This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
In the past few years air bags have been the Focus of the largest safety recall in the nation, if not the world. The problem is that small sharp pieces of metal or plastic can act like shrapnel in the case of an accident when the air bags deploy, showering the occupants with possible deadly debris. A similar situation exists with the dash of the 2003 Dodge Ram. Made of an inferior plastic, the 2003 dash begins to crack, splinter and disintegrate leaving unsightly holes. The holes are not merely cosmetic, they are created by the plastic dash cracking and creating sharp plastic shards which could act very much like the shrapnel from the air bags. The problem is potentially much greater as the cracked and hole ridden dash no longer prevents objects from falling into the dash and getting lodged behind the instrument panel. This has the possibility of causing a short circuit which could result in a fire or even inadvertently and unexpectedly turn off the vehicle, which coincidently is also another major recall issue (GM ignition).
Since I purchased this vehicle in 2012, the dash board has been so severely cracked that there are sharp edges exposed. The previous owner had a carpet dash cover on the dash. Directly above the passenger airbag the lip of the dash is cracked from the airbag all the way to the windshield. I am afraid of that cracked piece being projected by the airbag during an accident and injuring a passenger. All of the cracks are straight lines, most running front to back. This indicates that it was inferior plastic or manufacturing process that caused the plastic to crack this direction, or that the dash is not properly supported underneath. Plastic cracks from sun damage tend to be "spider web" type of cracks....updated 09/22/15 updated 12/11/2015
The dashboard of my 2003 Dodge Ram is falling apart. It has to many cracks to count and pieces are falling off the dash and into my lap while driving. I am scared that these cracked pieces will fall off and puncture my skin and cause damage to my health. I have contacted my dealer and they tell me its to bad the vehicle is out of warranty. It is to expensive for me to replace. I just don't want to have to take legal actions when I get injured by flying debris created by Chrysler inferior product!
The dash board developed it's firt crack in may or April of 2011, since then it continues to crack. If it continues to crack I fear that small pieces will dislodge which may create a hazard for any occupant in the vehicle. Such as a piece lodging in their eye and possible loss of eye sight.
I purchased the truck with 124,000 miles and noticed the dash was cracked on my drive from Tennessee back to Florida. It makes noise, looks like crap, and keeps me from setting anything on the dash board. This is something that is veryyyyyyyyyyyyy common on Dodge, if not a right of passage. They need to address the issues and step up and take care of Dodge owners. Dodge, you were cheap on the manufacturing, now you need to make it right.
- Odessa, FL, USA
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Dash cracked and falling apart. Started with one crack and now have multiple cracks and is falling apart. Pieces may cause injury in the event of an accident.
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.
Dash has cracked from windshield to top of airbag, passenger side left of airbag. Now hole in top of dash the size of golf ball and dash constantly creeks and pops while driving.
Traveling home from work on I-65 near elizabethtown, ky when all of a sudden my vehicle went to 90 mph within seconds. I first tried to hit the brake to take off the cruise, that did nothing, I then pushed in the clutch and the engine screamed and the speakers blew, still going 90 mph I manually turned off the cruise and that slowed it down. There is a recall, but Dodge/Chrysler will not honor because the ECM needs replaced not reprogrammed. Dodge wants $3,473 from me to fix. My truck according to Dodge had the recall done, but obviously the problem is not fixed. I don't want to die or kill someone if my truck goes out of control again. I don't think it should matter if it needs reprogrammed or replaced. A recall is a recall and admits to a problem. This recall refers to vehicle speed control recall#69118 called Chrysler 18007638422 spoke to brian BO52 and local dealer swope Dodge in E-town they ran a test to find the problem which is the ECM needed "replaced". this would not need replaced if the speed control worked properly. Thank you
Driving in freezing fog and defrost would not work. It does not work any of the time. Saw dealership who refused to fix defrost even though it has been known since 2003 that the defrost in the Dodge 2003 pickup has a faulty component.
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact noticed two long cracks on the dashboard above the instrument panel. The dealer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and they refused to repair it. The contact felt that this was a manufacturers defect. The current and failure mileages were 87,000.
Bought brand new 2003 Dodge Ram pickup from raymond Dodge. Truck started stalling during driving at all types of speeds, truck stalls when idoling, and when after reversing shifting into drive. 04-27-04 18995 miles- customer states truck stalls / corrected, by updating the flash module 09-21-04 29821 miles- customer states car stalls hard to restart / test drove and found no condition present, checked codes none present 12-13-04 32380 miles- customer states stalls while driving, hard to restart, / replaced oil pan, removed accumlator piston and was ok at time, could not duplicate customer concern, replaced the transmission filter while inspecting the accumlator piston. 04-08-05 36028 miles customer states stalls while drives and stops. / test drove could not duplicate problem, updates are all current no parts replaced. 04-12-05 36079 miles took back to dealer for 5th time for the stalling, power steering locks up and no brakes, my son and I were almost hit for the 2nd time due to the staling. Raymond Dodge could not find anything wrong with it. Been taking it to weathers Dodge in lima pa they cannot duplicate anything wrong with it either. 5 times in 1 year time. It is a safety hazard and they are not fixing the problem.
On air filter box, air gauge minder fell off without notice. This caused the vehicle to be driven with unfiltered air getting to the engine... possibly causing severe damage.
We bought our 2003 Dodge 2500 diesel Ram pickup on January 25, 2003 with 10 miles on it. We noticed it pulled to the right and once in awhile would shake a little, we thought it was out of alignment. On April 27, 2003 we where driving on the freeway at about 80 miles per hour when all of a sudden the truck was violently shaking back and forth. It took everything my husband had to keep us on the road. After what seemed like an eternity he was able to pull onto the shoulder and get it stopped. We decided to try to get to the next town that was 20 miles away. Traveling at 40 M.P.H. with our flashers on, it happened again. My husband called the tow truck, and we haven't seen our truck since! the mechanic said a bolt on the track bar mount had come loose and fell out and they would need to replace the entire front axle. Spoke to the mechanic today and they received the front axle today. Now they need to replace the ball joints, they have been ordered and will take another couple of days. I have spoken to a couple of mechanics today and none of them can figure out why the front axle along with the ball joints would need to be replace because of the loose track bar mount. You can find this on the NHTSA website, sorry I don't have the exact website address. www.NHTSA.dot.gov once in the website go to: Complaint search criteria: Vehicle 2003 Dodge truck
To whom it may concern, we recently purchased a Dodge quad-cab pickup from East tulsa Dodge in tulsa, Oklahoma. We purchased it at night, the next day we noticed blemishes/flaws in the paint. We brought it to the dealership's attention they admitted that it is in fact a factory defective paint job. The daimler Chrysler district rep. Looked at the vehicle and he too admitted that it is a factory defective paint job but he only belittled me and insinuated that I was only being picky. His words were those blemishes aren't going to do anything as if to say why can't you just live it?? if you can do anything at all to help us we would be so grateful! thank you so much for any help, clifford B. rodgers 329 N. date St. Jenks, Oklahoma 74037 (918)-260-8645 (918)-299-6149 email address kipanddebbie@aol.com
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Fort Worth, TX, USA