Problems with 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 STEERING

Death wobble! this has happened to me to many times to count. i have had the front end of my 2003 dodge ram cummins repaired twice. both times i have had ball joints and tie rods replaced along with axle u joints and followed by alignment. i have also added a dual steering stabilizer system. that has helped a little bit, but it still happens often. the wobble has taken me off the road once at 60 miles per hour. luckily, nobody was hurt. please help if you can. thank you justin hulse.

While driving at 65 +speeds and hitting a bump in the road lost steering wheel control. i called dodge recall hotline and was told my vehicle was not part of the recall. i am fearful driving this truck due to this problem. this happens every time as i have to do freeway driving in order to go shopping..i contacted the dealer where i purchased it and they never answered my inquiry.. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. the contact stated the front end shakes excessively when he drove approximately 45 mph over a bump in the road. the contact is not sure of what the problem is since he has not taken it the vehicle to the dealer. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 100,000.

I have a 2003 dodge ram 2500 diesel 4x4. has a death wobble when i encounter a bump on highway. this wobble almost made me go off the freeway. i have taken it to many mechanics and have spent alot money with no avail. the dealer will give me no answer of how to fix the problem. i do not know whether to contact the b.a.r. or an attorney. i have researched these issues and have found many people with similar issues. *tr

I experienced what dodge owners are calling the "death wobble" today 24 nov 2009 after i had the front u-joints replaced on both front wheels and the u-joints replaced on the rear drive shaft. i contacted davis moore in wichita ks and they seem unconcerned about the problem. i was doing 60 mph on somewhat smooth road. i ran over a seam that where the concrete meets and that's when i got the wobble that nearly drove me into the guard rail. i had experienced it back in july 09 in a turn going over a bridge. i drove over a slight bump in the road and that's what started it. my wife informed me that she experienced it back in april 09 same thing drove over a bump and the wobble started. the wobble today has caused the steering dampener to start leaking. at a cost of $149.00 + tax i will replace it tonight. on all 3 of these occasions we have been lucky enough to be in a 1-lane road either exiting or entering a curve and driving over normal bumps in the road. my incident this morning is first time driving straight no turns or curves. *tr

2003 dodge 2500 4x4 wobbles after hitting a bump at 70mph. this happens only at this speed and when you drive over a bridge. *tr

Death wobble, on many, many occasions exceeding over a dozen. i have replaced numerous front end parts to no avail, including tires and rims. it always occurred at hi-way speeds of 65 mph and above, the best way to describe it is a crash happening with out the bent metal. i am sure this is going to get someone killed if they are an inexperienced driver if it hasn't already, the dead don't talk so to speak, you cant see death wobble after the truck has crashed, you may want to look into the single vehicle fatalities of this make and model of truck i am sure it is high ratio for the amount of vehicles sold, one is unacceptable in my opinion. i could be next. it can happen at any time crossing a bridge, pavement patches, especially dangerous passing slower vehicles like semi-trailers and rv's where you have no where to go but the said vehicles and or bridge wall. this is a terrible issue with these trucks, check internet search engines on death wobble, and this is the truck that comes up, what else do you need before something is done? *tr

Dodge death wobble as its called by most, violent shakes in the front end put me in a ditch. i put up with it for about a year but kept getting worse called dodge and took it to a dealer which in turn charged me $150 to tell me nothing was wrong. took corrective safety actions myself ordered new front end parts $750 from dodge fixed problem with local mechanic. they are aware of it but really do not want to address the issue if at all possible. *tr

There have been numerous forums and blogs reporting this same problem among various owners with different equipment specs. the one thing we all seem to have in common is this problem called death wobble. while driving my truck at highway speeds, if i hit a bump at an angle, the front end would start to shake violently. so violently that i have to let my foot of the gas and coast to a speed that puts my life in danger because i can not safely or reliably steer the truck off the road. it takes everything i've got to keep the truck in the lane i am traveling in. this has happened several times and, each time, i try to get it fixed or have a mechanic look into what is causing the violent shaking. most of the time, the mechanic (about 5 different service stations) can't duplicate the problem. i asked a senior customer service agent with chrysler what they could do. she said that goodwill assistance was declined. i asked her what she meant by that, she said that i don't have a warranty, my truck is 6 years old, i have 80k mileage, and chrysler will not help. i wasn't the one who has declined this proverbial goodwill assistance nor was it in my power. i don't even know why she would bring it up. certainly, if it was offered, i would at least have the option. now i have a truck i'm afraid to drive and no recourse. *tr

I have nearly lost control of my vehicle after driving over an interstate overpass at highway speeds and/or a bump in the road. the first few times it occurred, the feeling was unsettling and not 'normal' - subsequently, when the problem progressed, it was a new level of shaking and wobbling after crossing an overpass with pavement irregularity - the vehicle went into an extremely violent shake and scared all of us in the vehicle. this problem has continued to get worse. i then received a recall for a safety problem in the front end of my vehicle and thought, ok, this problem is being adressed and chrysler is going to fix it. the dealer took the recall notice, said it didn't apply to my truck. then after saying they cannot find anything wrong with the vehicle (and charged me $35) they told me that the shaking was because of my tires. after getting different tires, the problem remains. the violent wobble is extremely dangerous and the local dodge dealer seems to be ignorant of any widespread problem with this. i guess they never searched google, because there are dozens of hits on this exact issue. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge 2500. the contact stated that the wiring harness failed and was repaired under warranty. on a separate occasion, the defroster and windshield wipers failed. while utilizing the driver's side turn signal, the passenger side turn signal would illuminate instead. this failure was also repaired under warranty. in addition, the contact was experiencing very hard vibrations form the front end of the vehicle. he struck a squirrel in the road and nearly lost control of the vehicle due to the vibrations. a local service dealer replaced the steering linkages in the vehicle at the contact's expense. he later received a recall notice for the suspension and excessive vibrations (steering linkages). the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were less than 120,000.

I own a dodge 2003 2500 pickup. death wobble. it starts at 45 to 65 mph a wobble that is so server that you lose control of you pickup. i have replace parts in my frontend and contacted dodge for help.if you review internet this is a big problem. they need to be recall due to dangerous conduction and lemon law. it is said that our tax money went to bail out a co. that wont fix a problem as dangerous as this and we the tax payers or bailing them. please do investigation on this asap. you are the only one that can stop someone from getting killed, and our protactors. it time to do something!! *tr

2003 dodge ram 2500 cracked dashboard. vehicle has 31k miles. power windows malfunctioning, airconditioning blower malfunctioning. dodge dealer will attempt to replace at owners cost. check engine light on for power steering sensor problem. sensor will have to be replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2003 dodge ram 2500. the contact stated that he looses control of the vehicle while driving at any speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the tie rod and ball joint was replaced, but failure was not corrected. the contact continues to loose control of the vehicle. the manufacturer took a report 21276257 and advised the failure was not recalled. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current 100,000.

Death wobble if the truck hits a dip or bump in the road that is uneven/angle the front end starts shaking so violently the entire truck will shake. the shake is so violent that anything in the truck goes flying throughout the truck. the only way to stop the shake is to hit the brakes and bring the truck to 10-20 mph. there is no control over steering during this shaking as the steering wheel takes two hands all your strength to hold on to. there are no front end parts defective or worn which would cause this issue. the shake can occur at speeds from 30 on up. i have had my truck looked at by a mechanic and there is no cause other that a bad design. contacted the dealership i bought the truck from and they have not heard of "death wobble" and state they have no complaints. i have replaced ball joints which did not correct problem. shaking is also becoming more frequent to the point truck can't go on the expressway anymore. *tt

This has happened multiple times since i bought it, starting on the day i bought it (used) in 2008. made it go away for some years, don't know how. combination of tire pressure adjustment, alignment, toe angle? limited myself to driving less than 55 mph. problem happens when you hit a bump just right and it sends one wheel up, and the other down. that wheel then gets bounced up, and sends the other down. it's like dribbling two basketballs, and the whole front end shakes violently. since this happens at highway speeds, it happens on the highway, and the truck is completely uncontrollable during this time. the only way to make it stop is to slow down (remember, you're on the highway) to 40-30 mph. last time i came back from queens, it happened seven times. it just happened again today, 8/14/15. it is dangerous, violent, and a known problem for which dodge has not offered a solution or recall. it is colloquially known as the "dodge death wobble."

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle drove over a pothole and began to shake violently. the dealer named the failure the "death wobble" and stated that there were no recalls for this failure. the manufacturer and dealer would not repair it for free. the current and failure mileages were 77,200. updated 6/9/08 *cn the consumer believed there was a problem with the ball joints,stabilizer, trac bar and alignment. updated 06/09/08

When traveling at highway speeds and i hit a bump in the road with my truck the front end shakes violently. this violent shaking has caused me to almost lose control of the vehicle several times. when the vehicle is slowed down to 40mph or slower the shaking goes away. i have researched this and it is a common problem with this vehicle. it is commonly referred to as "death wobble". *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. the contact stated that his vehicle would not start and the fans for the air conditioner were not working. after he adjusted the steering column, the air conditioner worked. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and they were unable to duplicate the failure. the failure remained and the contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. the dealer stated that the wiring circuits were burned, but they could not determine when the fire occurred. they refused to repair the vehicle for free because it exceeded the warranty. a complaint was filed with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 69,000 and current mileage was 71,000. the consumer stated cuevas informed him the air/heat controls did not work in all positions. updated 12/13/07 *tr

Traveling down freeway at speed of 70 mph passed over overpass hit bump and truck begin shimmying uncontrollably, had to bring truck to complete stop to get shimmying to stop. this has happened many times at speeds about 55 mph hit bumps and truck begins shimmying uncontrollably, have to completely stop vehicle each time. have replaced everything in front end along w/ adjusted air pressure in tires according to service bulletin, nothing seems to work. took to dealer they stated nothing else could be done. truck still has same shimmy and cannot get anything done about it. this needs to be recalled before someone gets seriously injured. *tr

I have a 2003 dodge 2500 pick up, the power steering reservoir is leaking. the dealer told me that this is not a recall item. since this leak could cause a loss of power steering causing an accident,possibly serious, i felt that i should report this problem. my truck has 53xxx miles on it. i think that this is too soon for a problem of this type to be occurring. *nm

03 2500 dodge truck will not come out of park. shift cable replaced by dealer during first service. steering column parts replaced during second service within 2 days. one day later it is stuck again. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. the contact stated that when recovering from making a turn, the steering wheel locks when he attempts to straighten the wheel. the failure causes him to loose control of the vehicle. the failure has occurred approximately forty times. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the vin was unknown. the current mileage is 44,000 and failure mileage was 28,000.

The first occurrence was at 20000 miles, (death wobble), it did not happen for another year. since then it has gotten more frequent, virtually every time i get on the highway. i have upgraded steering linkage to 09'.,new track bar, steering dampner , ball joints and also the gearbox frame brace w/pitnam arm bearing kit. i still have the death wobble. i now have around 58000 mi. i love my truck, just not the wobble, i would not feel right by selling it like this.

Excessive movement in poor quality oem ball joints, along with road feed back through a multi piece, and movable steering shaft and steering column. make this series of truck unsafe, a hazard, and a liability on the road. *nm

Truck shakes after hitting bump at 70 miles per hr. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the power steering pump has failed four times. this occurs at no particular speed. the first three times, an independent repair shop installed a refurbished pump. the pumps have continued to fail. the vehicle is at the repair shop awaiting a new pump. updated 05/22/06. *jb

This pickup has the terrible "death wobble" in the steering when you drive over a bump pr rib in road,starting unexpected and jerking the wheel so hard that you can not hold the wheel! i plan to buy this pu from my employer and i wanted it fixed by dodge because it has always had this terrible safety problem from the factory! to verify this,[xxx] owns it and his # is [xxx]. thanks,[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

2003 dodge ram 2500 quadcab 4x4 p/u goes into an uncontrollable front end wobble after hitting a bump in the road but only while traveling in excess of 60 mph, i have had new tires put on, front end checked, aligned, new front steering damper, new rt front ball joint and hub assembly. *nm

I own a 2003 dodge ram 2500 pickup truck. four wheel drive with a diesel engine. vehicle has 30,000 miles. on 2 december 2005, while driving to work with out any warning the steering locked, rendering me helpless unable to steer the vehicle. after i was able to get the vehicle to a safe location i attempted to test the steering. the steering wheel would not steer to the right of center. it will steer to the left but seems to have a diminished power assist performance at first. while cycling the steering system several times the power assist to the left improves. however once the steering reaches the center point to the right the steering locks and would not go any further right of center. the vehicle is currently at dominion dodge service rep 1259 e. main street salem virginia, and they have determined that the steering gear box has failed. although it is very possible that a component of this type could fail, in the 30 years as an automotive mechanic and a master in hydraulic systems technology i have yet seen or heard of a steering gear box failure that would render a vehicle completely incapable of controlling steering. most of my experience in this field is usually worn component that cause poor performance in the steering capability. usually this occurs at greater than 100,000 miles, not at 30,0000. *nm

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. while driving at 65 mph, the contact drove over a pothole and the steering wheel began to vibrate. the vehicle was taken to multiple dealers and independent mechanics who were unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v528000 (steering). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 10,000.

Dt: the consumer stated that the tie rod on the front driver's side broke on the 2003 dodge ram 3500 while driving 20 mph. the driver did not notice anything different about the driving before this happened. the steering was gone and the truck wasundriveable. the consumer had to call a tow truck to pick up the truck and take it to a dealer. the dealer said that was the first tie rod that broke. there were no injuries. the consumer was going to have it repaired. the dealer said that is was not under warranty. the dealer was not going to help with any expenses. the manufacturer has not been contacted at this point. *ak

2003 dodge 2500 quad cab 4x4. diesel: when driving on interstate highways it becomes very difficult to steer and control after hitting a rough spot in the roadway and a rough bridge. does not do it all of the time so you never know when to expect it. the only way to stop the problem is to slow way down, at least 25 to 30 mph slower. it did not start doing this until about 200 miles over the factory bumper to bumper warranty. local dealer thought it was due to rotating tires and the tires being out of balance. i had tires re-balanced and also install a new mopar steering strut and it still does it. it is very dangerous and i am afraid to pull my 21 ft boat now. my wife will no longer drive it either. there needs to be some kind of factory recall before lives and property are lost!! *jb

Vehicle was driving at 55mph when suddenly complete loss of steering occurred and brakes locked simultaniously causing vehicle to spin out of control into oncoming traffic. no accident occurred although oncoming traffic also spun out of control to avoid accident. engine never died and when vehicle stopped itself steering and brakes returned to what appeared to be normal. driver was to shaken to continue and her brother took over. he re-entered highway and slowly accelerated watching gauges to look for abnormal occurances. when vehicle reached 45mph oil pressure guage jumped all the way to top reading, complete loss of steering re-occurred, and brakes locked again causing vehicle to spin again out of control. vehicle was towed to nearest dealer where dealer said they had never heard of that happening. contacted chrysler where they said they had no record of that happening. perhaps because the people are all dead? whatever causes this sequence of events to be able to occur should be of major concern to the people at chrysler. the vehicle is under warranty but since no one seems to understand how this could happen how do i ever put my family back in this truck again much less hook up our horse trailer to it?

I was driving at freeway speed 75 mph when i hit a small washboard type bump, my 2003 dodge 4x4 2500 diesel (with 39,000 miles) began swerving so violently i could hardly hang on to the wheel. we nearly ran off the road and just missed the semi next to us. it was so bad, my wife's head was hitting against the passenger window. we had to slam on the brakes & come to a speed of 30 mph to get it to stop. it seemed to drive fine until we could get it to the dealership in grand junction, who diagnosed it as a bad tie rod end. replaced that,, and sent us on our way. we again began driving down the freeway, pulling a small cargo trailer when it happened again. this time it was so much worse while i tried to hang on to the wheel that i could hardly focus my eyes and again my wife's head smashing against the passenger window with this violent shaking. we took the truck to the dodge dealership in st. george, ut where they reported there were several things they could do, but couldn't guaranty that it would fix the problem. did comment that they were well aware of this problem with these trucks and the service team in slc, ut had named it "the death wobble". i questioned why there is not a recall if it is so common, but he had no answer. he stated most of the people who had this problem 'just got rid of the truck' in other words some other fool has it. this is going to kill someone if not remedied. as a matter of fact, my small wife would have never had the strength to hang on to that wheel & we would be dealing with a crash or death instead of this letter.*ak

In 3/05 began to wobble in front end when traveling at higher speeds. assumed tire and alignment issue, tires replaced computerized wheel balance & front-end alignment. 8/05 vehicle in for tire rotation wheel balance and alignment periodically when traveling higher speeds continued wobble. 4/06 rotation and alignment done again. wobble continued periodically at higher rates of speed, corrected self if you slowed down and resumed travel. 1/07 wheel balance, tire rotation and alignment done. in 07 wobble continued, end of 07 occurred more frequently. 1/08 goodyear found steering stabilizer needed to be replaced. service performed along with new tires, wheel balance and alignment. advised this should take care of the wobble. end of 08 wobble began again. 5/09 truck in for tire rotation, wheel balance and alignment. 6/09 wobble continued truck repaired at sunrise auto all upper and lower ball joints and axle seal replaced and alignment. 9/09 truck recalled for steering linkage done at deland chrysler 9/10/09. 5/10 tire rotation wheel balance and alignment done as wobble continued periodically at higher rates of speed. 11/2/10 wobble increased truck to steve's auto and had u-joint, shocks and stabilizer links replaced. wobble continued to occur periodically. 2/26/11 replaced shocks again with heavier duty shocks balanced tires. wobble continues. 3/9/11 replaced right front hub assemble. wobble worsening - 10/11 son-in-law was using vehicle and wobble so bad almost lost control of vehicle. took vehicle to tires plus who advised me to take it directly to chrysler dealer related to "death wobble". immediately to chrysler was advised they knew exactly what i was talking about stated that chrysler re-designed steering linkage. cost $908.24 had to replace my tires as the wobble ruined tires plus another alignment. appears to have been resolved. *kb

Dt: the contact stated there was excessive play within the steering and a shimmy in the front right tire at speeds of 65 mph. the truck could strike a bump in the road and there would be complete loss of control. the vehicle has been to a dealer for inspection of this problem. the dealer discovered the right front tire was about to fall off. also, he noted that the pitman arm, tie rod, and stabilizer bar needed to be replaced. no repairs were performed due to the expense. she contacted the manufacturer, but they did not offer any cost assistance. *ak

(1) driving on freeway at 75 mph speed limit. hit ruts in road left from semis. tires started bouncing. truck went out of control. i thought i had multiple blowouts. struggled to pull over without hitting anyone else. got truck stopped and got out and looked at tires. no damage to tires. researched symtoms on-line when home again, discovered what is being called "death wobble". took truck to alignment shop today and they informed me they cannot align because all of my ball joints have way to much play and tie rod ends are worn out. further research done today on dodge owners websites and have found that many others are having "death wobble" issues and bad ball joints, but dodge is not replacing them because they state play is acceptable. (2) this failure is one of the most scary things i have ever encountered while driving a vehicle. twenty minutes earlier i was towing my travel trailer behind me and i think if this would have happened with the trailer on i would have not been able to control the truck. i am terrified of it happening again. (3) i have not had any parts replaced yet do to the weekend, but i will be calling a second shop on moday for a second opinion and pricing to have the parts replaced. my family means to much to me to wait for a recall from dodge on these ball joints. i do know that they just recalled durangos and dakotas for the same reason and in my opinion, they should recall full sized trucks as well. this condition could have very serious consequences up to and including death, with the vehicle going out of control at freeway speeds. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. the vehicle's front end vibrated uncontrollably when driving on uneven pavement. the contact must come to a complete stop when the vibration occurs. the dealer stated the steering booster damper, outer links, and tire kit could all be possible causes for the failure. chrysler stated that there were no flags related to the vehicle's failures. the current mileage was 77,000, and failure mileage were 35,000.*ak

Problem seems to occur more frequently on interstate or highway at speeds of over 65 mph. when vehicle hits a bump a certain way it begins to bounce and sway very violently. so much so that it throws you into other lanes. you have to slow to less than 50 mph to get it to stop. nothing has been done to correct this. local dealers have been unable to locate problem. this problem will cause fatalities if the problem isnt solved soon.*ak

Truck is unsafe to drive on freeway and had to trade off due to dealer not wanting to repair .this is a know problem since 2000 with several different trucks and everytime dealer gives you deer in headlights look. factory needs to recall all these trucks before people get killed!trade truck in due to being unsafe i know of 2 other trucks doing the same and not corrected by factory.*ak

I had sears align tires on my dodge. they described problems with ball joint, tie rod and bearing on my 2003 dodge. chrysler will not replace parts that are showing excessive wear on this 1.5 year old truck as they did not diagnose problem before warranty expiration. *ak

While driving at any speed consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front. abs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. *ak

Truck starts to shake violently when driving at 75 mph over, over passes and tends to loose control of steering. has happend several times.

My 2003 dodge ram 2500 steering shudders uncontrollably when you hit a bump at highway speeds. directional control is difficult while this is happening. this happened while traveling at 75 mph, and sent the truck into the other lane, nearly causing an accident. could not get the shaking to stop until truck dropped to 35 mph. the dealership says that one other customer is having the same problem. they checked all the steering components and said everything was good. this is very dangerous, and should be checked out further. *la

My automobile is unsafe, i almost wrecked thursday with my children with me. it very scary and i am afraid to drive it any more. we have been through arbitration twice and been denied. we have two dealerships that have driven it and says it is unsafe and needs to be removed from the highways. i have contacted daimler chrysler and they have refused to cooperate with us. please call me at [xxx]. *la information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I drive a 2003 ram 2500 quad cab pickup. several times while driving this vehicle at highway speeds i have come to a bump in the road, (sometimes just a repair left after construction), and nearly lost control of the vehicle. the steering wheel becomes loose feeling, and the vehicle actually looses contact with the roadway. i fear having this happen someplace where there are other vehicles in close quarters. i have taken the vehicle in to the service department where i purchased it. my service manager admits he has had this same experience in a demo vehicle he drove. he lowered the tire pressure (way below what i thought was recommended). this does help some, but it doesn't completely fix the problem. i also worry about driving on underinflated tires. this has happened numerous times, with the most recent being today.*ak

My 2003 dodge ram 2500 steering shudders uncontrolably when you hit a bump at highway speeds. directional control is difficultwhile this is happening. the dealership says that one other customer is having the same problem. they thought that they had fixed it by replacing the steering dampener, but he had it happen again and spun out of control.*ak

Uncontrolled wobble of front wheels on 2003 dodge ram heavy duty truck due to worn ball joints and steering components, i'm told these are the same ball joints used on the durango. *ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. while driving in snow at approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel seized and required excessive force. the contact crashed into guard rails. the vehicle sustained front end, passenger, and rear end damage. a police report was not filed and there were no injuries. the vehicle was not repaired. on another occasion, when the vehicle was shifted into park with the engine running, the gear independently shifted into reverse. the contact placed the vehicle into park and shut off the vehicle engine. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be determined. an alarm system was applied to the vehicle to alert the driver of independent gear changes, but the failure persisted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the vehicle was unsafe to operate. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 20.