Problems with 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500 diesel. the contact was driving 55 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact stated that when the failure occurred, he was unable to engage the power steering or brakes. the contact believed that the failure was a safety hazard. the contact stated that he experienced the same failure on a 2004 ram 2500 and it was found that the fuel pump had failed and that caused the vehicle to stall sporadically. the vehicle was not inspected for the failure. the failure and current mileages were 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge 2500. the contact stated whenever he is driving at any speed the vehicle goes to idle and stops in the middle of the road. the vehicle was pulled off to the side of the road turned off and on and in a few seconds the engine restarted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated they would repair the failure for $1000. the dodge manufacturer was called and they stated there was no failure and no recall for this problem. the failure mileage was 170,000. updated 11/10/10.*lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge 2500. the contact stated that the scent of oil was detected in and outside the vehicle when it was running. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the gaseous aroma was confirmed. the dealer stated that the scent was from the engine crankcase venting system. the contact called the manufacturer, and was told that there were no prior complaints. therefore, the manufacturer could not provide the contact with a remedy or any additional information. the current and failure mileage were 31,000.*ak

Radiator failed on 2003 dodge ram 2500 hemi 4x4 at 51,000 miles. vehicle has a 7/70 drivetrain warranty, however chrysler said that the radiator was not covered. chrysler had me "participate" in the repair by having me pay $150. dealer would not tell me what was wrong with the radiator. i had to call chrysler corporate and find out what was wrong with it. they admitted that it was a manufacturing defect. *ak

Tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 05v462000 (power train) and 15v312000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect. updated 08/17/16*lj the consumer stated the transmission failed at 2,500 miles. the ball joints and water pump failed and the windshield leaked. updated 10/26/16.*jb

2003 dodge ram 2500 hemi engine stalls out. now truck is in garage because valve spring broke,causing piston and valve failure. dodge dealer would not check all cylinders only the one with problem. 2 weeks passed finally parts are in and they are replacing what broke. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge 2500. while coasting at 25 mph, the engine was quiet and all of the warning indicator lights illuminated. there was a loss of power steering and brakes. the vehicle restarted after being shifted into neutral. the dealer replaced the injector pump that was mounted on the engine block and installed a new fuel pump in the gas tank. the failure recurred after two weeks. the failure mileage was 12,000 and current mileage was 90,000. updated 04/02/08. *lj

I have a 2003 dodge ram 2500 with the cummins diesel engine. with the air conditioning system off, but the ventilation (heat or just cool outside air) on, i have diesel exhaust fumes entering the cab of the vehicle when idling or moving at very slow speeds. the condition goes away with the a/c on or with the vents in the "recirculate" position - i.e. not drawing outside air in. the smell and gasses are dangerous for any extended period of time and could cause an accident if i breathe them for a long period of time and then attempt to drive.*ak

The consumer has an on going problem with decelerating when driving 40 mph or more. the vehicle has been to three different dealers on five separate occasions. the computer has been reprogrammed three times, they replaced the throttle sensor and the map sensor and the problem still exists. *jb

Ohara motors - 5 star dodge dealership in falmouth ma. cannot fix my defective 03 hemi ram. truck was bought new from them last year, and has been back to the dealership twice for the sme 2 problems - and each time i have had to take the truck back with the problem not being fixed. truck has had a ticking sound that has gotten so loud, it now sounds like a sewing machine at idle. also, truck has a driveline vibration that has gone from subtle, to extremely and obnoxiously bad. ohara says that chrysler may have a solution in 90 days or so, and that i have to live with this! i want my money back, i have lost time at work, money, and lots of aggravation. i feel with a 7 yr.70k warranty, i should not have to 'live' with this problem. please help me!

The fly wheel and the clutch assembly separated and blew off, while driving between 30-40 mph. when this occurred, a part of the clutch assembly became lodged in the floor on the driver's side, and almost severed the driver's foot. also, this failure destroyed the engine block, the entire clutch assembly, bell housing and the transmission. a factory district rep,. came out to inspect the vehicle, but didn't provide a sensible reason for what caused the failure. *jb

The engine misfires and almost stalls. i have to pull into safe area and rev engine to restore power. this is not always convenient, like when it happened going up the mississippi river bridge on i-10 in heavy traffic with an eighteen wheeler behind me doing 70 mph. i have reported problem to dealer but they unable to help because no codes are generated by the computer. they claim that they are not familiar with this type of problem and my experience is unique. on a related/unrelated matter, the muffler has turned blue from overheating and they have told me that this is normal even though it appears like there is a restriction/obstruction in the muffler. *jb

Carbon monoxide was getting into the vehicle when air conditioner or heater was used. a dealer inspected the vehicle on 4 separate occasions, and they were unable to locate the problem.*ak

The fumes from the exhaust pipe entered the cabin of the vehicle from the climate control system. the fumes were coming from the blow down pipe which comes off the crank casing of the engine. when the cooling fan was in use it blew the fumes into the climate control , thus blowing it into the cabin of the vehicle. the dealership has installed a rubber pipe on the end of the blow down pipe, that leads under the main cab of the vehicle, so now when the vehicle is at a complete stop, with the window open, the fumes are coming through the window. also at 15,000, when the brake pedal is depressed while driving at high speeds, the vehicle jerks forward and the fails to stop immediately. this occurred because the brake rotors were warped. *nm

Problems with defective brakes on a 2003 dodge ram. *mr the brakes would self engage while the vehicle was in motion, nearly causing accidents, the a/c was always inoperative blowing out hot air, the a/c compressor made a clunking noise when engaged, the vehicle had been back to the dealer for major engine repairs, a broken piston rod was found and could have been the cause for the engine knocking, there was a vibration upon acceleration. *sc *jb