10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

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The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #13

Aug 162001

Ram 3500

  • miles
Consumer states having numerous problems with the brakes, rotors, calipers and the ABS.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #12

Sep 291999

Ram 3500

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While driving at any speed and without warning, applied on brakes and vehicle would pull to the left or right. Dealer has been notified. Dealer has serviced vehicle before for same problem; however has not found remedy for malfunction. Consumer adds after front pads were replaced front/rear brakes continue to lock up. While opposite end wheels roll free. Many attempts made to correct problem, but lock up still happens frequently. Steering seems very loose and is hard to keep vehicle straight. Power steering gear and steering gear box was replaced however truck continues to wander. Driver side seat cushion saggs. Seat bottom cushion replaced. Cab sqwaks on uneven ground. Black smoke from exhaust when cold or warm. Clutch slips. Dealer could not duplicate. Dimmer on dash lights burns fingers. When turning on turn signals, wipers will activate and rapid flash is heard. Difficulty getting into first gear. ABS jams when under a hard stop and during cold start. Lumbar is inoperative. Tranmsission leaking oil. Replaced output shaft seal. Master cylinder replaced. Most gears difficult to engage. Reverse is very stiff. Shifting 2-3rd will cause shifter to lock up and won't move at all. No problem found. Overhead console inoperative and replaced.

- Myrtle Creek, OR, USA

problem #11

Oct 041999

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Front brakes lock up back brakes fail, no brakes on back after brakes were replaced. Consumer adds rear brakes lock up as well. ABS pulsates slowly. Rear brake shoes, master cylinder and proportioning valve were all replaced. However, problem still exists.

- Allyn, WA, USA

problem #10

Aug 181999

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While applying brakes at any speed and without warning vehicle will pull to left until release of brake pedal. Consumer states vehicle will pull to the left when braking and will drift to the right on freeway and brakes are squeaky when braking on stop, dealer replaced calipers, turned rotors and changed brakes, dealer found steering wheel off center, dealer has replaced upper and lower control arms, dealer has adjusted the front end and replaced the rims and tires, vehicle experiences lack of power and engine light has illuminated, vehicle idles high and is experiencing poor fuel economy, when driving on freeway it gets max of 14.5 mpg, smoke also comes out of the exhaust, left side electric mirror glass had fogged, left seat bottom loose, one missing bolt found, left seat trim bezel keeps miming loose won?T stay in seat for seat belt on seat back. Dealer stated that the 2002 models do not have vibration problems due to the suspension being changed to independent.

- Rancho Cardova, CA, USA

problem #9

Feb 212001

(reported on)

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Intermittently brakes lock up whith light pressure. One dealer has duplicated problem, but could not repair it. The master cylinder was found leaking and was replaced, however this did not correct the problem, the front brakes will lock and the rear brakes will roll free, sometimes it is the opposite that occurs, when the ABS grabs, it lets go too long before it grabs again, dealer refuses to diagnose and fix it, Dodge customer hot line left a message for consumer stating not to call them anymore.

- Allyn, WA, USA

problem #8

Jun 122000

Ram 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Catalytic converter went out. Consumer was traveling on the highway and the vehicle just stopped. Also, transmission fluid and oil was leaking from underneath the vehicle. The dealer could not solve the transmission problem, but the vehicle was taken to the dealer 19 times for repair. Water pump was leaking and was replaced. The engine was over heating due to thermostat and gasket failures. The A/C blows warm air due to low pressure switch failure. The driver seat was coming apart. Rear lights blinkers and brakes were not working due to blown fuse. The rear right brake locksup on hand stop. The left door speakers malfunctions.

- Simi Valley, CA, USA

problem #7

Mar 062000

(reported on)

Ram 3500 4WD

  • miles
Vehicle pulls to the right and smokes while braking due to defective brake.

- Napa, CA, USA

problem #6

Jun 281999

Ram 3500 4WD

  • miles
Truck hard to stop, dealer cannot solve consistant brake noise after 2 attemps, I put aftermarket pads on, still did not solve the noise problem. Wrote Chrysler Corp. And explained what had been done, they issued a customer care # and told me that my truck was to receive special attention by the service department and try to fix my problem. When truck was in, dealer contacted star hotline, once seeing aftermarket pads on truck, Chrysler Corp. Refused any furthrer repair. Never mind the dealer has already made two attemps, I made an attemp, and problem still persists and truck has a 3/36,000 mile warrenty.

- Carol Stream, IL, USA

problem #5

Mar 311999

Ram 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
When braking at any speed the truck pulls to the left. The more speed the more violent the pull. Dealership has attempted to fix 4 times to no avail. Dealership says they have other customers with this problem and Dodge denies there is a defect. The dealership has replaced the rotors, pads, and calipers twice. The dealership has put shims in both sides of the front end three times. Please contact me and let me know how I can proceed against the manufacturer.

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #4

Sep 051999

(reported on)

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • miles
At random times when brakes are applied they surge radically and make the truck shutter. In the course of a day it can happen zero to fifteen times, it usually happens every day. It doesn't seem to happen in any one particular braking situation. Whether the brakes are applied heavily or lightly doesn't seem to matter, it just does it whenever. I can be driving on the interstate for a couple of hours, never using the brakes and when I pull off and come to a stop, the brakes surge and the whole truck shutters more than a little. Due to the erratic nature of the occurances, the dealer has failed to pinpoint a specific problem. We have had it into the dealership four times in the last six months, each time they have attempted to fix what they thought might be the problem but to no avail. Due to the fact that the brakes are an integral part of the safety system of the vehicle, this is an area of great concern. I would prefer not to find myself in a situation on an icy road in the mid of winter and needing my ABS system to function properly and it doesn't.

- Ferndale, WA, USA

problem #3

May 111999

Ram 3500

  • miles
While traveling consumer noticed smoke from front tires. Upon trying to make a stop by depressing the brakes, vehicle continued traveling. Consumer made a stop on the side of the highway. Dealer has been contacted.

- Belgrade, MT, USA

problem #2

Oct 271998

Ram 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
This vehicle has been back to the dealer at least three times for repair and the dealer has determined it to be unrepairble, when you depress the brake pedal even when you are hardly moving the steering wheel turns to the right and at highway speeds you change lanes with the slightest pressure on the brake pedal if you aren't holding the steering wheel firmly

- Pleasant Hill, IA, USA

problem #1

Jan 251999

(reported on)

Ram 3500

  • miles
Brake design requires brake adjustments at every oil change, poor performance.

- Fort Walto, FL, USA