2002 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB Steering Problems

SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE INTER AND OUTER TIE RODS, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USE AS A WORK TRUCK, DRIVEN ON DIRT ROADS AND CURRENTLY HAS 120,000 HIGHWAY MILES. RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING OIL, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IS COMING A PART. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X4, VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND WAS NEVER ABUSED. ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED A CRACK ON THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS ONE CRACK HAD GROWN TO 6 CRACKS. THEN ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO THE AIR WOULD NOT FLOW THROUGH THE DASH VENTS ANYMORE. IN ORDER TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM I HAD TO REMOVE THE DASH BOARD TO GET THE HEAT AND AIR SYSTEM. WHEN I REMOVED THE DASH BOARD IT CRUMBLED INTO ABOUT 20 PCS. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIR PROBLEM I FOUND OUT THE BLEND DOOR THAT CONTROLS THE AIR TO THE DASH WAS BROKEN. SEEMS THIS IS A PROBLEM. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD, FRONT AND REAR PC AND THE 4 BLEND DOORS IN THE AIR SYSTEM. WHILE REPLACING THE SHOCKS I NOTICED THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING EXTREMELY...

I HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND CONTROL ARMS ( BOTH SIDES) BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVEN. I DO NOT DRIVE THIS PICK-UP OFF ROAD! IF YOU LOOK AT THE LACK OF SIZE TO THE BALL JOINTS, IT IS AMAZING THEY LASTED 3 YEARS. *TR

PURCHASED 2002 DODGE RAM USED. AT FIRST SERVICE INTERVAL, RACK AND PINION BOOTS WERE LEAKING, MAIN SEAL WAS SHOT. ALSO HAD MANIFOLD LEAK, ALONG WITH A STEERING PROBLEM THAT CAUSES SHAKING AT 40 MPH. STEERING PROBLEM STILL REMAINS, AND THERE IS A LOUD RATTLE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, MOST RECENTLY, MY FUEL PUMP DECIDED TO QUIT WORKING. ALSO, THE INTERIOR TRIM, NAMELY THE HAND GRIPS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES, DUE TO THE CHEAP PLASTIC THAT IS USED AS A HOLDING RING. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT HEADACHES WITH THE TRUCK, FROM THE SIMPLE THINGS, TO THE EXPENSIVE THINGS...WAS JUST TOLD THAT MY HEAD GASKETS ARE SHOT AS WELL, HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON THIS TRUCK, WITH NO RETURNS, DO NOT GET THIS YEAR/MODEL OF RAM 1500. *JB

ELECTRICAL - CANNOT CHARGE A CELL PHONE IN ANY OF THE RECEPTACLES. WORKS IN OTHER VEHICLES. TRANSMISSION - CHANGES GEARS VERY ROUGH, SOMTIMES ON ACCELERATION, ALL THE TIME WHEN DECELERATING. STEERING - AT TIMES THE STEERING DOES NOT WANT TO WORK. WILL NOT TURN, VERY HARD AS IF NO RACK AND PINION. TRUCK SLIDES OUT AT TIMES DURING TURNS, STEERING GETS PULLED.*AK

IN COLD WEATHER, STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN OR IS VERY STIFF WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN. DEGREE OF STEERING EFFORT REQUIRED IS VARIABLE AND IMPOSSIBLE TO ANTICIPATE WHEN DRIVING. *LA

I HAVE HAD MY DODGE RAM QUAD CAB IN FOR SERVICE OVER 15 TIMES FOR RUST, WIRING, TWO RECALLS, ENGINE LIGHTS, BAD GAS CAP, BAD STEERING WHEEL, AND LIST CONTINUES....*AK

STEERING HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT CONTINUOUSLY AND CONSISTANTLY SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE FOLLOWED ALL PROCEDURES INCLUDING: BEEN TO SERVICE DEPT. 6+ TIMES, NOTIFIED DAIMLER CHRYSLER, ETC. TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING AND I AM OUT OF LUCK. IT IS A "LEMON". I AM FILING A LAWSUIT.

WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE FRONT END MAKES NOISES. BUT IF YOU HIT A BUMP OR IF THE ROAD IS SPLIT, AND IT GETS BUMPED THE STEERING ON THE TRUCK WILL SNATCH AND THROW YOU AROUND. I HAVE NOTICED THIS MANY TIMES. MY WIFE SAID IT DOES IT ALL TIME. I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT TO DO THIS WILL TRAVELING AND NEARLY WRECKED. I BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK.

THE STEERING WHEEL WAS UNABLE TO TURN.*JB