2001 DODGE RAM 1500 Suspension Problems

THE FABRICATED ATTACHMENT POINTS THAT HOLD THE CONTROL ARMS, TRACK BAR, DAMPER AND SPRINGS TO THE FRONT AXLE RUST TO THE POINT OF BEING UNSAFE. I HAVE REPLACED MY FRONT AXLE ONCE, AND WILL HAVE TO DO SO AGAIN SHORTLY. FORTUNATELY THIS PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BEFORE THE AXLE FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK, AND THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! THE MANUFACTURER SIMPLY DID NOT PROTECT THESE CRITICAL PARTS FROM CORROSION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR PINION NUT AND DRIVESHAFT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PINION, DRIVESHAFT, AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

2001 DODGE RAM. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION, BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT AND FRONT FRAME PROBLEMS. *SMD UPDATED 07/27/15.....UPDATED 11/19/15 *BF UPDATED 01/12/16*LJ UPDATED 11/08/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER AND CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL LOCKS AND PULL JOINTS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000...UPDATED 10-06-15 *BF *TR

JUST PURCHASE MY 2001 DODGE RAM THE DAY BEFORE, TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE TO NEIGHBORING TOWN. WAS GOING 45 MPH AND THE ROAD WAS SOMEWHAT BUMPY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND VERY BOUNCY. THE TOWN WAS 10 MILES AWAY. ARRIVED, TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND WENT INTO MARKET FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. DROVE BACK HOME WITH THE SAME THING HAPPENING(VIOLENT SHAKING AND VERY, VERY BOUNCY) ALL THE WAY BACK. VERY SCARY AND DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT. STEERING WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE BOUNCE AND SHAKE. INTERESTINGLY MY FATHER DROVE THIS VEHICLE 300 MILES TO BRING IT TO ME THE PREVIOUS DAY WITH NO INCIDENT OF THE SHAKING OR BOUNCING. A FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THE "DEATH WOBBLE" AND AFTER LOOKING IT UP ON THE INTERNET, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, EITHER BY A RECALL OR DODGE! NOT EVEN A CONCRETE FIX FOR THE PROBLEM? I...

WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW IN ARANSAS PASS TX & IT RODE LIKE THE SPRINGS WERE SOFT & BOUNCED ALL OVER . IT GOT WORSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. WE HAD THE SPRINGS CHECKED & WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOOD & THIS TRUCK JUST RIDES THIS WAY. IT STARTED WEARING THE TIRES REAL BAD AND WE HAD THEM REPLACED.THEN WE HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN ( ONLY GETTING 13,000 MILES ON THEM BEFORE THEY WERE ALMOST WORN OUT) SO WE TOOK IT IN AGAIN ( 3RD TIME ) TO GET TIRES WITH UNDER 76,000 MILES ON IT. WE WENT TO FIRESTONE IN CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS & GOT NEW TIRES AGAIN BUT THEY COULD NOT DO THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS ARE REAL BAD. WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD ITS NORMAL FOR IT TO RIDE THAT WAY. SO IT HAS...

I OWN A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X4. WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE AT 50MPH OR FASTER THE WHOLE TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY SO BAD THAT YOU BARELY HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT DOES NOT STOP UNTIL YOU CAN SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN..WHICH IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. IT HAPPENED TO ME 3 OR 4 TIMES ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW IT DOWN CAUSING PEOPLE AROUND ME TO ALMOST GET IN TO ACCIDENTS TRYING NOT TO SLAM INTO ME BECAUSE IN HAD NO CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. I HAVE PUT IN UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS,TRAC BAR .STEERING COLUMN..NOTHING HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM AND DODGE WANTS TO KNOW NOTHING.SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT OR KILLED IF THIS NPROBLEM ISN'T FIXED BY DODGE. THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET AND ALSO FROM MECHANICS AND PEOPLE I HAVE...

MY DODGE RAM PICK UP DEVELOPED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" 3 YEARS AGO AND IT IS NOW SO BAD, I WON'T TAKE IT ON THE FREEWAY SINCE IT DOES THE WOBBLE AT 50 MPH. IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING AND I DON'T TRUST THE TRUCK ANYMORE. *TR

FRONT END DEATH WOBBLE ON DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 2009 TRUCKS. WHEN HIT A ROUGH PATCH OF FREEWAY ROAD AT 70 MPH THE FRONT END SHAKES OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL TRUCK IS SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH. SEVERAL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE INCLUDING REPLACING THE TRACK BAR, STEERING ARMS, BALL JOINTS, FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, WITH NO FIX. THE WEB HAS SEVERAL PROBLEMS LISTED BUT NO FIX. THIS MUST BE FIXED BY DODGE WITH A RECALL. CAN YOU HELP! *TR

WHILE VISITING MY COUSIN IN FREDERICKSBURG VA, HE NOTICE NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, WE SPOT THE BROKEN COIL SPRING AND ALSO NOTICE THE BRAND NEW TIRE (FRONT, DRIVER SIDE HAS SCRATCH ON THE SIDE WALL WE ASSUME THE BROKEN COIL SPRING CAUSE THAT. I TOOK THE TRUCK IN AT STAFFORD DODGE IN VA TO HAVE THE COIL SPRING REPLACE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE CONTROL AND UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING OUT NEED TO BE REPLACE IT WILL COST ABOUT $2500. I CALL IN TO CHRYSLER MOTOR TO LET THEM KNOW THAT FOR 5 YEARS OLD TRUCK, I HAVE TO REPLACE COIL SPRING $527.44 AND CONTROL ARM WHEN I HAVE MONEY TO REPLACE $2500.00. THAT JUST NOT RIGHT. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH SOMETHING UNDER THE 2001 DODGE RAM MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER LOOSING BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WENT OFF AN EMBANKMENT AND HIT A TREE. *MR *SC THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN A BALL JOINT OR TIE ROD END. *JB

VEHICLE STARTED EXHIBITING STEERING PROBLEM AT 3000 MILES. THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP DID A REALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT END, INSTALLED NEW SHOCKS, WE REPLACED THE TIRES EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE NOT WORN OUT, AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. WE HAD THE SHOCKS REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY TWICE WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE. WE HAD THE FRONT END REALIGNED AT OUR EXPENSE THREE TIMES WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PITMAN ARM AND TIE ROD END SLEEVE, AND REALIGNED THE FRONT END TO THE TUNE OF $345.00, AND SAID THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE TRUCK HIT A BUMP OR UNEVEN PLACE IN THE PAVEMENT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IT WILL START TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY, BUT THIS IS NOT CONSISTENT. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH EVERY BUMP, AND THERE IS NO PREDICTING WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IN ORDER TO REGAIN CONTROL, YOU HAVE TO STOP IMMEDIATELY, AND THERE IS...

WHEN I HAD MY TRUCK SERVICED THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME MY LEFT TIRE HAD BEEN RUBBING ON THE SHOCK ABSORBER BRACKET. THE TIRE HAD A SMOOTH SPOT WHERE IT HAD BEEN RUBBING ON THE BRACKET, AND THERE WAS A SECOND TIRE ON THE BACK WITH A SMOOTH SPOT. THE TIRE IN THE BACK HAD BEEN ROTATED FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK AT THE LAST OIL CHANGE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WELDED A EXTENSION ON TO THE STOPPER TO KEEP THE TIRE FROM TURNING INTO THE BRACKET. THEY TOLD ME MY TIRES WERE TO BIG FOR THE TRUCK, I PUT 245/75/ R16 ON THE TRUCK IN JUNE 2003 AND HAVE HAD NO TROUBLE OUT OF THEM. THE TRUCK WAS AT THE DEALER IN FEBRUARY 2004 TO GET THE FRONT END CHECKED, THIS WAS EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE TIRES HAD BEEN ON THE TRUCK, I BELIEVE...

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS. *JB

DUE TO ERRATIC OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, THE OWNER HAD THE TRUCK INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN. UPON INSPECTING THE TRUCK, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB

THE FRONT TIRES WORE OUT EVERY 6,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH THE TIRES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM THE FACTORY HAD NO PROVISION FOR CORRECTING WEAR OF TIRES NOR ALIGNING THE TIRES. FACTORY REP. STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. *PH *JB

AFTER HITTING A SLIGHT BUMP AT 55MPH THE TRUCK BEGINS A "LOSS OF CONTROL" SHUDDER THAT CAUSED ME TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL TWICE. TODAY A DODGE SERVICE TECHNICIAN LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER HITTING A BUMP. IT TOOK HIM 'QUITE A WHILE' TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE HEAVY DUTY SUSPENSION THAT COMES WITH THE OFF-ROAD PACKAGE. I AM USED TO A ROUGH RIDE. LOSS OF CONTROL IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT WILL KILL SOMEONE IF NOT RESOLVED.*AK

THE VEHICLE WANDERED OFF THE ROAD, THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.*JB

UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE STRAIGHT. IT WILL EITHER PULL TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT AND WHEN DRIVER ACCELERATES VEHICLE WILL TURN TO THE LEFT.*AKCONSUMER HAS HAD VEHICLE IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS ALMOST CORRECTED. WITHIN 1000 MILES THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO OBIDE BY ILLINOIS LAW WHICH STATES THAT A VEHICLE REPAIRED FOUR TIMES WITHOUT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOT TO CALL AGAIN. *JG

THERE IS VIBRATION WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT 60-65 MPH. DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT TIE ROD.BUT, IT HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.*AKCONSUMER ADDS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST VIBRATIONS BUT INTENSE ASCILLATIONS THAT ALTERNATE LEFT TO RIGHT. THE BOUNCING MAKES THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND WILL NOT SUBSIDE UNTIL BROUGHTR TO A COMPLETE STOP. UPON CHECKING SEVERAL TIMES, THE TIRES WERE CHOPPY AND NEEDED REPLACING, THE TRACK BAR NEEDED REPLACING, AND A SPECIAL PART FOR THE TIE ROD WAS ORDERED, ALSO THE LEFT MIRROR WAS NOT HEATING, ALSO THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED, ALSO TIRES WERE SHOWING WEAR.. *JG

VEHICLE WANDERS ARCOSS THE ROAD WHEN DRIVEN 50 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR VARIOUS REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENT, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

STEERING WHEEL WOULD PERIODICALLY VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY ONCE VEHICLE MOVES APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. AT TIMES, STEERING WOULD BE UNCONTROLLABLE. DEALER WILL NOT PROVIDE REMEDY.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, WHEN HE STEPS ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL, THERES A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. AND THE SAME NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS.*AK *JB *SCC