2.4

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
62,314 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2003 Dodge Ram 3500 suspension problems

suspension problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2003 Dodge Ram 3500 Owner Comments

problem #7

Jan 072009

Ram 3500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2003 Dodge 3500 4X4 started about a year and a half ago, shaking very violently when you drive over a bump or uneven place in the highway and you're driving over 50 mph. I took it to a repair shop and they replaced the stabilizer shock and track bar bushings along with two rotors and hub seals. Still it continued to shake. I now have taken it and again had that replaced along with having a kit of fixes the Dodge dealership sells that is supposed to be a fix for this problem and a lot of other things, still it did not fix it. My mechanic was at his wits end and searched the internet where he found over two million sites for people experiencing the same problem with no apparent fix. I have spent over $1500 and it still shakes violently. I use my truck to pull loads and now I'm afraid to pull anything with it. I bought the truck brand new and had not had any trouble, except of course with the injectors which is another story, until now. If you do a search of Dodge death shake, you will find there are millions of us out there. This is unbelievable how it can literally shake the steering wheel loose from your hand and take the vehicle off the highway. This very dangerous and I'm afraid Dodge is trying to skirt the issue of a possible design flaw in the frame and suspension. All these trucks are bought to carry a load and I at times was pulling over 25,000 lbs. Of cattle and the thought of having this happen then, would be a recipe for disaster. Is it going to take someone getting killed to make Dodge responsible for this? when there are so many of us, I think it is a definite design flaw and a very dangerous one.

- Ravenna, TX, USA

problem #6

Oct 262009

Ram 3500

  • 99,000 miles
I have the death wobble in my front end. Hit a bump at 55 mph + and the front end shakes so bad your forced to almost come to a stop. The dealer stated my drag link /tie rod assembly, steering gears and pittman arm are bad. I have never pulled carried an rv, never driven off road and keep my vehicles maintained per the manufacture. Specs. Why are these parts defective at 99K miles. Check the Dodge forums and you'll find a great many other owners in my position with way less miles. This is a defect, plain and simple.

- Wasilla, AK, USA

problem #5

Oct 172009

Ram 3500

  • 98,900 miles
Death wobble, front end shake.

- Wasilla, AK, USA

problem #4

Aug 022009

Ram 3500

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The death wobble has happen several times- the last time was Aug 2nd, 2009 on the freeway going 75mph passing a semi trailer, we hit a bump in the road the truck began to shake violently, my husband was trying to control this shake while going 75mph- it would not stop until we slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road. We almost cause an accident but thanks to my husband excellent driving skills he was able to avoid an accident. We have replace tierods, ball joints, steering box, tires, shocks, and more. I am afraid to get back into this truck.

- Surprise, AZ, USA

problem #3

May 172009

Ram 3500

  • 45,000 miles
Upper and lower ball joints have been replaced 6 times. During the most recent replacement mechanic determined the problem to be an irregularity in the machining process which prevents the upper ball joints from tightening properly, thus causing the failure of the new ball joints and universal which as also been replaced twice. I consider this an extremely serious safety concern which could result in a serious accident or death if it were to occur on a major highway at 55 mph.

- Reedsville, PA, USA

problem #2

Oct 212006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles
2003 3500 drw 4X4 diesel while traveling on improved roads/hiways above 40 mph vehicle hits pothole, expansion joint or uneven roadway, front end starts to jump violently, whole vehicle rattles and shakes until brakes are applied, service tech. From Dodge dealer was present during duplication of event, has been in shop for over 1 week and they have replaced tie rod ends and ball joints and problem still exists, contacted damiler/Chrysler and they state that customer replaced shocks with aftermarket product. Vehicle unusable in this condition, very good possibility of injury or death as a result of this problem

- Plant City, FL, USA

problem #1

Apr 192006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • 48,300 miles
Upper & lower ball joints and bearings of the front suspension on a Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 truck. Much like the Dodge Dakota trucks and the Dodge durango.

- Wood River, NE, USA

Not what you are looking for?