2001 DODGE RAM 2500 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLED WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE STEERING BOX, BALL JOINT, AND FRONT STABILIZER SHOCKS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, BUT NO ONE COULD REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED LITHIA CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE OF BILLINGS (2229 KING AVE W, BILLINGS, MT 59102, (406) 206-3601) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 250,000.

WHEN EXITING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND COASTING AND HITTING A BUMP THE TRUCK SHOOK VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT OF ALMOST LOOSING CONTROL. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOR A CAUSE IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAMS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE.. IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND HAVE A PROBLEM BELIEVING SOMETHING SO EXTREME COULD BE WORN BUSHINGS OR SUSPENTION PARTS THAT WEAR OUT OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

MY MAIN REASON FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS IT IS KNOWN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT DODGE PUT A FAULTY FRONT SUSPENSION ON ITS PICKUPS THAT LEAD TO DANGEROUS STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND DEATH WOBBLES. MY VEHICLE HAS THE DEATH WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, UNDERSTAND THIS DEATH WOBBLE LITERALLY TRIES TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL FROM YOUR HAND AND MAKES THE VEHICLE VERY HARD TO MANAGE. MY DEATH WOBBLE WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO BUST A BATTERY CLAMP, BLOW OUT BOTH HEADLIGHTS, MAKE MY QUAD CAB DOOR NOT OPEN CAUSED MY OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE SENSOR UNIT TO MALFUNCTION, BROKE MY STEERING BOX, BROKE THE CLIP ON MY SUNGLASSES HOLDER AND CAUSED MY TRACK BAR TO FAIL AGAIN. PLEASE UNDERSTAND DUE TO THE FAULTY SLOPPY DRIFTING STEERING I HAD ALREADY REPLACED ALL TIE RODS, TRACK BAR, BALL JOINTS AND STEERING DAMPENER SHOCK. YOU CAN GO TO ANY DIESEL FORUM AND HEAR ALL THE...

2001.5 DODGE 2500 QUAD 4X4 DIESEL. STEERING HAS BEEN BAD FOR LAST FEW YEARS. TOOK IN AND ALL UP FRONT IS BAD, HUBS, JOINTS, BALL JOINTS, TIE RODS AND EVEN THE GEAR BOX OUTPUT SHAFT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER KNOWS THAT THE 2500 COMES OFF THE LINE WITH 1/4" GIVE OR TAKE PLAY IN THE BALL JOINTS AS IT SITS NEW AND ARE ACTUALLY TOO SMALL FOR APPLICATION WHICH CAUSES ALL ELSE TO GO BAD OVER TIME. I AM NOT HARD ON MY DODGE WITH DRIVING STYLE. COST TO FIX WITH STOCK AND AFTER MARKET PARTS ONLY TO PREVENT IS 2600.00. LABOR IS 100.00 PER HOUR HOW CAN ANYONE HANDLE THIS KIND OF MONEY UP FRONT. TRUCK SITS AFRAID TO DRIVE MORE THEN LOCAL. STARTED SEEING AT 95000 AND HAVE JUST OVER 103000. DEALER WILL NOT FIX RECALLS OF 2001 YEAR BECAUSE ITS TO OLD! *TR

THE REAR SPRING PADS ON MY TRUCK ARE RUSTING APART. NOT JUST SURFACE CORROSION BUT ACTUAL SPLITTING AND FLAKING OF THE METAL. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT LOSS OF CONTROL IF THE PAD SPLITS APART AS THE REAR AXLE COULD SHIFT, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

2001 DODGE RAM 2500 REG CAB LONG BED PICKUP. VEHICLE HAS 26,000 ORIGINAL MILES AND AFTER MAJOR FRONT END REPAIRS( UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, STABILIZER BAR LINKS, STABILIZER SHOCK AND BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS) FOR STEERING PROBLEMS, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE TRUCK IS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE AND WANDERS INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IF CONSTANT ATTENTION AND OVER CORRECTION OF STEERING IS NOT ADHERED TOO. DRIVING IS A TASK AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. *JB

DODGE RAM 2500 SERIES 2001, NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE STEERING MECHANISMS. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS CONSTANTLY OVERCORRECTING THE VEHICLE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE CONSUMER HAD MANY ALIGNMENTS DONE BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST AND NO LUBRICATION, THE STEERING SHAFT AND TRAC BAR WAS REPLACED AND THE STEERING BOX WAS ADJUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND IN HIS OPINION ALTERNATE VALVE LOCATED IN THE STEERING WAS NOT PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD, WHEN THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE VALVE IT EXTREMELY BURNT FROM OVERHEATING. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NO LONGER HAS ANY PROBLEMS STEERING THE VEHICLE. *JB

STEERING WANDERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. 2001 RAM PICKUP 2500 WITH ONLY 19,224 MILES ON IT PROBLEM FIRST SURFACED AROUND 15,000 MILES. DEALER SERVICED AT 17,207 MILES AS A LICENSED INSPECTION MECHANIC, THIS VEHICLE WILL FAIL THE STATE INSPECTION STICKER TEST WHEN IT IS DUE. THE AMOUNT OF PLAY AT THE STEERING WHEEL IS CURRENTLY AT 5+ INCHES AND GETTING WORSE. INSPECTION PROCEDURES REQUIRE THE PLAY TO BE MEASURED WHILE OBSERVING THE TIRE MOVEMENT. ( EXAMPLE : TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT UNTIL VISABLE MOVEMENT OF THE TIRE IS SEEN, MARK A REFERENCE POINT ON THE STEERING WHEEL, NOW TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT UNTILL VISABLE MOVEMENT OF THE TIRE , NOW MEASURE THE DISTANCE THE MARK ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TRAVELED. ANYTHING OVER A 2 1/2 " TRAVEL IS CAUSE FOR FAILING THE STATE VEHICLE INSPECTION STICKER. DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED THE TRACK BAR...

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, WITH THE STEERING WHEEL BEING STRAIGHT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *JB VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 20 TIMES. STILL PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NEW ENGINE AND 2 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED.

TRUCK WANDERS RANDOMALY-FRONT TIRE WOBBLES. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING AT OR ABOVE 45 MPH, VEHICLE WILL "DRAG" OR PULL TO LEFT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND STATED THAT SINCE THERE IS NO TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM, THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS ABOUT MY TRUCK , THE STEERING WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT THEIRS DOES TO. I HAVE CARRIED IT TO THE DEALER ONE TIME AND THEY ADJUSTED THE STEERING WHEEL BUT IT HAS STARTED BACK AGAIN.

VEHICLE WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE, AND CLAIMS VEHICLE IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS.*AK CONSUMER STATES IT TAKES TOO MUCH MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEPT HE VEHICLE ON COURSE. *SLC