2003 DODGE RAM 2500 Electrical System Problems

After driving in heavy rain. During the following day started having electrical issues the parking lights would stay on even when the switch was turned off the driver's side headlight would also come on. and the parking lights would either turn off or flash when the high beams were turned on this happened with front and back parking lights the only way to fully get them to stay off was to pull the relay or disconnect the battery. The problem is with the power distribution center and front control module the poor design allows them to corrode damaging the copper tracing and causing shorts in the system this is a common problem as there are several online forums dedicated to these problems with a lot of people having the same issues so I'm not sure why there hasn't been a recall for this since it is a major safety problem...

THE TRAILER CONNECTOR ON MY TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN USED BY ME SO I DIDNT KNOW IT DIDNT WORK. I NOW HAVE A TRAVEL TRAILER BUT NOTHING WORKS BUT THE DRIVER SIDE SIGNAL. NOTHING ELSE. I CHECKED THE CONNECTOR AND THERE IS NO CURRENT COMING OUT OF IT EXCEPT FOR THE LEFT SIGNAL. I SEE THERE WAS A RECALL BUT CANT FIND ANY INFO. CANT TAKE IT ANYWHERE WITHOUT LIGHTS!!! HAVE TO GO OUT OF TOWN WITH IT BUT CANT UNTIL ITS WORKING. HELP PLEASE.

SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE APPROACHING INTERSECTION; THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLYING APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED FEET BEFORE INTERSECTION; APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO EFFECTIVELY STOP;SPEED WAS BELOW 30 MPH WHEN APPROACHING INTERSECTION AND BRAKE LOSS OCCURRED; TRUCK HAS ALSO HAD FOUR "DEATH WOBBLE" EXPERIENCES EVEN WITH PITTMAN ARM AND ASSOCIATED PARTS REPLACEMENT; TWO EXPERIENCES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION (POSSIBLE JAMMED OPEN THROTTLE) OF THE TURBO, LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL; SUDDEN ACCELERATIONS OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER CRUISE CONTROL USAGE AND TRAVELING LESS THAN 30 MPH; WHILE STATIONARY, VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED WIRING HARNESS SHORT AND FIRE ON FIREWALL WHILE CONNECTED TO TRAILER. PICTURES ATTACHED WERE TAKEN WITHIN 12 HOURS OF SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKES.

TRUCK HAS THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS THE RECALLED NEWER TRUCKS. IT MELTED THE FUSE BOX AND THE TRUCK WONT RUN. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUSE BOX, COMPUTER, ALL COILS, ALL PLUGS, ALL WIRES, THROTTLE BODY OVER 3,000.00 AND THE TRUCK STILL DOES NOT RUN. ONLY HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND TOWED BACK OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT TELL US WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. AFTER 3,000.00 OF LETS TRY THIS I CAN NOT AFFORD ANY MORE LETS TRY THIS OR THAT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND MOST PEOPLE THINK THEY BROKE A VALVE IN THE HEMI MOTOR. I HAVE RUN A COMPRESSION TEST AND THIS IS NOT THE CASE. MY ISSUE IS ELECTRICAL AND I DON'T FEEL AS THOU I SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT WHEN THE DEALERSHIP CANT. THE...

MULTIPLE BREAKS IN THE VENT PORTION OF THE DASH COVER WITH MISSING PIECES AND THE MAIN DASH COMPONENT IS COMPLETELY CRACKED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WITH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM ON, PIECES OF PLASTIC AND DETERIORATED INSULATION BLOWS FREELY IN THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. WITH THE DASH CONTINUING TO CRACK AND BREAK APART PIECES OF PLASTIC HAVE DROPPED BELOW THE DASH AND COULD POTENTIALLY COULD EXPOSE AND CAUSE WIRING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CRACKED DASH IS A DANGER TO THE EYES OF ANYONE RIDING IN THE VEHICLE WITH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM CIRCULATING CONDITION AIR. I FEAR THAT THE DASH WILL ACT AS SHRAPNEL IN THE EVENT OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. ...UPDATED 07/30/15 *BF

WHILE SEARCHING FOR A FIX FOR MY DASH WHICH JUST CRACKED I FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF AFTER THE DASH CRACKED WHERE ELECTRICAL ISSUES ARISE. AS IN HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING AT ALL OR WHEN SWITCHING TO HI BEAM. I ALSO SAW A VIDEO ON THIS ISSUE FROM A NEWS BROADCAST AND WHEN CHRYSLER WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS THERE WAS NEVER ANY RESPONSE WHILE THE PUBLIC WAS REQUESTING A RECALL. FROM WHAT I CAN FIND OUT JUST IN THE HOUR I WAS LOOKING THIS UP THIS WOULD APPLY TO JUST ABOUT EVERY DODGE RAM MADE BETWEEN 1996 AND 2006. MY TRUCK IS GARAGE KEPT AND I KEEP IT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION SO FOR THIS TO HAPPEN DUE TO SITTING IN THE SUN IT'S ENTIRE LIFE I MIGHT UNDERSTAND BUT THERE IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MINE. MY FATHER WAS A MECHANIC FOR CHRYSLER FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND THIS...

THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE PASSENGER SITTING IN SAID SET AND CAN ONLY BE CONTROLLED BY THE DRIVERS MAIN PANEL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT THE DRIVER IS INCAPACITATED AND THE PASSENGER MUST ESCAPE THROUGH THE PASSENGER WINDOW. MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT THERE MUST BE A CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION IN THE CONTROL MODULE WHICH COULD BURN AND START A FIRE IN THE DRIVERS DOOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE GAUGES IN THE VEHICLE FAILED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ALSO FAILED. THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 04/22/14*LJ UPDATED 04/23/14

BLEND DOOR WILL NOT WORK, COMMON FAILURE IN MODELS 02-06, POOR DESIGN BREAKS AFTER A YEAR OR SO...CANT DEFROST WINDSHIELD WHEN WINDSHIELD FROST DUE TO SNOW OR COLD TEMPERATURES. UNABLE TO REMOVE FOGGY WINDSHIELD ON RAINY DAYS. *TR

THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT ACTIVATE-FOUND TSB 24-004-03 RELATES TO THIS ISSUE. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE VEHICLES FOR REPAIR DUE TO NUMEROUS NUMBER OF FAILURES AND SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO NOT HAVING DE-ICE OR DEFROST CAPABILITY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHTS. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED AND RE-ATTACHED THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,000.

WHEN I TURN SIGNAL TO LEFT MAKES RIGHT SIGNAL COMES ON, WHEN YOU TURN RIGHT SIGNAL ON MAKES LEFT SIGNAL COMES ON. THE LAMP OUT LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND GOING OFF WHEN YOU TURN THE LEFT SIGNAL ON THEN OFF AGAIN. I CHECKED NONE OF THE LAMPS ARE OUT. HAS BEEN TOOK TO DEALER TWICE AND HAD THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE STEERING COLUMN FIXED, IT QUIT FOR A WHILE AND THEN STARTS THE SAME THING AGAIN.THE DEALER CLAIMS USING THE TILT ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS IN THE TURN SIGNAL ARM BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE SIGNALS AND THE WIPERS. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER DODGE OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON IT BECAUSE IT COULD TURN INTO A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND DAMAGED THE ENTIRE IGNITION. THE WIRES INSIDE THE IGNITION WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

THERE IS A PERSISTENT LOW VOLTAGE DRAIN ON THE BATTERY. IT STAYS DORMANT FOR, AT TIMES, AS LONG AS 3 OR 4 DAYS WITHOUT APPEARINGAND RANGES FROM 1AMP TO 2 AMPS TOTALLY DRAINING A OTHERWISE ALMOST BRAND NEW 8050 COLD CRANKING APM INTERNATIONAL BRAND BATTERY. CONTACTS IN THE DOORS AND ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN DISCONNECT IN THE DEBUGGING PROCESS. I ALREADY KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER DODGE RAM 1500 WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE DURING THE TROUBLE SHOOTING PROCESS. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHICH IS PROVING TO BE VERY ELUSIVE. ALL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED ON AFTER MARKET HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DISENGAGED WITH NO DEFINITIVE RESULT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL EXHIBITED A FRACTURE THAT INTERFERED WITH THE GAUGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

TRAVELING HOME FROM WORK ON I-65 NEAR ELIZABETHTOWN, KY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE WENT TO 90 MPH WITHIN SECONDS. I FIRST TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKE TO TAKE OFF THE CRUISE, THAT DID NOTHING, I THEN PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH AND THE ENGINE SCREAMED AND THE SPEAKERS BLEW, STILL GOING 90 MPH I MANUALLY TURNED OFF THE CRUISE AND THAT SLOWED IT DOWN. THERE IS A RECALL, BUT DODGE/CHRYSLER WILL NOT HONOR BECAUSE THE ECM NEEDS REPLACED NOT REPROGRAMMED. DODGE WANTS $3,473.00 FROM ME TO FIX. MY TRUCK ACCORDING TO DODGE HAD THE RECALL DONE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. I DON'T WANT TO DIE OR KILL SOMEONE IF MY TRUCK GOES OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD MATTER IF IT NEEDS REPROGRAMMED OR REPLACED. A RECALL IS A RECALL AND ADMITS TO A PROBLEM. THIS RECALL REFERS TO VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL...

2003 DODGE RAM 2500 CRACKED DASHBOARD. VEHICLE HAS 31K MILES. POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONING, AIRCONDITIONING BLOWER MALFUNCTIONING. DODGE DEALER WILL ATTEMPT TO REPLACE AT OWNERS COST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR POWER STEERING SENSOR PROBLEM. SENSOR WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *TR

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DO NOT HAVE ANY FRONT TURN SIGNALS. LEFT HEADLIGHT WORKS ON BRIGHT LIGHTS ONLY, RIGHT HEADLIGHT WORKS ON DIM ONLY. NO LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL OR, BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL LEFT HEADLIGHT FLASHES. HAVE CHECKED FUSES. HAVE REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION TURN SIGNAL NO GOOD. HAVE REPLACED EVERY BULB ON TRUCK. STILL DOES NOT WORK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP. THE DEFOGGER SWITCH AND AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT SWITCH OVER TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS A DAMPER DOOR IN THE AIR VENT, WHICH TELLS THE AIR WHETHER TO FLOW TOWARDS THE DOOR OR THE FLOOR. IF THE DOOR BREAKS, THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THE AIR TO FLOW. TSB NUMBER 24-004-03 WAS REFERENCED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, WHICH ONLY COVERED 12,000 MILES; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT HAS TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,130. UPDATED 11/12/08. *LJ UPDATED 11/14/08. *JB

SEVERAL CRACKS HAVE SPREAD ACROSS THE DASH. NO REASON FOR THESE TO HAVE HAPPENED AND THE LAST ONE SEEMED TO HAVE COMPLETELY FORMED IN A DAY OR SO. ALSO HAVE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH FROM THE MANY REPORTS ON THE INTERNET SEEM TO BE COMMON. *TR

ON 2003 AND UP DODGE RAM 2500 TRUCKS THE FUSE BOX(POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER) IS PRONE TO EITHER CORRODE OR OTHERWISE FAIL. ON MY VEHICLE SOME OF THE LIGHTS FAILED AND THE POWER TO THE TRAILER BRAKE ALSO. WHEN THE PDC FAILED IT ALSO DAMAGED THE FRONT CONTROL MODULE WHICH CONTROL MANY OF THE TRUCKS SIGNIFICANT FUNCTIONS. ALMOST ALL VEHICLE ELECTRICS GO THROUGH THE PDC SO ON ANY GIVEN FAILURE CRITICAL VEHICLE SAFETY ITEMS MAY BE COMPROMISED. I CHECKED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS ONLINE AND FOUND QUITE A FEW. CURRENTLY WITH THIS PART THERE ARE 189 OF THEM BACKORDERED THROUGH DODGE WHICH SUPPORTS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THEM I WAS LUCKY I NOTICED THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE BRAKES BEFORE AN ACCIDENT, BUT THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE. *TR

2003 DODGE RAM PICK UP HAVE ALREADY COMPLAINED OF STALLING, NOW THE ELECTRIC IS STARTING TO GO WRONG. 09/22/04 PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO GO UP OR DOWN, DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. 11/28/05 PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IN BACK OF CAB, THE SPEAKER WENT OUT AND EVERYTIME THE DOOR LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY THE SPEAKER MADE A LOUD BUZZING NOISE. NEEDED A HARNESS $50.00 11/28/05 WINDOW ON PASSENGER SIDE STOPPED WORKING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE NEEDED REGULATOR BINDING SWITCH $160.00 11/28/05 LIGHTS AROUND THE HEATING ELEMENT ON THE DASH BOARD STARTED GOING OUT AND 1/2 WOULD BE OUT AND 1/2 WOULD BE ON NEEDS A CONTROL HD $183.00. *JB

TRUCK STARTED AND IDLED ROUGH, TURNED OFF TRUCK AND RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO RUN. HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER WAS TOLD DESIEL FUEL WAS MIXED IN GAS TANK. I RUN A MAJOR LAWN SERVICE AND HAVE HAD ABSOULTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH ANY EQUIPMENT FAILURES DUE TO FUEL PROBLEMS! THE STATION WHERE I BUY MY GAS DOESN'T EVEN CARRY DESIEL FUEL. SO FAR THE DEALER WANTS TO DRAIN GAS TANK CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACE SPARKPLUGS.

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE. (THE LIGHTENING BOLT SYMBOL APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD) AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER FOUND IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THERE WAS NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE 5.7 L HEMI 2003 RAM 4X4.HAD TRUCK SINCE 11-04 HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 10 TIMES TO PRESENT.IT IS GOING TO GET SOMEBODY INJURED ARE HURT BECAUSE TRUCK DOES IT WHENEVER IT WANTS TO MAYBE TAKING OFF AT A RED LIGHT ARE ETC.!

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *PH (THE LIGHTENING BOLT SYMBOL APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD) AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER FOUND IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THERE WAS NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE. *SC