902 of the
8,415 complaints filed about the Dodge RAM 2500
are about the suspension —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
I took my vehicle into the dealership. Almost three weeks ago for a recall on the front end, a steering component. However, they told us that the parts were back ordered several days after the vehicle had been there for three weeks. And then all of a sudden, they call and a week and a 1 after that. And send a vehicle is done. I picked up the vehicle yesterday and it is not fixed. The problem still exists. We just about crashed on the freeway coming home when it started to do the death wobble shake that dodge ram is known for we nearly wrecked the truck on the freeway. It is not safe to drive. And the problem is not fixed. We have had nothing but problems with this dealership. In the past, and I believe they said they performed the recall safety issue. However, the truck was never fixed. We have pictures and proof
NHTSA complaint #11739726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This happened on my 2006 Dodge 2500 truck. I have had this truck since brand new and have maintained vigorously. Fortunately I was only going 25mph on the back road from my house. If this had happened on the highway I may not be here to tell this story. I felt like I had a flat tire so i stopped and didn't see anything so I started again and drove about a foot and then heard this loud crunching sound. I got out to find the center of my wheel had separated for the inside of the wheel. When I bought the truck I got the premium wheel package. The chrome covers are made on the wheel. I think what happened is because the chrome covers are made on the wheel there is no way to see that the wheel is rusting from the inside out and the owner has no idea they are driving a time bomb waiting to happen. My truck is almost rust free. I always took care to wash the salt off it in the winter 3 or 4 times a week. The truck has spent the last 10 years in Florida. I have never in my life ever seen this happen. I have no idea where the hub cap or the chrome cover went.
NHTSA complaint #11610470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started wobbling, and the contact lost control of the vehicle and almost crashed. The contact stated the failure had been persisted for a while. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #11594024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hit a minor pothole at 70 MPH, had sudden "death wobble" and almost lost control of the vehicle. 100, 410 miles on the vehicle, have had minor wobble in the past occasionally. Steering parts replaced at about 37,000 miles due to failures, installed a steering dampener years ago due to the potential problem, also current tires have less than 8,000 miles on them. Clearly a known danger to these vehicles, why no action?
NHTSA complaint #11500387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The truck is currently at a service station as it developed a "death wobble" while driving down the freeway a shimmed so hard I couldn't control it but managed to get it to the side of the road and finally to a stop. I did not receive any type of warning. I am being told by the mechanic at the service station it is going to require a rebuild of the front suspension. After checking to see if this has been a recall issue, I found there had been 3 but I did not receive notification of this particular recall. Not sure if the age of the truck prevents me from going back to have Dodge resolve this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
NHTSA complaint #11494135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving at highway speed, if I hit the seam between the road and a bridge and it is not smooth my truck goes into a, "Death wobble." The steering wheel and the whole truck shakes uncontrollably. I can barely keep it in the road. It will only stop when the vehicle slows below 30mph. This problem started about 48,000 miles, I only have a little over 56,000 now. I have changed the stabilizer, got new tires and an alignment. I will be taking it to a mechanic on the 17th but I really believe the manufacture should have a recall on this vehicle. It is very dangerous. I am not the only person to own one of these trucks and this happens to.
NHTSA complaint #11488389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving over some overpasses on highways the "bump" causes the whole front end to shake and makes steering very hard to maintain. I have heard this called "the Dodge death wobble" and has been reported by many other Dodge Ram owners. I have had all of the ball joints and tie rod replaced. This is a highly disturbing occurrence when traveling at a speed of 65-70 mpr on a highway. This has happened to me more than once and is a very scary feeling, thinking my front tires are coming off. Is there a recall to correct this?
NHTSA complaint #11475198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel crew cab pickup that occasionally after hitting a bump or on rough roads the steering mechanism or suspension develops an uncontrollable harmonic vibration with one or the other front wheels bouncing. The only way to stop the vibration is to come to a complete stop. In heavy traffic it could be a serious safety issue. The condition is well known to Chrysler and is commonly called a "Death Wobble". The first incidence on our vehicle was around ten years ago, but newer pickups are reported to have the condition. By replacing just the shock absorbers then it seemed to have helped, but that fix may have been fortuitous. The Dodge service center at that time did know of or maybe did not admit to the issue. Recently we have had the return of a couple episodes of the Death Wobble. The internet has many aftermarket brackets available for the Death Wobble, so, I assume, the condition is well known. Chrysler now has replacement that I was told are stronger (and maybe of a better design), but any pickup of this model without the upgrade is potentially a very dangerous safety hazard. I assume there should have been a recall for this problem, but, from your website, there are no recalls listed for this vehicle. As a side note, the Jeep SUVs have also been reported to have a Death Wobble, but I have no information on whether the wobble with them is caused by the same defect with the steering or suspension systems.
NHTSA complaint #11465151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
dodge death wobble. this death wobble started prior to my 100000mile warranty expired, but by the time i drove the truck home, it was over the milage. After a lot of bs and a fee, Dodge "fixed" my problem. ( for a while) They have refused to re-repair their bad design since. .I've spent many hours and money temporarily repairing their front end design. If i hit a bump in the road while exceeding 55 mph the truck violently shakes and i cannot control the direction. I went off the freeway in Salt Lake this last weekend after putting new tie rods (again) on the front end. You know what this is ! Dodge has never remedied this situation. !
NHTSA complaint #11453513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is the 3rd time this happened to me. The first time I was driving around 55 and the truck started to shake so bad I could not actually hold onto the steering wheel, and I made it to the side of the road. I thought was a flat tire and I pulled over to find nothing wrong. The second was bad as it shook so violently, I was unable to make it to the side of the road, so I hit the brakes in the middle of traffic to stop. This 3rd time I happen to be traveling 65 mph on the interstate in PA and hit a small bump and all of the sudden the truck felt like it was bouncing off of the road. I hit the brakes to slow down and drove to the side and into a field. I purchased tie rods and actually the entire front suspension. This was the worst shaking I have ever felt in 45 years of driving. This is going to get me killed when this happens on the road. Please help. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11443944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving at highway speed in my 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 truck, the truck's front wheels began to violently shake and wobble with incredible vibration and bumpy ride. I thought I would lose control of the vehicle. I slowed, turned on my emergency flashers and hit the brakes pulling off the interstate. After a few minutes I continued on only to have the same incident described happen again a few miles later. I contacted the local Chrysler dealership and made an appointment, detailing the incident. I was told my truck was not covered by a safety campaign.
NHTSA complaint #11427149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
They Did Not INCLUDE THE 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 Yet I have had the same experience several times.When travelling at highway speeds and hitting a bump or pot-hole in the road, the front end begins to shake violently and does not stop until the driver jams on the brakes and brings the truck back down to below highway speeds. Some people contribute this phenomenon to the worst possible downside of having a coil-sprung front suspension on a truck with a track bar. Unlike a typical suspension set up, Dodge Ram trucks will continue to shake long after hitting the bump to the point that controlling the vehicle is nearly impossible until the driver slows down. The current lawsuit alleges that Chrysler learned about the death wobble defect with Dodge Ram trucks in the mid-2000s but waited four years before conducting a series of recalls from 2009 through 2013. Chrysler classified the recalls as Safety Recalls, H36, H46, K28, L16, N62, N49, and N63. The recalls addressed various parts of 2009-2012 Dodge Ram trucks’ steering linkage system, including its tie rod assemblies. The complaint alleges that the recalls excluded many affected vehicles and that Chrysler provided replacement parts that were also defective, forcing Chrysler to make additional recalls to remedy prior recalls. Consumers have reported that Chrysler does not have enough replacement parts to repair all the vehicles for which it has submitted recall notices and that drivers have been put on long waiting lists for repairs. Chrysler’s steering linkage defect and redesign. Allegedly, the ball stud is defective in the Chrysler Suspension design. The driver’s side tie-rod ball stud that Chrysler used is too weak to and is known to fracture under normal driving conditions. The tie rod is a “crucial link” in the vehicle’s steering system. A loose tie rod can cause any vehicle to have an excess shimmy or the dreaded death wobble. The tie rod can affect front-end alignment. This happen several times in the last 15 years
NHTSA complaint #11421800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving on I55 this morning and all of a sudden my truck started vibrating really bad, the steering wheel was veering, I had to constantly fight to keep in my lane. And when I touched my brakes it veered. Riding really rough, and has power loss. I took it to the nearest shop and they said my driveshaft was very loose, and that it is affecting everything that I described. The center driveshaft support bearing is also failing.
NHTSA complaint #11419423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 5.7 V8 4WD. MY STEERING HAS GOTTEN REALLY LOOSE OVER THE LAST WEEK. I BROUGHT IT IN TO DEALERSHIP FOR A PREVIOUS RECALL. AND THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT MY STEERING GEAR WAS GOING OUT AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE BAD.
NHTSA complaint #11407919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS ON A ON-RAMP GETTING UP TO HEY SPEED. HIT A LITTLE BUMP WHERE THE OLD AND NEW ASPHALT JOIN AND THE REAR STARTED TO FISHTAIL TO THE LEFT AND STARTED TO SPIN OUT HOT THAT K-RAIL THEN WENT OVER IT ROILING ABOUT 30 FEET FROM IT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK. IT WAS A BIT FOGGY AND THE ROAD SURFACE WAS WET.
NHTSA complaint #11386741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE TRUCK HAS EXPERIENCED THE PHENONOMEN KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. EXTREMELY VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT SUSPENSION TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. TODAY IT HAPPENED AT 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAS HAPPENED AS SLOW AS 40 MY IN THE PAST. I HAD TO PULL OVER VERY QUICKLY ON THE FREEWAY TODAY IN A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO WITH SEMI TRUCKS COMING UP BEHIND ME. TWICE I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANICS THAT HAVE REPLACED THE TRACK BAR AND THE STEERING DAMPER. IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM EVEN WHEN YOU TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TODAY.
NHTSA complaint #11352870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE RODE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY AND EXPERIENCED THE DEATH WOBBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS DUE TO THE FAILURE TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING TRACK BAR, THE STEERING COLUMN STABILIZER, INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS, STEERING DAMPENER, BALL JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11324674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 98 RAM 2500 V10 IF I GO ABOUT 65 MPH THERE IS A MASSIVE WOBBLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT IF I SPEED UP TO 70 IT STOPS OR IF I SLOW DOWN TO 60 IT STOPS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE ALL OF THE RAM TRUCKS THAT I HAVE HAD DO THIS EXACT SAME THING.
NHTSA complaint #11310056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.