. WHILE DRIVING ON A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT DRY ROAD, WITH COMPLETELY CLEAR VISIBILITY AT APPROX 3 PM AFTERNOON WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC WE UNEXPECTEDLY FELT A HARD BUMP, AS IF WE HAD HIT A POT HOLE. IT WAS SO HARD I WAS THROWN FORWARD IN MY SEAT. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY YELLED THAT THE STEERING HAD LOCKED. HE WAS ALSO TRYING DESPERATELY TO HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THEY TOO WERE NOT WORKING. THE DRIVER STRUGGLED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT TO TRY AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT WASN'T ABLE TOO. WE DROVE DIRECTLY INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE THEN LEFT THE LANE AND PROCEEDED INTO A PARKING AREA OF A CONVENIENCE STORE, WHERE WE STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. AFTER STRIKING THE PARKED VEHICLE WE WERE REDIRECTED BACK INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS AT THAT TIME WE WERE STRUCK HEAD ON BY A SEMI TRUCK. THE SEMI DROVE COMPLETELY OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DODGE TRUCK CRUSHING ME INSIDE AND ROLLING THE SEMI. THE POLICE REPORT STATES THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE WRECK. IN THE AREA WE NOTED THE INITIAL BUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS INVESTIGATED AND IT WAS FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN BROKEN COMPLETELY IN HALF; HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATED STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS TOO SEVERE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THE BALL JOINT FAILED BEFORE, OR WAS BROKEN DURING THE COLLISION. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS BETWEEN THE FAILURE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND THE COLLISION. SOMETHING FAILED ON THAT VEHICLE RENDERING IT UNCONTROLLABLE. I DO HAVE THE VEHICLE IN MY POSSESSION, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DODGE HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST WHAT SO EVER IN INVESTIGATING THIS POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE INJURIES I INCURRED FROM THIS ACCIDENT. *JB