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Problems with 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 STEERING

On average, the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 starts to “feel” problems with the STEERING and its various aspects after 63 970 miles.

Recently reported STEERING problems on 2008 Dodge Ram 1500

Steering angle sensor--- when vehicle is steered left the ant-skid and ebs lights on dash light up for no reason. vehicle only has just over 44,000 miles, in excellent condition. vehicle is only used to commute to and from work and to daughter's softball games. please help, thank you *tr

Mechanic showed me that tie rod ends are loose and must be replaced. several ram 1500s have had a recall on tie rods but a call to chrysler recall office turns up negative for my truck. i propose that 2008 should be included in ram 1500 recalls too. the rod has worn out at low mileage. *tr

Driving at a speed of 45 mph the truck--2008 dodge ram 1500 5.7 hemi-- died. i had no power steering. i was able to shift into neutral and stop. very thankful i was on a country lane and not on a freeway because there was no warning and i could have been in a horrible accident. the check gauges light icon was flashing as i tried to re-start it. it would crank but not start. after waiting for 15 minutes it did start up again. the engine icon light was showing and it said that an oil change was needed. the oil change wasn't due yet for another 1000 miles, or, two weeks on my three month schedule. i get the oil changed every three months. it tried to stall from then on as i accelerated from a stop, on my way to to the dealer. the diagnostic showed a code for the egr valve, which was replaced. this was fixed four days ago and so far so good, but am very anxious when i drive now, worrying that it might happen again, especially after seeing so many posts online with others experiencing the same problem with their dodge ram trucks.this truck has 35,300 miles on it. this truck was serviced six weeks before this incident with: a 16 cylinder hemi tune-up; a throttle body service, fuel induction flush and fuel system treatment; transmission service with filter change; machined front and rear rotors; and tire rotation. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, the left front tie rod was found to be fractured. the left front tie rod was replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 52,000......updated 05/09/13 *bf updated 05/24/2013 *js

The truck will throw you into another lane of traffic and you hope and pray no one is there. sometimes at highway speeds and sometimes at normal speeds. not a good feeling and not fair dodge only picked a certain number of these to fix.

Complete loss of power to vehicle, including powertrain, steering. power loss occurred previously when driving and hitting a bump (pot hole). last event happened during normal steering into driveway. speeds varied during occurrences. top speed was approximately 55 mph. *tr

We were driving our dodge ram 1500 mega cab (51,000 miles) on interstate 25 just south of douglass wyoming. we were going approximately 77 miles per hour and in an instant i lost all control of the steering and we ended up off the side of the road after a very frightening experience. i bought this truck just over a year ago from a dealer outside denver, co. when the tow driver arrived, he immediately told me that my tie rod probably broke as my right front tire went completely sideways and was now rendered useless. he mentioned that we were very lucky as most times he sees these types of things, the truck rolls over. he also mentioned there was a recall on these tie rods. we had it towed to a dealer in douglass and are waiting to hear what they have to say on monday. i ran my vin# on dodge's web site to see if its a recall, but its telling me that my truck doesn't have any on it. candidly, after talking to mechanics locally, they said a tie rod should never bust like that and with so little miles on the truck. to say this is dangerous is clearly an understatement. this type of "defect" is going to kill people as it almost did us. i sure hope dodge does the right thing with our truck. i have had nothing but issues with this truck since the day we took it off the lot. within a month, the transmission went out and once again, dodge said it wasn't their fault - 40,000 miles and a transmission goes out? after fighting with them for another month, they did repair and pay for the fix... *tr

Vehicle bought new in 2008. in the last couple of years, had to: replace both brake calipers due to dragging and overheating. replace lf wheel bearing hub assembly - making noise - found to have worn bearing, wiper motor replaced for recall, never had issue. now it does not work correctly, improper cycling speeds, won't turn on, or won't turn off at times. mileage ~ 38,000. this is dangerous, just like the brakes and bearing. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while at a tire shop for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the drivers side outer tie rod end was fractured. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v350000 (steering:linkages:tie rod assembly) that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 56,000.

There is a safety recall on certain dodge ram tie rods (recall #l16) but for some reason my vin was not included in this recall. sure enough the tie rod was near failing and i had it replaced before a catastrophic failure could occur. why was my vin left off of this recall? the signs and conditions of my faulty tie rod are identical to all of the documented failures. *tr

Front wheel bearings went out and yhe egr valve went out also

Trucks all over road when hitting rough patch. the bed is rusting bad no excuse

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while vehicle was at the dealer for a state inspection, the dealer discovered that the front driver's side tie rod was loose. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 45,800.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that the vehicle was inspected by a local mechanic for routine maninence when he was informed that the front tie rod was fractured. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and denied assistance with the repairs. the failure and the current mileage was 45,000.

Failed state inspection due to bad left tie rod. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500 quad cab. the contact was having the tires rotated when he noticed that the front driver side tie rod end was loose. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and they confirmed that the vin did not qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number:11v350000(steering:linkages:tie rod assembly). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 23,000 and the current mileage was 25,120.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact also noticed a grinding noise while driving at slow speeds. the failure occurred at all speeds. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the technician stated that the driver's side tie rod would have to be replaced and the wheel bearings would have to be tightened. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 11v350000 (steering:linkages:tie rod assembly), that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was repaired on december 19, 2011. the approximate failure mileage was 54,760. updated 5/7/12 *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that the front driver side tie rod end snapped during a routine service inspection. the manufacturer made the contact aware that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v350000 (steering:linkages:tie rod assembly). the dealer was not contacted. a local mechanic repaired the failure. the failure and the current mileage was 75,000. the consumer stated the tie rod end snapped at the shaft that connected to the ball joint which caused the left front tire to turn sharply to the left, which left no ability to steer the vehicle. the vehicle was repaired free of charge. updated 12/01/11 chrysler informed the consumer his vehicle was manufactured at a different plant and therefore his vin was not included in the recall. updated 04/26/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated at various speeds, the driver experienced the vehicle pulling towards the left and right. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 11v350000 (steering:linkages:tie rod assembly). the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. the approximate failure mileage was 53,000. the vin was unavailable.

Turned steering wheel and hear like a grinding sound. i noticed vehicle was leaking steering fluid. vehicle taken to dealership who stated the power steering pump was cracked. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated the front driver side tie rod fractured while attempting to park. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and inquired about nhtsa campaign id number: 11v350000 (steering: linkage and tie rod assembly) but was advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was 40,000.

I have had this same problem on my dodge ram 1500 4x4 quad cab. left tie rod stud/stablizer bar replaced june 2011, had to pay for alignment as well. is the nhtsa looking into the same problems with the ram 1500 models? when will the 1500 models be added for the same defect and be recalled? to be recalled are 2008-2011 ram 2500 and 3500 4x4 models; 2008-2011 ram 3500 cab chassis 4x2 models; 2008 ram 1500 mega cab 4x4 models; and 2003-2008 ram 2500 and 3500 models, according to a filing with the national highway traffic safety administration. *tr

2008 dodge ram 1500 left front tie rod replacement. i had to have the tie rod and stablizer bar replaced due to a defect. vehicle had only 52,000 miles driven. *kb

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving 15 mph, the vehicle began to veer left and right uncontrollably. the contact lost control of the vehicle, veered off the road, and crashed upside down. the air bags failed to deploy. a police report was filed. the contact sustained minor injuries that required medical attention. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown. ma 10/19/2015 *cn

Both left and right tie rods failed at 3 years old and 4 years old and we replaced them out of pocket. all 4 o2 sensors failed at 5 years old but dealer failed to diagnose this correctly while the truck was still under warranty and we had to replace these and the pcm, which burnt out because of the defective o2 sensors, after the truck was not under warranty any more. the airbags are defective and chrysler does not have the parts to fix it and we can't sell the vehicle as it is. chrysler states it is not part of the buyback and now we are stuck with an unsafe vehicle that we can't sell.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated while having an oil change the contact was informed that the front outer tie-rods were loose. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed that the front outer tie-rod were loose and replaced them. one year later, the front outer tie-rod became loose again. the contact was informed about the tie-rod while having the brakes changed. the contact stated the failure could potentially cause a major crash to occur. the failure mileage was 52,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the steering wheel began to vibrate and was very difficult to turn. the contact also stated that whenener stopped on an incline with the brakes engaged, the vehicle would surge forward. the vehicle was not taken to have the failures diganosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the approximate failure mileage was 58,000. the vin was unavailable.

Steering became very loose and uneven tire wear at 35,900. the truck felt like the front end was going to fall off and was wandering and bouncing. i took the truck into the dealer (royal dodge owego, ny) for evaluation in the summer of 2011 and was told the left tie rod end was defective and the truck was out of warranty. i obtained a quote of approximately $200 to replace the left front tie rod end and do an alignment. i ended up replacing the tie rod end myself ($50) and having the truck lined up ($80) at moore's tire sales in owego, ny. upon evaluation of the defective tie rod, i noticed there wasn't any grease from the factory on the tie rod ball once i cut the boot open. i also ended up having to replace the tires due to the uneven tire wear. i am aware of the recalls on this truck but i have the extended cab version and the recall is only for the mega cab version???? i think the recall should also include the extended cab version also. is there any recourse for fiat chrysler to reimburse me for the expense? i also just had to replace the right outer tie rod for the same condition at 58,000 miles. updated 9/28/15 *ln updated 12/13/2017*cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that the tie rod ends would exhibit an abnormal noise while driving. the manufacturer was notified who advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v350000 (steering: linkages: tie rod assembly) and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 36,000 and the current mileage was 46,000.

Re: 2008 dodge ram 1500 quad cab 2 wheel drive. there is a recall l16 for a defective left outer tie rod nhtsa action # pe1109, campaign # 11v350000 for various model ram's. on january 14 at 37,733 miles i replaced the right outer tie rod part #5175790ac. i would think that at 37,733 miles the tie rod should not have had to be replaced. this is not a work truck! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated upon changing gears to drive, reverse or four wheel drive there was a loud noise and a vibration coming from the acceleration pedal. the vehicle was difficult to turn the steering wheel when backing up and the loud noise continued in four wheel drive. the contact heard the loud noise intermittently upon making a turn. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who diagnosed and replaced the left tie rod and the hub assembly. the contact was not included in nhtsa campaign id numbers: 13v528000 (steering), 13v529000 (steering) and 11v350000 (steering). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 47,507. updated 8/14/14 updated 08/28/2014 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving at approximately 40 mph, the steering wheel seized. in addition, the steering wheel made an abnormal movement. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed the steering drag link inner joint and damper bracket needed to be repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving 65 mph the contact noticed that the steering wheel began to lunge forward and make a popping noise. the contact also noticed that the vehicle would sway in the opposite direction that the contact was turning the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the steering box was replaced, three months after the vehicle was repaired, the failure recurred. there were no prior warnings. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 13000. the current mileage was 21000.

Nothing lead up the c/o i have, the bushings on the upper control arm of the drivers side and tie rod end broke they just failed the vehicle had 40000 miles and under only normal usage .it was reported to two different dealers whom advised they could do nothing because of the warranty expired at 36000, when asked about other c/o as this they said they couldn't comment i also reported to chrysler and they said it was documented. if it hadn't been caught then serious things would have happened. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving approximately 10 mph the contact lost control of the steering wheel. the contact was able to drive onto the emergency lane. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technicians stated they would perform recall repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 09v005000 (steering:linkages:tie rod assembly). prior to the failure the contact had received the voluntary recall notice which stated the manufacturer would perform repairs that had included the 2008 dodge ram 2500 and 2008 dodge ram 3500 but not the 2008 dodge ram 1500. the vehicle was repaired. after the repairs, the contact stated the radius range in the steering increased making it difficult to manage the steering wheel when making turns. the approximate failure mileage was 74,971.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving 65 mph, the driver side tie rod fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver side tie rod needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 09v005000 (steering). the contact stated that the tie rod was replaced three times, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 38,072....updated 02/02/16 *bf *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated while driving at low speeds and trying to make a u-turn the steering wheel became very loose. the vehicle was towed to a dealer who advised her that there was a voluntary recall and repaired the steering drag link bracket. while driving at low speeds she heard a loud thumping noise and couldn't tell where it was coming from. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who advised her that the power steering gear box failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on a back order. the failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the tie rods were worn out and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. on three separate occasions, the tie rods were replaced. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v529000 (steering). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 5,000.

It first started as severe shaking whenever i hit a bump, especially on an curve. the truck would hop and shake and become uncontrollable until i slowed. this still happens but now i also get an uncontrollable wobble whenever i drive at highway speed and there is any kind of incline or bend in the road. only fix is to slow down significantly.. it's dangerous! i've become trained to deal with it but it's certainly unsafe and i always worry that it will happen on a slick road and i won't be able to hold it on the road. i've replaced tires, aligned, balanced, road force balanced and nothing fixes it!

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. the contact stated that the front left tie rod failed which caused excessive wear on the tire. the failure also made it difficult for the contact to control the vehicle. the dealer confirmed the failure, but stated that the component was not under warranty or related to a recall. the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 37,000. updated 3/21/11 *cn updated 04/04/11

When operating the vehicle whether under a load or not, using sustained higher rpm's the steering wheel will freeze up and there is absolutely no steering available. this has happened in the mud pulling a trailer, in snow navigating a little hill and now on the interstate entrance ramp! twice just changing lanes going around 30 mph! the two little times i knew to lower the rpm's very quickly and observed a loud pop noise when the steering wheel let loose. on the entrance ramp to the interstate i came so close to a concrete wall before the steering came back. i took it in to the dealership and they kept it for 3 days. all they said was unable to duplicate. i duplicated it the very next week. along with cold weather stalling at red lights. i do not think they looked at it or took it seriously. the vehicle when it did this in the mud and snow i at first thought it was a rock lodged into the wheel but then later realized it froze up.

Was driving my 2008 dodge ram sxt pickup and while making a left turn on a main road at 40mph the steering wheel locked up. i could not control the vehicle and as the vehicle was crossing into the oncoming lane, applied brakes. the truck crossed the road and spun out on the grass on the opposite side of the road facing 180 degrees from direction of travel. the vehicle came to s a stop against an embankment and had minor damage. if another vehicle had been in the opposite lane this could have been a fatal accident. the vehicle is now at the dealer and i am awaiting a report. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving 45 mph, the contact experienced a violent vibration and the steering column shook. the failures could cause a loss of steering control and restricted ability to turn the vehicle in one direction. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 09e001000 (steering:linkages); however, the failure recurred shortly after the repair. the failure and current mileages were 15,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while driving approximately 55 mph the contact heard a growling and rumbling noise. the contact was unable to determine where the noise was coming from. the contact pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technicians stated the steering gear power box, front shaft, arm drag link, axle joints and seal drive needed to be replaced. the dealer informed the contact that the steering gear box was not available and did not know when it would become available. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact tried contacting the manufacturer but was unable to speak with ta representative. the approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

After speaking to several 2008 dodge ram owners (on dodge forum & face to face) we all have the same concerns with this vehicle. there is a severe handling issue at highway speeds that causes an uncontrollable rear suspension hop. this in turn results in severe handling issues that have led in some cases to spin outs and fishtailing. the newer dodge ram models are equipped with sway bars or anti sway bars so it shows that the engineers recognized the problem. i've spent numerous dollars and time having the tires balanced, rotated and rims checked as well as buying new tires in trying to eliminate this dangerous condition. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. while making a left or right turn at various speeds or when the vehicle is idling, the steering wheel sticks. the vehicle has been to the dealer four times and they replaced the power steering pump and the rack and pinion. the dealer stated that they have another vehicle on their lot that is experiencing the same failure. therefore, they stated that nothing was wrong with the vehicle. after having a conference call with the manufacturer, the dealer informed the contact that they would provide him with a rental until repairs were made. the failure mileage was 1,600 and current mileage was 8,018. updated 07/22/08 *bf the consumer stated there was a delay befoe engagement when shifting the transmission. there was also wind noise. updated 07/24/08

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