Problems with 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 STEERING

My truck has had the death wobble from day 1. countless trips to fix what i now know has been a known issue. the trucks front end goes into massive shaking out of the blue

While driving, truck stalls, happened twice. no warning lights, no codes, first time at stop sign, second while on straight run

While driving the vehicle on a flat, paved road a sudden small grinding noise was detected. without warning, the rear axle froze and the rear wheels locked up. as the vehicle slid to a stop, a loud noise was heard. after the vehicle stopped moving a quick visual inspection revealed that the drive shaft had broken off and was hanging down. a large amount of viscous fluid was spilled on the road. the truck was not able to move forward or backward at this point due to the locking of the rear wheels and lack of a functioning drive shaft. the vehicle was on a blind curve on a well traveled road and the police were called. it was necessary for the officer to remain and direct traffic around the vehicle due to the dangerous situation. the vehicle was towed to a local dodge dealer and a claim (# 32479801) was filed via the dodge customer care hotline.

Takata recall my steering wheel is bulged out and the light flashed then goes off? i can be driving then it flashes then disapers and you can feel and see the bulge . steering issue : i have had over 8 alignments done in the past month and all new parts tires n rims installed and the steering wheel is still sideways ? its alighned for no more then a day then it starts loosing the straight drive and pulling left or right ? of had it at multiple places and they can't figure it out.

Conversion van --while parking at children's school heard a very loud snap-noticed front wheels turned outward. van towed to shop. told by mechanic that pitman arm snapped off at frame--can not be repaired due to extensive frame rot. snapped at mounting bracket bolts missing . nothing left of frame to attach new parts .purchased 11 months ago and driven approx. 6000 miles. mileage at purchase only 63,052. sitting at repair shop not drivable will need extensive costly frame repair. dealership unwilling to help.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle vibrated. additionally, the steering wheel independently moved left to right and the contact had to hold the steering wheel firmly in order to steer the vehicle properly. the contact also stated that the vehicle stalled and was able to restart. the contact stated that the anti-freeze warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v770000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

While driving home from work i started hearing this noise coming from the rear end at 81,000 i know it cant be the rear end, but yes its the rear end going out never pulled anything with the truck, fluids are changed on time and oil and rear end al ways change at the same time. the other problem is the steering i notice when i hit a dip in the hwy its hard too control but every time i take it buy the dealer ship they say its normal, never thought ill be giving up on dodge but now i see they just wont your money and they wont stand be hind there product. i am sure i'm wasting my time writing this but gotta know if dodge will respond back.

My son was driving home from work turning left and the right front tire just came off. after looking at the part itself the medal just snapped off, broke clear, this is dangles

All of a sudden the truck started shutting off, whether in idle or on the freeway. it would happen multiple times during the day. when shutting off, the truck would loose power steering and brakes. took to multiple dealerships and mechanics who couldn't find anything wrong with the truck, would never throw any codes, finally spoke with a mechanic who talked to a computer person who stated that we needed to have the computer fixed but it wouldn't be available for 3-6 weeks due to it being on national back order. this needs to be recalled, due to safety issues. you are unable to control the vehicle when you lose power steering and brakes. national back order tells me that there is a problem and dodge knows about it.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver when making a right turn. additionally, when the brake pedal was depressed, the check engine warning light illuminated. the failure recurred several times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 96,000.

My vehicle was in park and turned off and i got out to walk around and my 3 yr old grabbed shifter and it when into neutral and her father put it in park but got hit but door in process has leg swelling and i ran around and got hit by back of truck and dislocated shoulder but continued to run to drivers door and got it open and jumped in side while truck is rolling backwards down an incline at 15 mph head for a wall that drops 25 feet her father throwing it into park did not stop it so once i was in i steered it the other way away from cliff and hit brakes and finally got it stopped and now at hospital with dislocated shoulder we had a family member die on the count of dodges defective parts this is ridiculous!!!!! this needs fixed i know of bunches of accidents that are involved because of dodge and there parking safety it's not supposed to go into ear unless brakes are pushed in!!!!!!!! i'm beyond pissed!!!!! because of there laziness and cheap junk that they won't fix!!!! *js

The key fell out of the ignition switch while driving. i brushed up against the key and it flew out onto the passenger side floor board. the vehicle remained running without a key in the ignition. *tr

Steering rack (rack & pinion) leaking fluid premature failure of rack did not,but could have caused an accident replaced by local dodge dealer.however chrysler customer care does not consider it premature failure and therefore my problem at my expense filed claim with chrysler under non recall related expense for reimbursement,but was denied filed claim with auto bbb in auburn hills,mi and was directed to file complaint with nhsta. chrysler case#[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *js

My son (16) was driving his 2003 dodge ram 1500 up to a stop light before turning onto our street, when truck made a loud noise and it felt like someone ran into the back of the truck, he lost control of truck while all this going on, but managed to keep in the lane he was in. truck finally stopped and when he got out the drive shaft had fallen off and the rear wheels are locked up. some men pulled him off the main road and we called for a tow truck to tow us to our house, until i could find out where to take the truck to on monday. the rear wheels just skid across the road while being pulled to a safe spot and i am hoping i don't need new tires, since the tires we have on were just bought in july/august 2013. *tr

While drive at the posted speed limit, the drivers side front wheel separated from the vehicle. i lost control of the vehicle. the vehicle crossed the center line, crossed over the on coming lane, hit a mailbox, went airborne, crossed a driveway, hit a tree, rolled, hit another smaller tree and came to rest on the drivers side door facing the opposite way i was originally traveling. at the time the hub assembly separated from the vehicle, i was traveling downhill. my daughter was able to crawl out of the vehicle while i had to be cut out using the jaws of life. i was transported to a local trauma one hospital via life air medical rescue. my daughter was transported by ground. she had five chipped teeth while i sustained a tbi and broken knee cap. the vehicle was a total lost but there was no loss of life. *tr

Passenger side steering suspension bracket broke away from rusted out frame, on my handicapped van. drivers side badly cracked, about to break. we were lucky it was not a fatal accident. chrysler corp. refuses to accept responsibility. this should be a recall before it becomes a fatal accident. i have a note from my insurance adjuster, that i can forward insurance does not cover. *tr

The dash board is all cracked up now do to dodge using cheap materials. i have always put up a sun shade no matter where i park my truck and it is always in my garage when not being driven. shame on dodge chrysler products for making such a garbage truck. and the rack & pinion steering should last alot longer than it has. no wonder people buy foreign autos. they are far superior. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, over a bump in the road, the vehicle pulled sharply towards the right. in order to correct the failure, the contact quickly turned the steering wheel towards the left. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 111,400. updated 08/01/11*lj the consumer stated two weeks after the incident, he was driving 30 mph and hit a small pot hole with his front tire. the steering wheel jerked sharply to the right. updated 08/08/11

While driving came up to lights and the engine stalled had no steering and no brake put engine in park restarted and drove on this has happened numerous times in nd out of traffic. when pulling hard to the left or right the engine will begin to stall did this while truck was sitting in front yard. had a tune up done and went away for a while but now it is starting up again. *tr

Rack and pinion failed on 2003 dodge ram 1500, 5.7l hemi. no steering. happened at 76,000 miles. *tr

This 2003 dodge was purchase and had started having problems right away there are tie rod links in the front end that snap and in arizona we can not find anyone that sells replacement parts to fix it. or parts that fit this year and make truck. we have had to get some one to fabricate them for us.the computer box started failing and also an oxygen sensor that fails and causes the truck to randomly shut off you lose all your steering you have to throw the truck in neutral and restart and throw it into drive to get your steering back. after we replaced the computer the rear end of the truck locked up at 65 miles an hour thank god the seat belt are the only thing in this vehicle that are working and thank god we were not going any faster and some one other than me was driving because things could have ended very badly. in the process of trying to fix the rear end we could only find two rear ends in the state of arizona that sold for 1600.00 dollars with over 90,000 miles on them the rest were completely mangled with the same problem. the more part service people i have talked to all said this is a very common problem with this vehicle. and in my opinion this is extremely dangerous to have both rear tires lock up at 65 and your back end bounce and throw you two lanes over. i have also contacted a chrysler manufacture that said in 2006 they stopped selling that rear end as a whole because of the problems they have had with it! i think this part needs to be recalled not only for the amount we have had to spend just to keep this truck running but for the safety of others. when you by a vehicle you know about regular maintenance but these parts that are failing are costing more than our truck is worth. we haven't even paid the truck off and already it has sat more than it has ran. we all need help with this problem!!! *tr

The dash started to crack on my 2003 ram 1500 pickup, the cracks just get worse,and a pieace flew off while i was driving, and hit me in the eye, almost lost control of my truck, dodge needs to recall and fix these dashboards before some one is hurt or killed, afraid to let any one ride in the front seat. *tr

My 2003 dodge ram has rack and pinion problems (leaks and stiffness). i have been advised the truck will be undriveable if the rack and pinion system experiences a major fluid leakage, which seems to be common for these vehicles. the design of this system is a safety hazard and should be repaired by the manufacturer. a major accident is on the horizon for this poor design. let's be proactive on this one. they still have bailout money. *tr

I was driving my truck when i heard a squeaking sound coming from the right front of the truck. the next day i brought it to the dealer and had it looked at. they told me the squeak was from the rack and pinion and the boots were also leaking fluid.i told them that i just had the rack and pinion fixed at 53,314 miles and now at 69,766 miles. the dealer said they would look into it and they came up with no recalls or complaints. i am not happy. i had the dealer fix the rack and pinion both times. out of pocket cost $855.77 and now $978.32. *tr

My 2003 dodge ram, with 60,768 miles on it, had a failure of the rack and pinion steering. luckily this did it when parked, and i noticed that king kong could not steer it. if this happened while driving, this could have been a disaster. chrysler will not stand up for this repair, and from the dodge forums, this seems to be a very common (and recurring) problem. i fixed at the local dodge dealership in west salem, wi for a cost of $1130.00 i am sadly disappointed in chrysler, making, in my opinion, a known defective product, and not offering support to the consumer. chrysler should be made liable for this issue, for the safety of many others still on the road today. thank you for your time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. while driving 35 mph, the hub loosened at the knuckle and the brakes failed. the contact pulled off the road and the vehicle was towed to a repair shop. a diagnostic was performed and the mechanic stated that they could not repair the failure because it was a wearable part. they further stated that the failure was caused by the lack of maintenance. the vehicle was towed from the dealer to the contact's residence because it was unable to be driven. the failure mileage was 58,290.

Seal on rack and pinion unit leaking and causing squealing. need to top off power steering fluid to keep noise down. not covered by manf. coverage for 36k i have 45k. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the rear end became noisy under normal road conditions. the nature of the failure was gradually worsening. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer ten times since october 22, 2004, who determined the pinion bearings as well as side clips failed.

2003 dodge ram 1500 quad cab, temperature 38 below. rack & pinion failed, vehicle would not turn. 23000 miles on vehicle. this has been a problem in cold climates. fix is replace unit. that's great under warranty when that runs out then its my dime, not acceptable. what happens when it gets cold next winter my warranty will be expired. next time it could cause a fatal car accident. *jb

Dt: the contact complained about a steering linkage failure. prior to the failure the contact heard a noise coming from the steering column. he took the vehicle to a service dealer, who was unable to duplicate the problem, and no repairs were made. later, while entering a curve, the contact's vehicle steering failed, resulted in the vehicle crashing into a fence. upon inspection he discovered the steering linkage lying on the ground underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a service dealer. no repairs have been made. the vehicle was a dodge, ram van, 1500.*ak

Vehicle has 107,000 miles on it 4.7 l. head gasket blew water number 2 cylindermotor over heated. now dealership wants to charge $2600 to fix. out of 5 dodges have had 4 with bad head gaskets. 2 caravans with 2,4l and a breeze(plymouth) with a 2l. was told by a non dodge mechanic shop this is the 3rd one they have seen. has anyone else had this problem. also had right inner tie rod go out once and is doing so again. causes severe tire wear and very erattic steering. please post to this site if similar problems may force dodge to stand behind their products and show this is something common and they are just biting their tounge until our warranty has expired.

Right front brake failed to operate properly veered off road off shoulder of highway power steering suction line came loose steering failed. *tr

While driving down the road with the a/c on high, the consumer smelled smoke and saw it coming from the steering wheel column. the wires had melted and burned the ignition switch up. there were no prior problems with the vehicle. the dodge mechanic said that these particular vehicles have been known to have problems with the a/c staying on high for long periods of time. the consumer has already been in contact with the dodge manufacturer. the vehicle was not included in the recall that was a year before this vehicle. the problem has already been corrected. *jb *sc *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist would suddenly malfunction and cause the steering wheel to become difficult to turn. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified . the failure mileage was 83,000.

The end of the truck locked up, preventing the driver from steering the vehicle and maintaining control. took vehicle for check up, and results showed that the rack and pinion sheared off.*ak

The power steering unit on my 2003 dodge ram 1500 failed twice in the last two years. while i was at k&m dodge for the second repair, two other 2003 dodge ram owners came into the repair shop with exactly the same problem (now that was within a one hour period). this seems unlikely to be pure coincidence; and suggests a widespread problem.*ak

While driving vehicle lost power (no throttle response). next the ignition switch went bad. *bf the vehicle's steering column was out of alignment. *nm

Front end shakes when braking. tires are blad on on side due to frount end out of place. this has been in too the dealer 3 times for the front end and 2 times for the brakes.*ak

1) bought new 03 dodge qc/laramie/hemi in oct 2003. 2) at 1000 miles my brakes began to warp 3) at 3,245 miles i brought my truck in for service; told the dealer (rockwall dodge) that my brakes were warped. they're response was (on service bill) "brake pads worn out" but "no trouble found on test drive" they told me to take my car home because nothing was wrong with it. 4) for the next 3,000 miles i drive it until i cannot handle the truck anymore. brakes make the vehicle shake violently; under towing loads the vehicle becomes unstable and uncontrollable. i take the truck back to the dealer who refuses to give me a rental for work under warranty to the brakes which now required my calipers, rotors and pads to be replaced because the warping was so severe. dealer requests i pay for a rental for the time it takes to fix the car because they do not have the parts. 4) steering gears warp which causes the need for the entire rack assembly to be replaced at 14,000 miles; more than likely from the ruined brakes. 5) brakes replaced again at 19,000 and 21,000 miles. 6) 4 total inquiries on brake issues. contacted dodge about the problem and they quote "will fix the brakes until the warranty is over. after 36,000 miles the problem is no longer ours and you are out of luck". contacted dealership truck was bought from. says they do not know anything about the texas lemon law and offered to help me out of the situation first by saying i'd get an even trade for a new 04, but when i showed up in person they responded if i gave them $8,000 to trade for the new truck.

Power streering hose had to be replace on my 2003 dogde ram 1500 truck. low milages. i should have not had to replace hose.*ak

Note: i had to write down florida for the state, because there is no option for puerto rico. while driving in a mountanous area with curves(asphalted road), after a curve at approximately 10-20 mph, i felt the truck lost the right side front tire, when i checked i had lost the part of the front suspension that holds the disc, caliper bearing, tire, ball joints and all other related parts. i recovered the assembly that included the above parts. i took the truck to the chrysler dealer, they told me they had to wait for a chrysler engineer to determine if it was a defect( the car was brand new and had about 1700 miles and three weeks old). the engineer arrived to puerto rico last thursday march 20 2003, and in a couple of hours (2-3 hours) determined that it was all an accident( i am a mechanical engineer). i asked for this information in writing- i still haven't received it). since the first week i had the ram, i felt a noise that really sounded like a loose part under the dash, other than that i did not feel anything abnormal in the driving characteristics, i had spoke with the salesman and asked him about the warranty procedure, to take the ram in for this noise.