2002 Dodge RAM 1500

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE HEATING AND COOLING COMPONENTS IN THIS TRUCK IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. LAST YEAR I STARTED HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE HEAT/AC NOT WORKING UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE UP POSITION. I HAD ALL THE PARTS TO THE CONTROL BOARD BEHIND THE DASH REPLACED, ALL NEW KNOBS, ETC. STILL DIDN'T WORK. THEN WE STARTED DIVING INTO THESE SITES THAT TALK ABOUT ALL/ANY ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK. SO WE SEE THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE REGISTER IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WELL THAT WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND NOW, AGAIN, IF I WANT AC/HEAT I HAVE TO RAISE THE STEERING UP AND DRIVE. NOT VERY SAFE!! ARE DEALERSHIPS HONORING RECALLS FOR THIS PART STILL? WHAT ABOUT ALL THE WIRING? DOES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED TO STOP THE CONSTANT BLOWING UP OF THE REGISTER? THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING TRUCK BUT THE MONEY DUMPED INTO IT TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD IS OUTRAGEOUS. I COULD HAVE PURCHASED TWO TRUCKS BY NOW. *TR

AIR CONDITIONING WORKS FINE, AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR INTERSECTIONS, THE A/C GETS WARM, AS IF THE CONDENSER IS NOT WORKING. WHEN STARTING UP AGAIN, IT GETS COLD AFTER A BIT OF TIME. SEARCHED THE INTERNET, AND FOUND THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT OCCURS OFTEN, AND MANY SAID CHECK THE FUSE #39. ON AUG. 1, I CHECKED THE FUSE, AND FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS OF THE FUSE HAD MELTED ONTO THE SPOT IT WAS PLUGGED INTO. ALL OF THE OTHER FUSES SEEM TO BE FINE, BUT THERE IS A TINY CHUNK OF METAL I CANNOT REMOVE FROM THE FUSEBOX TO PLUG IN ANOTHER FUSE, NOR DO I WANT TO PLUG IN ANOTHER FUSE, AS I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PREVIOUS ONE MELTED. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS COVERED IN ANY RECALLS. ALSO, WHEN I TRIED TO HAVE THE TRUCK INSPECTED, IT FAILED FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS LISTED IN THE POSSIBLE CAUSE LIST FOR THE CODE THAT REGISTERED IN THE INSPECTION MACHINE. *TR

MY 2002 RAM VAN 1500 6 CYL ENGINE FAILED STATE REQUIRED SMOG CHECK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON PRIOR TO THIS. THE SMOG REPORT SHOWED 3 CYLINDERS OUT OF 6 WERE MISFIRING. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS DAMAGED VALVES AND LOST COMPRESSION. AFTER THE MECHANIC OPENED THE ENGINE HE FOUND BOTH HEADS TO BE CRACKED. HE ALSO FOUND PROBLEMS WITH THE WATER PUMP AND RADIATOR. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $3100. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF 1500 ENGINES THAT FAILED FOR THE SAME REASON. AS WITH THE OTHER OWNERS I CHANGED MY OIL AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. I HAD A 1997 1500 IN WHICH THE SAME THING HAPPENED. DODGE DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND BLAMES THE SLUDGE BUILD UP ON POOR MAINTENANCE. SINCE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I WAS FORCED TO REPAIR IT. THERE SHOULD BE A NATIONAL RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE'S ENGINE AND I SHOULD GET REIMBURSED BY DODGE FOR THE REPAIRS. I UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO REPAIR THE ENGINE BUT FEAR THAT THE DESIGN DEFECT WILL RESULT IN SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE SAME NATURE. DODGE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. PLEASE HELP. *TR

MY DASH ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM HAS BEEN FALLING APART AND DROPPING INTO MY VENTS. IT IS SO BAD I HAD TO PUT CARPET OVER IT. NOW I'M HAVING HEATER REPAIRS DONE ON IT. I CALLED DODGE AND THEY WON'T DO A THANG ABOUT IT. I HAVE KIDS AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE CUT THEMSELVES ON THE SHARP PIECES ON THE DASH. I HAD TO TAKE ONE TO THE DR. DODGE NEEDS TO FIX THIS ON ALL THE TRUCK DASHES NOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE ALERTED HER THAT THE RADIATOR HOSE BLEW. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW THE DETAILS IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BURN COOLANT AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE AND THE ENGINE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

VEHICLES ARE KNOWN TO RUN HOT, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HEADGASKET, I AM TOLD. THE RACK AND PINION LEAKS AND HAS TO BE WATCHED. THEY ARE BAD TO HAVE DEAD CYLINDERS I AM NOT SURE WHEN THIS FIRST WAS A PROBLEM, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AUTO COMPANY HAS MADE CORRECTIONS TO NEWER VEHICLES FOR THESE FAULTY COMPONENTS WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OF OWNERS. *KB

UPPER RADIATOR HOSE BLEW-OUT,@42,000 MILES , AFTER REPLACING INCREASE IN ENGINE TEMP. REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR, TEMP REMAINED ELEVATED. VEHICLE NEVER OVERHEATED. ENGINE VALVES STARTED TAPPING, ANTIFREEZE ACCUMULATION ON THE INSIDE OF ENGINE OIL CAP. BAD HEADGASKETS. ENGINE OIL & FILTER CHANGED EVERY 2500 MILES. NOW WITH THE WARM WEATHER, ONLY OCCASIONAL ENGINE TAPPING AND NO ANTIFREEZE ON THE INSIDE OF ENGINE OIL CAP. HEAD GASKETS MUST BE LEAKING OR SHRINKAGE OF THE GASKETS WITH THE COLD WEATHER. CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS! CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE DODGE VEHICLE OWNERS WITH THE 4.7 LITRE ENGINE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. POOR ENGINE DESIGN, THIN WALLED ENGINE BLOCK, LUBRICATION HOLES IN ROCKER ARMS NOT DRILLED IN CORRECT LOCATION= CHECK REPLACEMENT ROCKER ARMS AS OPPOSED TO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THIS IS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP 4.7 ENG 43,000 MILES. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE A ENGINE RECALL AND REPLACED THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AS THEY WERE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEN DISCONTINUED, I WONDER WHY!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A TICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE VALVE HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.