2002 DODGE RAM 1500 Suspension Problems

To put it as simple as I can describe it is a death wobble. that occurs every time you hit a bump in the road, hole, or pot hole. This truck has always had this death wobble from factory. The reason why this is a safety issue is because it causes the steering wheel to go out of balance and go into other lanes in the road and potentially cause an accident.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST, CORROSION, AND HOLES ALONG THE ENTIRE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS DETACHING DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR AXLE TO CEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REBUILD AND REPLACE THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, ONE MONTH LATER, THE PINION NUT DISCONNECTED AND DAMAGED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT SWAY BARS DETACHED AND THE STEERING CONTROL ARMS SEPARATED DUE TO RUSTING OF THE SUBFRAME. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,888.

MY SON WAS ON THE I-5 COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THE SEALS BLEW ON THE RACK AND PINION. UPON TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO BLOW ANY WHERE FROM 50,000-100,000 MILES. IF WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK. WHEN THE SEALS BLEW THE TRUCK STEERING COMPONENTS BEGAN TO GRIND AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND LUCKILY MY SON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY WITH OUT INJURING ANYONE. MY FATHER WHO HAS CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL RESERVATION CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS POWER STEERING AND FRONT END ISSUES. THE ONLY REASON THEY PURCHASED THE TRUCKS WERE THAT DODGE PROVIDED...

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, MY TRUCK MADE A ODD SOUND AND THEN CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. TO MY SURPRISE, THE REAR DRIVESHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED AND FELL OUT OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED AND INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NUT CAME OFF OF THE PINION GEAR. THE AXLE AND COMPANION GEAR SLIPPING OUT OF THE PINION GEAR AND THE YOLK CAME COMPLETELY OFF. THE MECHANIC WAS AS CONCERN AND SURPRISED AS I WAS, CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WEBSITE AND ADVISED THEM OF MY SITUATION. SADLY, I RECEIVED A RESPONSE STATING THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING MY ISSUE. I CONDUCTED MY OWN RESEARCH ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFECT, AND FOUND THE NHTSA DETAILS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM TRUCKS. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE ONLY REVIEWING 2008-2014 MODELS. CONSIDERING MY...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND WITHIN MINUTES THE REAR AXLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

OUR GEARS CAME APART, THERE WAS REAR END FLUID IN THERE BUT THE GEARS CAME APART. WHICH I WAS TOLD WHAT I NEEDED TO DO BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, BUT I WASN'T AND NOW I AM LOOKING AT A $4000 BILL TO GET THIS FIXED. HEARD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS TO HAVE REAR END ISSUES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS PERFORMING AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICED THAT TWO BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT ORDERED THE BOLTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY SEPARATION / WHEEL SEPARATION, WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 35 -40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THEN THE WHEEL RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO BECOME DISABLED DURING A SNOW STORM. *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...

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...

RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF. *NM

WHEN ON THE SLIGHTEST ROUGH SURFACE, THIS TRUCK JUMPS AND BOUNCES ALL OVER THE ROAD. I LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE TRUCK WHEN IT IS JUMPING. WORSE, THE BRAKES BOUNCE AND GRAB WHEN YOU APPLY THEM. DANGEROUS. WIDE SPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THESE SAFETY ISSUES. NEED A RESOLUTION AND RECALL. *JB

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE PARTS WERE REPAIRED/REPLACED THREE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK BOTH SEAT BET RETRACTORS WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXIST. RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE. RATTLE SOUND OVER BUMPS. RIGHT FRONT SWAY BAR LINK REPLACED. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN OSCILLATING ALMOST TAKES THE WHEEL OUT OF THIS HANDS. DEALER FOUND ICE IN WHEELS/CLEANED WHEELS. HOWEVER VIBRATION RE-OCURRED. *TT

WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEED (70 MPH), AND SWITCHING LANES WHILE ON A BRIDGE, THE EXCESSIVE BOUNCING AND BAD SUSPENSION OF TRUCK MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK ENDED UP SPINNING AROUND, MAKING A COMPLETE 180--- ON A BRIDGE!! I ENDED UP SLAMMING INTO THE SAFETY RAIL OF THE BRIDGE. AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. LUCKILY, I WASN'T INJURED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE ACCIDENT WAS MY FAULT, BUT AFTER TALKING TO A FEW OWNERS OF THIS MODEL, I FIGURED OUT THAT MANY OF US HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK. THE QUESTION IS, WHY IS THIS PROBLEM NOT BEING FIXED?? I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY JUST KEEP REFERRING ME TO DEALERS FROM OTHER TOWNS. *JB

I HAVE A RATTLE UNDER FRONT FINDERS OF 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 BROUGHT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS NONE OF THEM CAN FIND PROBLEM ALSO RIDES ROUGH. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH OR OVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE, THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO THE NEXT LANE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *TS *JB

WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE AROUND A CURVE THE DRIVER TRIED TO BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE ALSO BOUNCED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED THE SAME DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. DODGE, RAM, 1500 QUAD CAB. *AK

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 I JUST BOUGHT HAS A SHKE OR SHIMMY AT BRAKING AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN DRIVING 50MPH TRUCK SHAKES. GO 70MPH TRUCK IS WORSE. SO GOING 50 TO 70 MPHS TRUCK SHAKES. THE FASTER I GO THE MORE VIOLENTLY IT SHAKES. THIS IS A REAL DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. TIRES ARE NEW, THEY SHOW NO WEAR. I HAVE BOUGHT IT WITH 23500 MILES ON IT. IT'S AL;SO A CERTIFIED TRUCK. WHEN STOPPING SOON AS YOU APPLY BRAKES IT SHIMMIES OR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. *AK

REGARDING THE NEW BODY STYLE DODGE 1500 RAM PICKUP. MY TRUCK IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND ABOUT 15000 MILES. IT HAS A STEERING PROBLEM. GENERALLY, IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DANGEROUSLY! THE SECOND DAY OF MY OWNERSHIP, WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY ALIGNED IT. TOLD ME IF I STILL HAD A PROBLEM, IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM. THE ALIGNMENT DID NOT HELP. I HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND THIS DID NOT HELP. THE STEERING PROBLEM IS WORSE NOW. IF I TRAVEL OVER A BUMP OR A SEAM IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE WILL VERE TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT OR BOTH DIRECTIONS IN AN UNCONTROLABLE AND VIOLENT MANNER. I MUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. YES, IT IS VERY SCARY. SO MUCH SO, THAT I AGAIN RETURNED TO THE DEALER, THEY ALIGNED IT AGAIN. THE PROBLEM SEEMS...

WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD IT SWERVED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DEALER INDICATED THE FACTORY INSTALLED WHEELS AND TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED THE DEALER CHANGE THE STEERING AND REALIGN THE WHEELS. * AK *NLM *JB

AT SPEEDS ABOVE 30 MPH, VEHICLE DEMONSTRATES LACK OF CONTROL WHEN ENCOUNTERING ROUGH/UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE JUMP/BOUNCE IN FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION. TIRE PRESSURE DECREASED FROM TIRE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED 44 PSI TO DODGE RECOMMENDED 35 PSI. THIS ACTION HELPED TO RESTORE LOW SPEED CONTROL. VEHICLE STILL HAS CONTROL LOSS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH AND GREATER. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WOULD LOOK INTO PROBLEM. NOTE: VEHICLE IS A SWB STANDARD CAB VERSION OF THE RAM 1500. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768036

WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IT JUMPED ALL OVER THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER FELT LIKE HE WAS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE SUSPENSION WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE VEHICLE. NLM

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB

MY 02 RAM QC 1500 4X4 GETS UNSETTLED WHEN HITTING UNEVEN PAVEMENT/BUMPS, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BOTH HANDS ON ON THE WHEEL OR YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN THE NEXT LANE.

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ALIGNMENT. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO STRAIGHT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE ALIGMENT HAD PROBLEMS. ALSO STATED THAT HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOCKSPRING AND IT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL JUMPED LANES WHEN IT HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE WHOLE VECHILE WILL VIBRATE WHEN IS EXCEEDS SPEEDS OF 65 MPH AND OVER. CONTACTED DEALER, CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. MR

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE VIBRATES/BOUNCES EXCESSIVELY WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS OR GOING OVER A POTHOLE. VIBRATION IS EXCESSIVE AND CONSUMER FEELS AS IF GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DLR 3X AND HAD TIRES REPLACED. PROBLEM IS STILL EXISTS. MR

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS BUMPING AND KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE REAR END JUMP INTO ANOTHER LANE THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

WHEN DRIVING ON EITHER DRY OR WET ROAD SURFACES AND RUN OVER ABUMPS OR POT HOLES, IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL OR WANDER ACROSS THE ROAD. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AT HIGHWAY SPEED IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN ROAD VEHICLE GETS WHEEL HOPS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP LOSING CONTACT WITH THE ROAD AND JUMPED INTO ANOTHER LANE, THE VEHICLE ALSO HYDROPLANES WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN RAINY WEATHER, THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH SUSPENSION DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.*AK