I have had nothing but problems with the front end on this Dodge since it was about 5 years old. The hubs have been replaced twice, the balljoints 3 times, the left tie rod lost it's bolt and fell off while driving (replaced tie rod ends twice now) It shimmies and shakes and drifts. This truck has had all the maintenance kept up on it. It has been used as more of a car than a truck. It has been in more shops than I can even remember. The CV joint up by the transfer case has failed 3 times once cracking the transfer case. U-joints have had to be replaced. Every bushing, struts, shocks, EVERYTHING in the suspension has been replaced twice now. It has 169K miles on it and I bought it new in February of 2003. I will also be posting problems with it not starting and sitting all winter in a Dodge repair shop because they can't figure it out.
Always a lot of play in the steering wheel...got tie rod ends replaced before recalls came out. It helped a lot but still lots of wiggle in the steering wheel.
Severely depressed!! There are no words to explain what the financial and emotional toll this has taken on me. The Dodge death wobble started in June of 2014.
I had the recall done for the tie rod ends done at a local dealership. They told me that I had bad ball joints on the drivers side. I changed these ball joints (and wheel hub because it had to come out in order to do this. they're infamous for rusting in and had to be destroyed to come out). This did not work.
After listening to every jerk on the internet I tried track arm bushings. Nope! I tried upper and lower steering links. Nope! I tried a Rancho steering stabilizer. Nope! I tried a new steering gear box. Nope! Pittman arm. Nope! axle u-joints, Nope! drivers side wheel hub. Nope! For a grand total of $2300. and six months of trying.
I took it to Harr Dodge in Worcester MA. I was told " it's a known issue" and "well so far son you have been throwing darts at the problem, Now you have brought this to the dealer and it's about time". After a $109 "diagnosis" fee they told me that it was the shocks. I explained that I am out of $ and will this fix it? Well guess what after the "fee" then $386 for shocks and another $100 bucks for alignment still there!! When I called the service manager his quote was " I never heard of a Dodge Death Wobble" Can you say denial?? I am bringing it back and will update this post. This is something Chrysler will not do anything about until enough people die. It is as simple as that, dollars and cents.
This is a SCARY AND DANGEROUSE thing to happen when going down the highway and have your steering start to wobble uncontrollably. It is the same DEATH WOBBLE everyone experiences. I cannot believe Dodge did not recall this well known issue. I have been reading and posting on this for months trying to get my 2003 Cummings 2500 rightfully fixed from Dodge and will continue to until resolved. It caused me to go off the road on the highway, luckily no one in my left lane as I had to go into the grass field between the highway.
I spent about $4,000.00 on replacing parts in the front end, every time I went back the dealer they would say it was something else. I still have a lot of slop in my steering system after replacing my steering box,and other high dollar parts that I can't remember the names to. I don't have my sales ticket right in front of me at the moment.
Are there any recalls or other problems that I am unaware of ?? This truck has been babied !!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I have had nothing but problems with the front end on this Dodge since it was about 5 years old. The hubs have been replaced twice, the balljoints 3 times, the left tie rod lost it's bolt and fell off while driving (replaced tie rod ends twice now) It shimmies and shakes and drifts. This truck has had all the maintenance kept up on it. It has been used as more of a car than a truck. It has been in more shops than I can even remember. The CV joint up by the transfer case has failed 3 times once cracking the transfer case. U-joints have had to be replaced. Every bushing, struts, shocks, EVERYTHING in the suspension has been replaced twice now. It has 169K miles on it and I bought it new in February of 2003. I will also be posting problems with it not starting and sitting all winter in a Dodge repair shop because they can't figure it out.
- Pam A., Douglas, WY, US