2002 Dodge RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD SEPARATED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS, FRONT STEERING, KNUCKLE HUB, ROTOR ASSEMBLY, BRAKE CALIPER, ABS SPEED SENSOR, BRAKE LINE HOSE, WHEEL, AND LUG BOLTS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FENDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

REPLACED RACK AND PINION FOUR TIMES ALONG WITH THE UPPER CONTROL ARM, UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND TIE ROD ENDS. THIS LAST TIME THE BOOTS ON THE RACK AND PINION BUSTED POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOST CAUSING STEERING TO LOCK UP. THE SEVERE UNDERLYING ISSUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS THE LEFT AND RIGHT STEERING KNUCKLES ARE FAULTY CAUSING THE TIRES TO TURN TO FAR WHICH IS CAUSING THE DAMAGE TO THE RACK AND PINION BUSTING WHICH IS CAUSING THE DRAINAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID AND LOCKING UP THE STEERING. *TR

THE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT WAS BOUGHT IN 2006. 2 MONTHS LATER, THE REAR END HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO WARRANTY. (2000.00 OUT OF POCKET). SIX MONTHS LATER, THE FRONT END WENT OUT. (2083.00 OUT OF POCKET). NO MORE PROBLEMS UNTIL 6 MONTHS AGO. HAD TO REPLACE ALL WHEEL BEARINGS AND BRAKES ( 1500.00 OUT OF POCKET) NOW, MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE BRAKES AND FRONT SUSPENSION HAS TO BE REPLACED(ANOTHER 2300.00 OUT OF POCKET) THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF-ROAD. IT HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. DODGE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED,NO RESPONSE. HOW CAN THEY EXPECT US TO KEEP BUYING THEIR VEHICLES, WHEN THEY CAN'T OR WON'T TELL US WHAT IS GOING ON? I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL FOR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 AND I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT THE DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING AND THEN IT BEGAN TO CRACK MORE TO THE POINT OF HAVING NO DASH AT ALL. I DON'T THINK THIS IS JUST A COSMETIC DEFECT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT DOESN'T TAKE A HOARD OF INSPECTORS TO SEE HOW THIS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO OCCUPANTS IN THE TRUCK. LETS JUST FORGET ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE FOR A SECOND, AFTER BUYING A DODGE INTREPID AND HAVE THE MOTOR FAIL AT 60,000 AND I SAID " I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE", BUT I GAVE DODGE A SECOND CHANCE BECAUSE I LIKED THE LOOK OF THE TRUCK INSIDE AND OUT. WITH THAT SAID I DON'T MIND REPLACING THE CONTROL ARMS WHERE THE BALL JOINTS ARE WELDED IN, AT A COST OF 600.00 DOLLARS. WISH I WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THAT TOO, BUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE DASH IS NOT JUSTIFIED AS AN EXPENSE THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. IF I SOLD THIS TRUCK TO SOMEONE I KNOW THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD SAY, "THAT DOESN'T LOOK SAFE AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT ELSE IS UNSAFE WITH THE TRUCK." IT DOES MAKE YOU WONDER ABOUT THE REST OF THE TRUCK, DID THEY CUT CORNERS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE? LET ME ASK NHTSA WHEN YOU GET IN YOUR VEHICLE TO GO HOME AFTER WORK AND YOUR DASH STARTED CRACKING, TO THE POINT OF YOUR SPEAKERS FALLING OUT WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES WOULD YOU FEEL SAFE. THAT'S MY STORY AND I AM STICKING TO IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK EARLY IN THE MORNING, ROADS WERE WET, TEMPERATURE WAS 23 DEGREES. WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROADWAY ABOUT 40 MPH. WAS ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH WHEN TRUCK STARTED TO FISH TAIL SLIGHTLY. REAR OF THE TRUCK SLID SLIGHTLY TOWARD DRIVERS SIDE. I TURNED THE WHEELS SLIGHTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SLIDE AND THEN STARTED TO TURN THE WHEELS BACK THE OTHER DIRECTION AS TRUCK STARTED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. AT THAT POINT I FELT SOMETHING GIVE IN THE FRONT END ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE TRUCK STARTED PULLING ACROSS THE CENTER LINE AND OFF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR A TELEPHONE POLE. I TRIED PUSHING THE BRAKES FULLY, BUT THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I CUT THE WHEELS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT , JUST MISSING THE TELEPHONE POLE. MY FRONT FENDER STRUCK A STEEL POLE FILLED WITH CEMENT NEXT TO A SPLIT RAIL FENCE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS LAYING UNDER THE TRUCK, ONLY HELD ON BY THE TIE ROD END. THIS WAS BY NO MEANS A VERY BAD CASE OF SLIDING AND OVER STEERING. THE UPPER BALL JOINT HAD JUST SEPARATED CAUSING THE TIRE TO BUCKLE UNDER. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED THIS ACCIDENT WITHOUT INJURY OR HAVING MY TRUCK ROLL OVER. I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DODGE DURANGOS WITH THE BALL JOINT SEPARATION AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IT IS THE SAME SUSPENSION PARTS USED IN THE DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCKS. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR