This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge ram1500. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, a loud noise was heard from the rear of the vehicle. The contact later discovered that the rear shaft had become separated from the vehicle due a failed to pinion nut, which also caused the rear brakes to seize. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home and was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The current and failure mileage was 119,000.
While driving Saturday, 11/23/2013, I noticed a vibration and humming noise coming from the front of my vehicle. Also, when I turned the car would croak or moan. I could tell something was wrong because my brake pedal became very spongy and had to be pressed in fully in order to stop the car. I began to head home with the truck as I did not want a safety hazard where I could not stop the vehicle. I also noticed that in order to steer straight, I had to hold my steering wheel approximately 30 degrees left. Upon getting the truck home I immediately saw my problem. My front passenger tire was sitting in the wheel well on an angle. Large amounts of smoke were pouring out of the undercarriage, and rubber goo was leaving a trail where I drove. I jacked the car and removed the wheel, and could see even more. My wheel hub assembly was separated and broken. This caused my tire to sit on the hub crooked and lean against my control arm. The heat from this friction was so intense that it melted my cv boot, which is why I had a rubber goo trail. It also melted the ABS sensor on the wheel hub itself. Causing my ABS to go out. The hub itself had a piece completely fallen off, as if a weld broke. The heat also warped my rotor, and cracked my brake pads in that side. Luckily, I did not have any wheel separation or total failure of the braking system, causing crash or injury. I was barely able to utilize braking and drive home at about 20mph with hazards on. The wheel hub assembly has been recalled in several year Dodge Ram 1500S, including 2004, 2006, and others, for bearing issues. However Dodge claimed it was only a faulty part in 2wd applications. Now we know this is not true. I have a 4WD Ram that had the hub assembly fail and a partial braking failure. I am out of room, but I have pictures of the parts broken on the car, and pictures of the removed parts as well.
Upper and lower ball joints on front suspension have deteriorated to the point that they must be replaced for concerns of safety. This is very low mileage for ball joints to fail. And since my 2wd truck has unitized ball joints (part of upper control arm, which also has to be replaced), they are very expensive.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while turning left at approximately at 10 to 15 mph, the driver front wheel and front axle separated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 81,762.
- Jim Thorpe , PA, USA
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The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the rear driver and passenger side tires seized. The rear drive shaft and the rear deferential were also fractured. The contact was unable to continue driving and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no further assistance. The failure and current mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while replacing all of the tires on the vehicle, the mechanic found deterioration on the front and rear lower and upper ball joints, as well as the tie rod. The vehicle was taken for inspection to a private mechanic, who confirmed the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 33,000.
I was driving at freeway speed, around 70 mph. Suddenly, I heard a noise from the rear of the truck and I noticed my speedometer went to zero. I was still moving at the same speed. The fault code identified a failure in the speed sensor in the rear differential. I was out of warranty, so I pulled the differential cover off and found what was left of the speed sensor in the bottom of the housing. I also found pieces of what was later identified as C clips from my lsd clutch assembly. The inductive portion of the speed sensor protrudes into the differential housing and was hit by the flying pieces of C clips. The carrier bearing also had a grove cut into it by these clips as they worked their way out. I am told that if I had not caught this, it would have resulted in carrier bearing failure and lock up of my rear axle. I removed all of the metal C clip pieces and removed the remaining C clips that had not yet fallen out. I don't know if there is any connection, but my left rear leaf spring cracked in half on the lower main leaf. I had to replace the spring assembly at my cost. I now have a permanent whine at low speeds and currently have 125,000 miles on my truck. I am certainly glad that I found these metal pieces when I did! there appears to be many complaints regarding this failure in my truck model, ranging from model years 2003 through 2006 Ram 1500 equipped with the 5.7 hemi. At this time, Chrysler has not acknowledged the patterned failures in these rear differentials.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the front hub assembly broke and separated from the suspension while driving 10 mph. The hub assembly was brand new and was just purchase from an authorized dealer. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a curb, which caused damages to the suspension and front fender of the vehicle. No one was injured. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The insurance company was notified. The dealer was also notified and refused to acknowledge the defective parts. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 187,000.
At 80,000 miles city driving both left and right hubs failed. Left hub locked up almost sending me into center concrete wall. Damage to ft end was extensive. Called dealership to find out if I had 2 wheel or 4 wheel ABS, give them my VIN number.. looooooong story shot, the dealership could not tell me if I had 2 or 4 wheel ABS. I had to pull apart to find out. Its a shame the very people that make the truck, can't tell you whats on the truck. $500 later 2 wheel ABS hubs left and right, replaced by myself. Not to mention the under carriage damage done due to hub locking up. Sent truck to auto shop to repair front end damage. Beware..if you're hearing a noise in front that sounds like a big bolt in your tire and there is not, get the hubs looked at right away. This is how my issue and costly repairs started.
2004 Dodge Ram. Consumer states problem with front end of truck. Consumer describes a shimmy and shaky motion the consumer stated when she drove over a rough spot in the road or a bump going off a bridge in cruise control mode, the entire truck would shimmy and shake. Once the consumer tapped the brake to disengage the cruise to slow the vehicle down, the shake and shimmy would cease. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer where they performed maintenance to the front end, but the fix only lasted for a few months. The consumer was informed the vehicle needed U-joints, a damper and the fittings needed to be lubricated. Also, the drag linkage which was recalled needed to be replaced as well.
My prior complaint about 2003 to 2006 Dodge Ram pickups having improperly greased factory wheel bearings causing bearing failure and tires to fall off the front axles has not been addressed by Chrysler. NHTSA only demanded recalls on the 2006 models which is not the case, see recall # 07V038000. This is definitely a problem and life threatening issue. I have replaced my front wheel bearings myself at several hundred dollars out of pocket and actually saw the old bearings blued with heat and without grease. The replacements were also lacking grease and again need replaced after only 5,000 miles. Please recall all 2003 to 2006 models for front bearing failure before someone is injured or killed.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The vehicle has 20 inch tires and the wheels are unstable. While driving 65 mph over bumps in the road, the vehicle veers into another lane. The dealer stated that nothing is wrong with the vehicle. The current mileage is 60,279 and the failure mileage was unknown. Updated 02/01/08. Updated 02/01/08
At approximately 10,000 miles our 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 began pulling hard to the right. At highway speeds, the vehicle will cross 4 lanes of traffic within seconds if the driver is not pulling to the left in order to compensate for the right pull. We have had the vehicle aligned several times by different dealerships as well as at alignment shops, and the issue persists. Daimler Chrysler claimed the issue was tire related, and we had the tire dealer move tires around repeatedly trying to make the problem go away. We have also replaced tires with no change in the pull. Recently, we noticed the pull is far worse when the vehicle has a full tank of gas, which leads me to suspect weight or weight distribution is a factor. We had steering rack and differential failure at approximately 25,000 miles. Both were replaced and the problem continues to exist. Also, alignment numbers go from within specification to wildly out of specification each time the truck is placed on a rack. This vehicle control issue is 100% repeatable.
Dodge Ram 1500 year 2004 purchased brand new on March the vehicle had 22 miles on it when the accident occured it had approx. 10,000 miles. Proble defective axle and or rim. Note: Previous tire blow out rim totaled and repaired that rim was placed on the truck and the tires rotation and that rim went to the left rear axle, tire is lost.
My vehicle pulls hard to the right. I have complained to the dealer within the first week of purchase. I have had 4 alignments done, and that does not correct the problem. Dealership has not offered to investigate further to find problem.
Problems with 2004 Dodge 1500 Ram. The truck would bounce and shake into oncoming traffic while driving 65 mph. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer who replaced one shock but the vehicle continued to bounce and shake. The dealer told the consumer that the manufacturer put a different frame on the vehicle in 2002 and that nothing could be done.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- York, ME, USA