2001 DODGE RAM Steering Problems

ON MY WAY TO WORK, AS USUAL, ON A "SLIGHTLY" BUMPY PART OF THE HIGHWAY MY STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END STARTED VIBRATING SO VIOLENTLY THAT I ALMOST LOST CONTROL. I COULD BARELY HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL; AND COULD NOT STEER AT ALL; ALL I COULD DO WAS START BRAKING AND COME TO A STOP. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED MY TIRES AND FRONT END AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I CONTINUED TO WORK AT ABOUT 40 MPH (I HAD GONE TO WORK EARLY SO NO TRAFFIC) . AT 8:00 I CALLED MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND TOOK IT TO HIM TO CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENED. HE CHECK EVERYTHING AND NOTHING SHOWED. THE NEXT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN; THEN AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I TOOK PICKUP IN FOR REGULAR OIL/FUEL/AIR FILTER CHANGE SERVICE. HE TEST DROVE WITH ME ALONG AND I EXPLAINED FURTHER WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID HE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE DRIFTED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE STEERING BOX BUT THE STEERING BOX DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE STEERING BOX WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING BOX WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT BUT THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 270,676.

DT THE RETURN HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING GOT AGAINST THE POWER STEERING PULLEY AND RUBBED A WHOLE IN THE RETURN HOSE AND IT WAS LEAKING FLUID. WHICH MADE IT HAVE NO POWER STEERING. HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY ORDERED TWO HOSES THAT WERE THE WRONG ONES. THIS HAPPENED JULY 18, 2005.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE TRAILER, THE STEERING BOX DESTROYED THE O-RING GASKET WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *NM *SC *JB

THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WANDERED ACROSS THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING BOX ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND MADE SOME OTHER REPAIRS, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WOULD GRAB, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT WAS THE WAY ABS WORKED. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. ANOTHER RAM OWNER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FACTORY STEERING BOX GEAR, THAT WAS REPLACED. THIS TRUCK IS OWNED BY MONTANA DEPT,. OF FISH WILD LIFE AND PARK. THE OTHER TRUCK IN THIS FLEET ARE HAVING THE SAME FAILURE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WANDERED. *AK OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE STEERING PROBLEM WAS THE TRACK BAR, POWER STEERING/GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND THE CLOCK SPRING. *SC *JB

BALL JOINTS WORN OUT AT 49,000 MILES 3 MECHANICS SAY THIS IS TYPICAL OF THESE DODGE TRUCKS. IF THIS A RECURING PROBLEM, SHOULDN'T DODGE BE DOING SOMTHING ON THIS

WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE STEERING HAD EXCESSIVE "PLAY." THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SWAY ACROSS THE ROAD. THE TRUCK WAS SERVICED, AND THE STEERING GEAR BOX/TIE ROD AND TRACKING BAR WERE REPLACED. *AK THE MECHANIC FOUND THE POWER STEERING GEAR BOX SLOPPY, THE TIE ROD END/PITMAN ARM LOOSE AND THE TRAC BAR WORN. *SCC *JB

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. MR SCC *NLM

THE STEERING WANDERED TO THE LEFT UNCONTROLLABLY.*JB

THE STEERING HAS LOTS OF PLAY PREVENTING THE OWNER FROM KEEPING STRAIGHT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. "CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING TRACK BAR", NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE LOSS OF STEERING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND RAN OFF THE ROAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND ALSO BENT THE FRAME. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER HAS TAKEN A LOOK AT THE VEHICLE BUT YET THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. NLM

THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A CONSTANT TENSION TO THE LEFT AND CAUSES STRAIN TO THE DRIVERS ARM. *YH *CB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING HAS SLACK OR PLAY IN IT. *SLC

VEHICLE STEERS TOO QUICKLY. UNABLE TO CONTROL STEERING WHEEL.*AK VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND IS STILL NOT OPERATING NORMALLY. *JG

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AT 60 MPH. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK