164 of the
4,040 complaints filed about the Dodge RAM 3500
are about the lighting —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
While pulling a trailer, integrated trailer brake controller stopped working and disabled the trailer brakes. All trailer lights worked, just no brakes. Showed red warning in dash and "CF" on brake controller after failure. No warning before failure. Checked connections and tested with another trailer. Even with no trailer, warning is on and trailer brakes are not functional. Created hazard to driver and other motorists by spontaneous loss of brakes. Online forums indicate this is not an isolated incident. More recently, now the trailer running lights have failed. Brake and turn signal lights work, but no running lights. No police report of inspections. Not yet repaired. Available for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11420194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED HEADLIGHTS FROM CARID FOR MY 2008 DODGE RAM 3500 IN DECEMBER 2019. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE SHADOWS CAUSING DARK SPOTS AND A HAZARD. IN THE INTERIM, I PURCHASED LED BULBS FROM THE SAME COMPANY TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT THE LED BULBS WILL GO DARK PERIODICALLY. CARID WILL NOT EXCHANGE THE HEADLIGHTS FOR ANOTHER BRAND, NOR RETURN MY MONEY, SO I CAN PURCHASE SAFER HEADLIGHTS.
NHTSA complaint #11308484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DASH IS ALL CRACKED UP ALLOWING SHARP PLASTIC PROJECTILES IN AND ABOUT THE CAB THAT CAN CUT YOU IN A WRECK SUN GETTING ON ELECTRICAL WIRES DESTROYING THEM AND NOW SHORTS AND SOMETIMES DONT WORK RIGHT
NHTSA complaint #11233910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. CALLAWAY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (809 S WESTMINSTER AVE, FULTON, MO 65251, (855) 486-1440) DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 253,363.
NHTSA complaint #11191481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE IS NO RELAY TO HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAUSING PIGTAIL TO MELT MULTIPLE TIMES. COULD CAUSE FIRE WHILE DRIVING.... PIGTAIL MELTS AND HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF DURING DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #11065790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES 2 MONTH APART. LOUD BANG AND RUMBLE. INSIDE TIRE, TREAD CAME OFF OF TIRE. DAMAGED INSIDE OF WHEEL WELL, RUNNING LIGHTS, FENDERS ON THE DUALLY, METAL SUPPORTS ON FENDER. NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN 30+ YEARS OF TOWING AND DRIVING TRUCKS.
NHTSA complaint #11013392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT NOT RUNNING. ALL INTERIOR LIGHTING INCLUDING DASH LIGHTING WENT OUT ALONG WITH EXHAUST BREAK, TOW HAUL, CARGO LIGHT. CRUISE CONTROL. AND HORN. UPON TAKING TO DEALER THEY SAID THE TIPM HAS FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACED AT A INSTALLED COST OF $1156.90
NHTSA complaint #11003742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND WORKED ONLY AT THE SLOW SETTING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIPM MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 06E023000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND 09E009000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 230,000. UPDATED 08/14/2017
NHTSA complaint #10969589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HIGH BEAM AND OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS QUIT OR GO OFF FROM TIME TO TIME. DEALER SAID ITS A "TIPM" COMPUTER. AT A COST OF OVER $800.00 TO REPLACE OR $100.00 TO FLASH THE COMPUTER TO REPAIR? CAN ONLY BE FLASHED 3 - 4 TIMES BEFORE IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. ALL THE WIRING AND CONNECTIONS ARE GOOD. DEALER SAID IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF A FAULTY BULB AND BURNED OUT THE "TIPM" ? I DONT KNOW, BUT SOUNDS LIKE A PROBLEM THAT DODGE NEEDS TO ADDRESS. IF LEFT UNCHECKED / REPAIRED IT WILL SLOWLY DISABLE ALL THE HEAD LIGHTS HIGH AND LOW, PLUS THE DAY TIME AND FOG LIGHTS. NOT FOR SURE WHEN IT STARTED AS I HAD JUST BOUGHT IT FROM A INDIVIDUAL, AND ONLY NOTICED IT WHEN SWITCHING FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS. THE TRUCK HAS 130,000 MILES. THEY SAY THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN TRAILER WIRES WERE INCORRECTLY ADDED? AGAIN THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE DODGES PULLING TRUCK BUT WITH NO $2.00 FUSES TO REPLACE, JUST AN $ 800.00 FIX? REALLY DODGE??
NHTSA complaint #10969506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING ILLUMINATED BRIGHTLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIPM WAS SMOKING AND CAUSED SIX UNKNOWN FUSES TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND RESTARTED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 245,000.
NHTSA complaint #10946600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS NOW BUT AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE ACTION. I WAS DRIVING MY PICK-UP IN TOWN WHEN I LOST MY GAUGE LIGHTS AND I NOTICED AT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL MY MAKER LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND A BLOWN FUSE IN THE FUSE BOX AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. RIGHT AWAY IT BLEW AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME IT ALSO BLEW THE CERCIT IN THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE, WICHATA LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO BYPASS THE CURCIT AND GET POWER TO MY LIGHTS FORM ANOTHER SOURCE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE TIPM IS $850 THAT DON'T INCLUDE THE COST OF REPLACING IT AND THEN PROGRAMING IT TI THE VEHICLE. SO I DECIDED I WASN'T GOING TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR SOMETHING THAT I HAD ALREADY FIXED BY BYPASSING THE PROBLEM. THEN A FEW YEARS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH AT NIGHT WHEN I LOST MY HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS UPON FURTHER DIAGNOSIS I FOUND IT TO BE THE TIPM AT FAULT AGAIN. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME IT TOO WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. SO I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH CHRYSLER ABOUT BOTH ISSUES AND TOLD THEM THEY NEEDED TO GET IT FIXED AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT. SO I LET IT GO WITHOUT PRESSING THE ISSUE ANY FURTHER. AS TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. BUT AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TIPM, THAT DODGE NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND BITE THE BULLET AND FIX THE PROBLEMS. DUE TO THESE ISSUES BEING MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEMS. (I.E. LOSS OF WIPERS, LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNAL FLASHING THE WRONG WAY)
NHTSA complaint #10888800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY, 2012. IN FEBRUARY, 2012, PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WOULD BLINK AND GO OFF, INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER TESTED AND REPLACED TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) COMPUTER. APPEARED TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY. IN MARCH, 2016, PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND IS NOW NON-FUNCTIONAL. WORKS ON HIGH BEAM. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB WITH A KNOWN GOOD BULB. SAME PROBLEM. TIPM IS OUT AGAIN. REPAIR IS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A PART THAT IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM BY HUNDREDS OF OWNERS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND MAKES OPERATOR OF VEHICLE IN VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC LAWS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10873958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BOTH MOUNTING TABS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT FIXTURE BROKE ALLOWING THE ENTIRE HOUSING TO FALL OFF ON THE INTERSTATE. IT WAS DANGLING BY THE ELECTRICAL PIGTAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10865032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, BOTH SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD BECOME ACTIVE ON THE TAIL LIGHTS, BUT ONLY SHOW LEFT TURN ON THE DASH. WHEN USING THE RIGHT TURN, NO LIGHT WOULD WORK AT ALL. TURNED OUT TO BE THE TURN SIGNAL MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, WHICH AFTER SEARCHING ALSO CAN AFFECT THE HEAD LIGHTS WORKING OR NOT, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I HAVE CHECKED ON THE INTERNET FORUMS AND HAVE FOUND THIS HAPPENING ON MANY DODGES, MOSTLY 2006 AND NEWER.
NHTSA complaint #10852338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER BUILT UP IN THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EACH TIME IT RAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR GASKET LIGHT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER DAMAGE AFFECTED THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000.
NHTSA complaint #10839501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE HAS A SHORT CAUSING THE RIGHT SIDE PARKING LAMPS, MARKER LAMPS, AND RIGHT SIDE TAILLIGHT TO BLOW THE FUSE EVERY TIME IT IS CHANGED. AS SOON AS THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON, THE FUSE BLOWS WITHIN SECONDS.
NHTSA complaint #10822718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, HIS VISIBILITY DECREASED THEN EVENTUALLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIPM BOARD FAILED WHICH AFFECTED THE VISIBILITY OF THE LOW BEAMS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS WERE REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
NHTSA complaint #10811138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.