Problems with 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 POWER TRAIN

i was driving the truck at approximately 45 mph when suddenly their was a loud bang and the rear wheels completely locked up. this caused the vehicle to skid about 60 feet before coming to a stop in the right lane of traffic. upon examination, it appeared that the rear differential had locked up, causing the drive shaft to separate from the rear differential. i was sitting in the right lane of traffic, unable to move the truck from the road way. we had to direct traffic until the tow truck arrived. fortunately no one was injured. total repair bill to replace the faulty rear differential: $2,681.31. *tr

Tl* the contact stated 2003 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated while driving 25 mph, the vehicle made a loud thumping sound and immediately after the check engine light illuminated. the contact was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the clutch assembly and transmission would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 33,000 and the current mileage was 36,000.

The rear end grinds and has been for many years or is grinding little metal pieces off truck is unsafe to drive any longer until rear end gets replaced. *tr

Was driving our vehicle 2003 dodge ram 1500 p/u in normal conditions, suddenly there was a whining noise from the rear end and a lot of drag. shortly after a loud thud, the driveline had disconnected from the rear differential. the repair shop said the differential had seized, most probably due to a bad pinion bearing. after conducting research, both by myself and the shop owner, we both have found that it is a defect common to dodge, as even acknowledged by the local dealership and that it is extremely difficult and/or expensive to locate replacement parts for the problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2003 dodge ram 1500 quad st (na). while driving at an unknown speed, the contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle locked up, causing the vehicle to come to a stop without warning. the dealer and manufacturer were informed and they both stated that there was no warranty on the vehicle and that the rear end needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileages was approximately 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. the contact was driving 5 mph and attempting a turn when the rear driver side wheel fractured from the axle causing the contact to be involved in a single car crash. the contact sustained minor injuries and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. the contact was informed that the wheel had fractured from the axle. the dealer advised that the failure could potentially have derived from the contact striking something from under the vehicle to cause the failure. the rear axle was replaced. the failure and current mileages were unavailable. updated 11/16/10. *lj

Differential/ rear end has gone out on me twice now. the first time was after camping, where i was towing a light truck bed trailer with camping stuff. noise developed and increased over a few months. took it in before it failed. had to have it rebuilt - clips coming off, etc. the 2nd time was about two years later - i was on city streets , going only 5mph since it was busy, when i stopped at a light. i felt / heard a clunk. my rear differential had totally lost the clips, and coils broke. thank god i was not going fast. i had it totally rebuilt again. i know from facebook and the web that it is known that ram 2002 to 2005 rear end c-clips are bad, and have caused many accidents, some at high speed. i don't understand why this is not a recall!!! i have spent my own money 2x to get this fixed and i do not tow even though i bought a truck that was supposed to be a work / towing truck. *tr

Hydraulic clutch went out, unable to shift gears (standard trans) odom under 60,000 could cause crash due to low speed. and inability to safely stop vehicle. *tr

2003 dodge ram 1500 laramie (5.7l hemi). vehicle passed warranty, began to hear a low hum upon acceleration and deceleration. hum/whining noise became increasingly worse, led to catastrophic failure of the rear end. dodge engineers have determined that the rear end in the 2003 dodge ram 1500 - 3500 truck has an engineering flaw which causes the "c" pins in the rear end to break off and destroy the rear end. this damage has cause some of these vehicles rear ends to seize up and other to literally shear off the rear wheels. repair consists of total replacement of the rear end in these vehicles. although there have been numerous injuries and wrecks due to this failure and because dodge does not recognize this as a major problem, there has never been a recall on any of these vehicles to correct the deficiency. dealerships will not honor warranty, or accept liability for this catastrophic failure of one of their systems, for full or partial repair costs. *tr

03 dodge ram 1500 was in for service, mechanic found clip broken in rear end. service adviser said the broken clip was problem seen many times, i was glad it was found at this time, rear end could have locked up at high speed and caused a accident. rear end was replaced with 70,000 mile warranty for $100.00. i have talked to people that had this problem more than once. the dealer replaces the rear end with the same defective parts. there should be a recall before someone gets hurt or killed. *tr

I would like to make a complaint in reference to my 2003 dodge ram 15 quad cab that caused injury to myself by jumping out of gear. brief description of incident that happened on the date of nov28 wile in a convenient store parking lot i have two of my vehicles that were running at the time and the gear selector was in park position. i hopped out of my truck to go in store but to my surprise i felt a sharp pain in the lower right leg when i looked at what was going on to my surprise i was hit by my own vehicle i was stunned my truck which was in park hit me and there was noone else in my truck lucky for me that store had a big concrete curb to stop the truck or i might not be the one writing to you so i hurried in to my truck to see to my surprise the truck shift indicator was in park. so my compliant is that my truck is now a fearful thing to drive my wife wont even drive in the truck which only has 18000 miles on it i bought it in june of,2007 with 4800 miles i tried to get dodge to handle this issue but i never got a response so i feel its my duty as humanbeing to inform everyone of the issue that dodge wants to keep ignoring this safety concern. i wrote emails to them and get nothing in response. i feel they owe me atleast a response to the issue and am very fearful of driving this vehicle that i will be making monthly payments on for the next 48 months. i hope this letter falls into the right hands and someone who can help me with this new truck. thank you for taking the time to read my letter mr edward riding. if you have any questions feel free to call me . *tr

This complaint is being filed on behalf of the 2003 dodge ram pickup truck 1500 mr. jp waters by his stepson. mr. waters was severely injured on october 22, 2008 after placing the aforesaid vehicle in park on an incline, turning off the engine, and exiting the truck. as he went around to the passenger side to retrieve some items the truck rolled, knocking him down and dragging him across a curb into a neighbors yard. he sustained a fractured hip/ numerous lacerations/ contusions all over his body and consequently suffered heart failure and had to be air lifted to a heart hospital. his recall is that he definitely placed the truck in park position (it is an automatic)/ turned off the engine and noticed no movement of the vehicle when he exited--it was parked on a steep incline. the rear movement of the vehicle did not occur until he had come around to the passenger side of the vehicle. *tr

This is an update to the complaint i filed due the incident with my stepfather. that complaint is #10246879 wherein i reported a failure in the ignition/parking system that caused his 2003 this is an update to complaint odi 10246879 wherein i reported the failure of the ignition / parking system of his 2003 dodge ram 1500 truck. the failure caused his truck to roll over him, catching him up under the truck and dragging him over a curb where it jumped the neighbors fence before coming to a stop. at first it was thought he would survive his injuries but he died from complications of his injuries after a long and painful hospitalization. i am updating that complaint to advise of his death. this appears to be a not so unusual occurrence with this vehicle and i note that the 2002 models were recalled for a similar problem. *tr

The 9.25 lsd rear end on my 2003 dodge ram 1500 has keeper springs that are notorious for failing and damaging the rear end. the dealer is replacing it but with the same parts. so in all likelihood it will fail again. there are pages and pages of people with this same problem going back to at least 2001 year vehicles. *tr

Just had a warranty repair made to a somewhat notorious problem with the 2003 dodge ram 1500. the retainer clips broke and came out of the trac loc differential, causing failure in differential bearings and driveshaft. the dodge dealer was aware of the many problems, but has yet to recall the notoriously defective part and continued to replace faulty parts with the same faulty parts.*ak

I put my truck into park and started to get out with the engine running and the truck rolled backwards, catching me with one leg on the ground and one leg still in the vehicle. the driver's side door hit me in the chest, knocking me to the ground. the above events took place extremely quickly, and i had no time to react. luckily, someone was nearby and stopped the truck before it hit me or anything else. *ak unfortunately, my leg was still in the vehicle, even while i was on the ground. i was dragged about 5 feet and received some lacerations on my shoulder.

On the way to work one morning, both the brake and abs lamps came on at the instrument panel on the dash. at the same time i noticed that the speedometer readings began to oscillate 5-10 mph from true vehicle speed. truck seemed to drive just fine otherwise but dropped it off at a local dealer just in case. dealer confirmed that the rear wheel speed sensor has been "destroyed" by debris accumulated in the tone or exciter ring in the differential housing. dealer also found the remains of numerous "keepers" used to align the clutch packs in the dodge 9.25" anti-spin differential housing and noted substantial scoring of the bearing caps. faulty retainer clips have rendered the anti-lock braking system inoperative and made the speedometer unreliable. *nm

Large metal pieces found in differential housing, while changing lube, big enough to jam gears and cause real axles to lock up. still under warranty, dealer will fix. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. the consumer stated from time to time, the vehicle would not engage in reverse for 10-15 seconds. the dealer replaced the transmission oil sump, cooler bypass and torque converter. since then, he has had to return to the dealer several times for the same problem. the dealer then stated they could not find a problem with the transmission. the failure mileage was 59,000. updated 2/22/10 *cn updated 06/25/10.*jb

Keeper failure (clips) in 2003 dodge ram 1500 pickup, replacement of rearend by the dealer (under warranty) out of pocket costs of $239.00, what happens after warranty is up?? this is a huge problem with this rearend, have heard from many owners with same problem

9.25 lsd rear differential in 02-2005 dodge rams. *jb

I placed the truck in park and exited the vehicle. the truck then began to roll backwards in reverse. i was knocked down by the open door before i could reenter the truck and rolled away to avoid being run over. the truck backed into a fence post damaging the drivers door and right front fender. the fence post was also bent over. *nm

From 2002 to 2005 dodge ram 1500 pickups fitted with a 9.25" corporate rear end differential complete with lsd. "c clips" which locate the clutch packs within the lsd, over time, slip out of place causing major damage to the carrier bearings usually leading up to a complete replacement of the entire axle assembly. also, these clips can and do, foul the differential causing catastrophic damage to the ring and pinion gears etc ultimately leading to the locking of both wheels as the vehicle is moving. the potential for both wheels to suddenly become locked whilst at speed/moving in the truck, is lethal. please note well i have filed this complaint using incorrect zip code/state information as you don't have the ability to submit a complaint from overseas, namely england. my full address is:- mr allan barmby. 7 stanhope gardens, belle-vue, middlesbrough, cleveland, ts4 2qa england. i'm submitting this complaint to you, as there is no one here in england who can help and in support of the many american friend i have in the us who have the same issues over this lsd c clip failure. daimler chrysler must be held accountable for this potentially disastrous defect and it should be dealt with free of charge on a recall basis. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the rear axle flange detached and the wheel separated from the vehicle. the dealership was contacted. *ak updated 10/25/2006 - as a result the consumer lost control of the vehicle and collided with a concrete wall. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that the clutch retaining clip on the rear differential became detached, resulting in part of the axle to be worn away. the vehicle was taken to both a private mechanic shop, and a service dealer. the private mechanic informed the contact that that specific part should not have broken, and that a design flaw would be the cause of the problem. the service dealer expressed that it was a lack of maintenance on the vehicle causing the piece to become detached.

Upon taking my vehicle in to have maintenance performed, i was notified of a problem with the clutch retainer clip in the rear differential. i was told the part would not be covered under warranty as i had not performed the service therefore they would not cover the replacement. the problem was that the clip broke inside the axle housing did not affect the performance and wore away the housing inside. there is no timeline to pinpoint how long this has been broken. the dealership stated that if not repaired the part would break and cause the rear end to lock up. *nm

I was driving my 2003 dodge ram 1500 truck and my transmission went out. i was able to get it to my service dealership where they repaired it. i only had 37,000 miles on my vehicle at the time. i didn't have the extended warranty on my vehicle. i had to use a rental car. then on top of everything, chrysler damler would not pay for my rental. the real issue here is that my transmission should not have gone out under 40,000 miles. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. the vehicle would immediately stall and restart when it was initially started. while driving at an unknown speed on the highway, the vehicle would also stall without warning to the point that the contact would be unaware that the vehicle had shut off. the dealer replaced several sensors; however, the failure still persists. the failure mileage was 68,000 and current mileage was 120,000.

My husband & i recently purchased a 2003 dodge ram 1500 from gossett motor cars located at 1900 covington pike rd. in memphis, tn. while my husband was making a left hand turn traveling 3 to 5 mph, the rear right wheel sheared off at the axle. the wheel still had the brake assembly attached to the rim. the dealer stated that an investigator/engineer from chrysler came to inspect the truck and in the report indicated that the axle break was caused by an impact and that the axle would not be covered under the 7 year 70,000 mile warranty which we were informed by a rep at chrysler corp was transferable. the dealership & chrysler corp refused to release the report to us. there was no impact that caused this and upon reviewing several other complaints it appears that there are several other owners of the same truck who have experienced the same problem. one in particular stands out odi # 10147823. in addition, there is a report from an engineer at the chrysler axle plant, report # 10007842 that acknowledges that chrysler is aware of a problem in manufacturing and the heat currying. see odi case # 10058633 and voq 10059475.*jb

While making a u-turn traveling 3 to 5 mph, the rear right wheel sheared off at the axle leaving the truck sitting on the back side of the 20" rim. the wheel still had the brake assembly attached to the rim. the dealer had an investigator inspect the truck and in the report they said there was impact damage and they would not warranty the axle. i know the report has to be false. besides the axle shearing the only other damage is scratches to the face of the rim, caliper bracket, and brake line. the wheel and tire are still usable. the truck only has 30,000 mile. *jb

Rear pinion seal went out at approximately 47000. began hearing noise in rear differential at 57000. took it into dealer. tech was very helpful. dismantled rear differential. showed me appx 3/16" groove worn into differential housing and carrier from limited slip differential clutch retaining clip which broke off and was grinding differential housing. tech says this is a common occurrence with the limited slip differential and could lead to catastrophic read differential failure during driving conditions. read various internet forums with numerous dodge ram 1500 owners having the same problems. some of these same owner have experienced catastrophic failures. *jb

Dt: contact stated while driving on the highway and hauling an 8 foot by 16 foot trailer it caused the vehicle sway to the left then to the right. the vehicle and the trailer shook. the contact pressed on the clutch and it caused the tires to lose traction. the vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic, and another vehicle hit the contact's vehicle on the passenger's side. upon impact, the driver's side air bag did not deploy. the contact sustained injuries, and the vehicle was totaled. *ak

Has happened numerous times! when parked on any kind of incline, the truck running or not (has happened both ways) has rolled backwards and is very difficult to stop with the brakes. luckily no one has been run over, and it hasn't hit anything, but next time may not be so lucky! i now use the parking brake at all times when truck is parked. this is a very dangerous problem that needs addressed by chrysler! *tr

2003 dodge ram 1500 quad cab-lsd clip/differential/ rear axle assembly failure. clips fell out twice with rebuild twice in warranty. first incident around 12000 miles. currently at 96000 miles. both times at highway speed with accompanying bang and jolt. clip runs up in ring and pinion, damaging same along with bearings/races/housing. noise followed by failure each time. currently out of warranty, making noise, and found partial clip on differential magnet during oil change. failure imminent soon. rear axle assembly now requires third complete rebuild. the truck is used in a light duty manner generally hauling people at highway speeds. this is an inferior part/assembly and have not been able to remedy through daimler chrysler. this problem is experienced eventually with all ram 1500 owners that have a limited slip differential in the rear axle assembly. *nm

i have a 2003 dodge ram 1500 series, 4.7 litre engine and am experiencing a stall out problem when i go to turn a corner . this has happened to me several time. it's a very dangerous and scary situation to lose complete power, steering and braking power. thank god this has never happened at an intersection or i might not be typing this complaint too you at this time. i thought i was crazy until my husband showed me an article from the toledo blade on may 21, 2005 in regards too the government investigating this same problem with the 2004 and 2005 dodge rams. sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Dodge ram 1500 was brought into local 5 star dealer and repaired 3 times prior to the accident for 4-wheel drive "popping out of gear". vehicle was parked, 3 hours later rolled back and hit a building with significant damage to the left rear quarter panel, undercarriage, possibly frame and right and rear bumper. vehicle was found in park, documented in police report as being found in park. brought into same 5star dealer who let it sit on the lot, never looked at it. i initiated an investigation via chrysler. an investigator came out, looked at the transfer case with a flashlight, never put the vehicle in four wheel drive, and left. we now own a wrecked vehicle with a defective transfer case and nobody will repair it. we have 17k on this engine and all components are supposedly on a full and extended warranty. chrysler will do nothing!!!!*ak

I own a 2003 dodge ram 1500 laramie 4x2 with 17000 miles. i purchased it from my local dodge dealer with 2300 miles on it. around 15000 miles, my vehicle engine light turned on, and a strong burning odor began to come from the cab. i thought the error was serious, and immediately scheduled an appointment with an appropriate five star dodge dealer herb gordon dodge in silver spring, md. kevin with the orange team, at herb gordon, verified that one issue with this vehicle is the powertrain control module. unfortunately, the burning smell cannot be identified at this time. as the vehicle is under warranty, the pcm is currently being replaced. while herb gordon has done an excellent job providing me with service, dodge has scarred me and encumbered my time. i have had to rent while my vehicle is in the shop, my truck smells really bad inside (due to the burning pcm,) and i really do not trust the safety of my vehicle. why would a pcm go bad after 17000 miles? is the burning smell going to cause a fire in the future? am i at risk in this vehicle?*ak

After the light turned green, i began to make a left turn. the back of the truck dropped. after i came to a stop i got out and found my truck was sitting on my right rear rim. the inner axle and outer axle brackets had broken. i didn't hit anything or go in a pot hole. the dealer attempted to convince me that i hit something. it was snowing and i was not going more than 15 miles on hour, so even if i did hit the curb, which i didn't, it shouldn't shear my axle.*ak

Left rear axle broke while backing up. *ak.

While traveling on the highway at 55 mph the truck veered to the right on its own. vehicle would not stop, causing it to go off of the road into a ravine. the rear wheel came off. consumer was injured. vehicle was towed, and the rear axle was found to be broken.*ak

1. felt noticable vibration in vehicle at low speeds (0 to 40 mph). vibration would smooth out after 40 mph. 2. after driving approximately 10 miles, rear differential completely locked up with no rear wheel movement whatsoever. had to use front drive axle to move vehice out of roadway while dragging locked up rear axle. dodge technician suspects pinion nut failure causing pinion to bind rear axle. 3. vehicle is currently sitting on dealer lot waiting to be repaired. i have no confidence in this vehicle and am now scared to drive it.*ak

Took vehicle for normal maintenance, requested differntial to be serviced. called by dealer told that while performing rear differential service found clips broken in rear differential case, and side bearings warped. must replace rear differential. truck has 46000 miles.*ak

Dt*: the contact stated after the engine was started, the gear lever did not come off the park position, and the engine warning light illuminated. after several attempts, the lever shifted to the drive position but the transmission went to third gear and remained in it. the vehicle was taken to the dealership seven times, and the diagnosis machine indicated the defect in control module (p700). the control module was replaced seven times. the manufacturer was contacted, and coincided with the dealership diagnosis. the contact expressed concern because the lack of enough power while the vehicle was loaded presented a serious risk to safety while driving up or down a hill.

2003 dodge ram 1500, 4x2 (with limited slip 3.55 gear 9.25 chrysler corporate axle). built nov. 6th 2002. vin #[xxx]. while changing my rear differential fluid at 23,646 miles noticed gears looked o.k. there was however located, (stuck) on the magnet, a 3/4 inch "c" shaped clip and another small metal clip. went to dealer, scheduled for entire differential gear replacement under warranty. he said they've repaired eight or nine of them. worry now about it going out all together, was told to drive it until repaired. i find many, many experiencing same problem!! *ak updated 07/24/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Have had the truck less than two years and have had service because of faulty motor in windshield wipers, bad coil in engine, mis-firing, causing the cylinders and valves to be replaced, fuel cap replaced, fuel line replaced because of water in the lines, heater had bad piece, causing heat to not come out of defrost or floors, shifter for 4-wheel drive will not shift. has been in shop 13 days(3 visits) in last 4 weeks. needs to go back this week for shifter. *ak

While driving down the road i hear a grinding and a pop noise and the rear end of my 2003 1500 ram drops down and immediately goes into a 3-60 spin. the whole axle assembly snapped off right by the hub. the whole brake assembly, still connected to the rim and tire this is the second time it broke on the same side, and it is identical to the first break. the first was at 8,000, and now 16,000 miles. *ak

The consumer shifted the vehicle in park and was getting ready to turn the ignition off when the vehicle started moving backwards. the vehicle went over the curb before the consumer was able to apply the brake. the vehicle's indicator light indicated that he vehicle was in park , however it was in reverse. when the consumer attempted to shift the vehicle again the shifter had no tension. *ak *nm

While driving at 72 mph with out any warning, the consumer heard a little noise coming from the front and suddenly lost the control of the vehicle, as a result the vehicle rolled over twice. the vehicle landed upside down and the airbag did not deploy. the driver sustained minor neck and back injuries. the all family was transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital. the police report indicated the axle separated from the wheel. please provide further information. *jb

03 quad cab 4.7 with 20" wheels rear end growling. dealer repaired it 1 time and told us to drive it and if it still made noise that they would replace the complete rear end. took it back a second time they took it apart and put more new parts in it ,took the vehicle and drove it and it still made the growling sound, took it back and was told they were having some problem's with those rear ends and they drove it and said (could not duplicate complaint) the truck still has a growl in the rear end now they say it is a tire problem, the dates in this report are a guess, but the vehicle was still under the factory warranty at the time of both complaints. vehicle was purchased at east tulsa dodge in tulsa ok. and all services have been by them. *jb

Driving on highway in 2004 & 2008, engine quit running(dodge calls it a stall). dodge trouble shooting database does not include this problem. other independent data bases point to loss of crankshaft or camshaft pulse. there are no codes for this event, therefore no corrective action was taken after several scans at dealers. safety hazard: possible multiple rear end collisions and possible fires. ref. dot / nhtsa vehicle owner's questionnaire no. 10251962. *tr