2002 Dodge RAM 2500

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 QUAD CAB DIESEL. WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE STEERING SHAFT BROKE. PRIOR TO THIS SHE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, BUT THEY NEVER COULD DETECT WHERE THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED. THE VEHICLE IS CUFRRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE STEERING GEA RBOX SHAFT. DURING AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. HE LOST FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY HE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT. WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST AT THE TIME. *AK

DT: 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 HD QUAD CAB 4 WHEEL DRIVE SLT. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR NOT HAVING ANY POWER. THIS HAPPENED MAINLY WHEN TOWING A TRAILER. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE TRUCK THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP AND FUEL PUMP. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES LAST YEAR. THE DEALER SAID THAT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT PROGRAMMED FOR THE SIZE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO, TURBO- CHARGER WAS BAD, AND THEY REPLACED IT, BUT, IT DID NOT WORK. TOOK BACK VEHICLE O DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED ALL PARTS AGAIN. THE LAST TIME THAT CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO BE DONE. THIS VEHICLE HAS A 5.9 LITER HO CUMMINGS ENGINE, TURBO DIESEL, MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE TRUCK HAS NO POWER WHEN PULLING A TRAILER.*AK

I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THIS WHILE I DRIVING WITH TRAILER IN TOW AND HAD LOSS OF POWER. BEING FOLLOWED BY TRAFFIC I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE UP THE HILL. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING INTO TRAFFIC THE LOSS OF POWER AND UNABLE TO ACCELERATE HAS CAUSED OTHER DRIVERS TO PERFORM DRASTIC BRAKING AND MANEUVERING TO AVOID COLLISIONS. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE ENGINE DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE FUEL PEDAL INPUT. I HAVE CHECKED THE CODES ON THE DODGE RAM 2500 EQUIPPED WITH THE 5.9L CUMMINS TURBO DIESEL AND HAVE FOUND A P0216 CODE INDICATING THE BOSCH VP44 INJECTION PUMP IS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE ECM. THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE VP44 COMPUTER TALKING WITH THE ECM. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE "DEAD PEDAL" ISSUE OCCURRED. THIS FIRST STARTED AROUND 36000 MILES AFTER A LONG HIGHWAY TRIP COMING TO A STOP AFTER WHICH THE ENGINE STAYED AT IDLE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CURRENTLY IT HAS BECOME MORE CONSISTENT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS OCCURS WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGES DRASTICALLY OR THE ENGINE HAS BEEN WORKED AND IS HOT. I AM STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER MOUNTED ON THE VP44 IS LOSING CONNECTIVITY DUE TO THE COMPUTERS SUSCEPTIBILITY TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES. I HAVE RESEARCHED FAILURES CONCERNING THE VP44 AND HAVE NOTED THAT ON THE CUMMINS ISB ENGINE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FAILURES OF THIS INTEGRAL ENGINE COMPONENT. THIS ENGINE IS FOUND IN MANY OTHER APPLICATIONS SUCH AS SCHOOL BUSES, RV'S, AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCK APPLICATIONS. AFTER RESEARCHING THE MULTIPLE FAILURES THE MAJORITY OF THE FIXES FOR THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TO REPLACE THE VP44 INJECTION PUMP. I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE SAID ISSUES AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO REMEDY THE FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON THIS ENGINE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN WHICH NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED DUE THE ENGINES APPLICATIONS IN SCHOOL BUSES, RV'S AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. -REGARDS CHAD MCKINNEY

I BOUGHT MY DODGE RAM 2500 4X4 YEAR OF MFR.2002 WITH 32000 MILES.I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR JUST ABOUT A YEAR I NOW HAVE 47000 MILES.WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THE LOWER INSIDE EDGE OF MY DOORS ARE SHOWING SIGHNS OF RUST,TO THE POINT THAT RUST PITS ARE SHOWING THROUGH THE OUTSIDE FINISH.MY MANAUL SAYS BODY IS WARRANTED FOR FIVE YEARS OR 100,000 MILES.I NEED ADVICE ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS WHEN I CALL THE LOCAL DELARSHIPS THEY ASK IF I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND IF I BOUGHT FROM THEM.I HAVE GOTTEN TWO ESTIMATES #1 FOR $750.00 #2 FOR $1492.00

MY DODGE 2500 QUAD CAB TRUCK WITH CUMMINS ENGINE HAS SUFFERED IT SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 14 MONTHS. IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALERHIP WILL FIX, HOWEVER THIS LEVEL OF FAILURE IS EXTREEME FOR A NEW VEHICLE. THE CURRENT FAILURE FEELS LIKE THE AUTO TRANSMISSION LOCK UP WILL NOT DIS-ENGAGE WHEN COMMING TO A STOP. EXTREEME BRAKE PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO KEEP TRUCK FROM BOLTING AT STOP LIGHTS. MY TRUCK IS STOCK. I BELIEVE THE TRANMISSION MUST HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT. I AM WORRIED THAT THE WARRANTY WILL SOON EXPIRE, AND I WILL BE FACED WITH HUGE REPAIR BILLS ON THIS BASICALLY NEW TRUCK.

A 20002 DODGE TRUCK WITH 48000 NEEDED UPPER BALL JOINTS, THIS WAS DISCOVERED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL NEARLY CAME OFF. THE CONSUMER FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A WAS LOOSE LUG NUT BUT UPON INSPECTION THE NUTS WERE TIGHT, BUT THE BALL JOINT WAS WORN AND LOOSE. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. *JB

AT APPROXIMATELY 56,000 MILES I HAD A 216 VEHICLE ENGINE CODE COME UP. THIS SHOWED A FAILURE IN THE INJECTION PUMP. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 79,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE CODE HAS ONCE AGAIN COME UP. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SEE "EVERYTHING" IS OK AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE LIGHT IS COMING ON. THE VEHICLE IS NOW BEGINNING TO SUGE DURING DRIVING, A SIGN OF NOT ENOUGH FUEL BEING DELIVERED TO THE ENGINE. IN SPEAKING WITH MULTIPLE DIESEL MECHANICS IN THE AREA THIS IS A PROBLEM CUMMINS HAS WITH THE ISB ENGINE. *AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, NO DEFECTS WERE FOUND, HOWEVER , THE VEHICLE WAS SUSPECTED TO HAVE A VALVE LEAKED. THE CONSUMER LATER SAW OIL ON THE GROUND, GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED AGAIN. HE LET THE VEHICLE RUN FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THE POWER AND BRAKES CAME BACK. *JB