124 of the 5,489 complaints filed about the Dodge RAM are about the lighting — 2% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.
124
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
3
Crashes
7
Fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER SHE ACTIVATED A TURN SIGNAL, THE OPPOSITE SIGNAL WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,000. UPDATED 09/11/12*LJ UPDATED 09/13/2012
NHTSA complaint #10468963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE RAM 1500 HAD A FAILURE OF THE TIPM THAT CONTROLS THE HEAD LIGHTS LEAVING THE TRUCK WITH INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION.
NHTSA complaint #10458261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE CONTACT THEN PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE HEADLIGHTS BUT ONLY THE HIGH BEAMS WERE OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE. THE BULB WAS REPLACED BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL INOPERABLE.THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,100.
NHTSA complaint #10445081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MULTI SWITCH MALFUNTIONS WHILE DRIVING WITH HEAD LIGHTS ON...THE HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT..THE WIPERS WILL QUIT ALSO.
NHTSA complaint #10425948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TRYING TO SIGNAL A TURN LEFT AND THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL COMES. ALSO WHEN ITS RAINING OUTSIDE MY WIPERS ONLY RUN AT INTERMITTENT SPEED AND IF I SIGNAL RIGHT OR LEFT WHILE WIPERS ARE RUNNING THE WIPERS WILL STOP UNTIL SIGNAL HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN RAINING OUT ARE WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND I CAN NOT CHANGE CAUSE THE SIGNAL SAYS IM GOING RIGHT AND IM REALLY TRYING TO GO LEFT. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE I CAN NOT BELIE IT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY.
NHTSA complaint #10404150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN USING THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, THE LEFT ONE WOULD ILLUMINATE AND WHEN USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL THE RIGHT ONE WOULD ILLUMINATE. OCCASIONALLY, THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
NHTSA complaint #10399130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT BASED ON A SPECIFIC OCCURRENCE. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER WHO OPERATES A VARIETY OF PASSENGER VANS AND BUSSES BETWEEN VARIOUS CITIES. IN RECENT YEARS IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE DURING NON-DAYLIGHT HOURS DO TO THE TYPE OF HEADLIGHTS THAT ARE NOW ALLOWED ON PASSENGER AND TRUCK VEHICLES. THE INTENSITY AND BRIGHTNESS LEVEL OF HEADLIGHTS HAS INCREASED TO A POINT WHERE THE GLARE AND BLINDING EFFECT OF ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY FACTOR, ESPECIALLY ON TWO LANE HIGHWAYS. FURTHERMORE, MANY VEHICLES ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH A FOUR HEADLIGHT SYSTEM AS THEIR REGULAR NIGHT TIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE OPTIONAL "FOG LIGHTS" FOR SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS IS NOW STANDARD LIGHTING PROTOCOL. THE OTHER OPTION ON THESE VEHICLES IS THEIR "BRIGHT" OPTION WHICH CREATES AN EVEN MORE HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO THEIR BLINDING EFFECT. THIS "UPGRADED" HEADLIGHT, FOG LIGHT, AND BRIGHT LIGHT TREND NEEDS TO BE TONED BACK DOWN TO INTENSITY AND BRIGHTNESS LEVELS THAT EXISTED A FEW YEARS AGO AND ARE REASONABLE FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO ADJUST TO. IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF FACT THAT THESE HIGH LEVEL HEADLIGHT OPTIONS ARE THE CAUSE OF MORE UNNECESSARY ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES THAN EVER BEFORE.
NHTSA complaint #10374708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
POOR RELIABILITY OF ELECTRICAL CONTROL AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM CAUSES NUMEROUS AND SOMETIMES INTERMITTENT FAILURES OF EXTERIOR SAFETY-RELATED LIGHTING SUCH AS HEADLAMPS (LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM), TAILLAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LAMPS, AND TRAILER LAMPS. PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE EXACERBATED IF VEHICLE IS NOT OPERATED FOR A FEW WEEKS. DEALER IS QUOTING REPAIR COST IN EXCESS OF $2000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER, WHICH IS REPORTEDLY NOT A SERVICEABLE UNIT. THIS HIGH REPAIR COST WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSE OWNERS TO "TAKE THEIR CHANCES" AND CONTINUE OPERATING VEHICLES IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE THE REPAIR IS SO COSTLY AND THE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTENT. SOME USERS HAVE REPORTED NEEDING TO COMPLETE THIS REPAIR MORE THAN ONCE OVER THE VEHICLE LIFETIME, WHICH FURTHER CONFIRMS THERE IS AN INHERENT RELIABILITY PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. OTHER USERS REPORT SIMILAR ISSUES WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS REPORTEDLY DUE TO THE SAME UNIT FAILURE. BECAUSE DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS HAVE AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT MODEL CATEGORIES AND MULTIPLE MODEL YEARS FOR REPORTING IN THE NHTSA ONLINE REPORTING STRUCTURE, THE COMPLAINTS ARE SPREAD OUT AND THE CONCENTRATION OF PROBLEMS ENDEMIC TO THIS VEHICLE MAY NOT BE READILY APPARENT TO ODI INVESTIGATORS. COMPLAINTS MAY BE REPORTED UNDER "1500", "2500", "3500", "RAM", "RAM 1500", "RAM 2500", "RAM 3500", "RAM QUAD CAB", "RAM PICKUP", "DODGE TRUCK", ... , ALL DUE TO THE SAME MODULE FAILURE. COMPLAINTS ARE ALSO SPREAD OUT AMONG MANY DIFFERENT COMPLAINT CATEGORIES, FURTHER DILUTING THE RECOGNITION THAT THERE IS ONE FUNDAMENTAL ROOT CAUSE OF A DOZEN OR MORE DIFFERENT FAILURE MODES.
NHTSA complaint #10289147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAIL TO DIM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO THE FAILURES, SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,216. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/30/09.
NHTSA complaint #10276115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAIL TO DIM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO THE FAILURES, SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,216. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/30/09.
NHTSA complaint #10276115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HER DRIVEWAY. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN. SHE THEN HEARD A LOUD POP AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. SHE WAS UNABLE TO ENTER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. SHE WAS PINNED BETWEEN A METAL POST AND THE DOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO FREE HERSELF AND SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER MIDRIFF, BACK, AND HEAD. THE POWERTRAIN, SPEED, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,900. UPDATED 01/17/08 *BF THE DEALER STATED THE RIGHT BRAKE LAMP IS INOPERABLE. THE CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED ALL MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION AND REPAIR INVOICES PERTAINING TO THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 01/17/08
NHTSA complaint #10210797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHILE IT COOLED OFF, AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, THE VEHICLES LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE FAILURE CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS FAILURE OCCURRED TOO FREQUENTLY . IT BEGAN TO OCCUR 1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, AND HE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCHES OVER 12 TIMES. DAIMLER/CHRYSLER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TOO MANY MILES ON IT AND THAT IT WAS NOT RELATED TO RECALL #99V024000 DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 177,000.
NHTSA complaint #10187340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V024000, REGARDING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10175274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTED THE COMBINATION SWITCH TO THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS CAUSED THE SWITCH TO MELT AND BURNED THE WIRES. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE SINCE STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION , AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. *AK UPDATED 01/19/06.
NHTSA complaint #10144236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DT: CONSUMER STATES: THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH KEEPS BURNING UP IN HIS 1996 DODGE RAM TRUCK. IT IS BURNING THE WIRE HARNESS THAT GOES TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. IT COULD GO OUT AT ANY TIME. HE HAD IT REPLACED ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS AGO AND IT IS OUT AGAIN. HE HAS TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE MADE A SPECIAL WIRE HARNESS TO SPLICE INTO THE WIRING ON THE TRUCK. THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS SAME THING. THE DEALER SAID CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. HE CAN BE GOING DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE LIGHTS WILL JUST GO OUT. YOU CAN PARK IT FOR A WHILE, WHEN YOU COME BACK TO START THE CAR AND SWITCH ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. THE LAST TIME HE HAD IT REPLACED, THE WIRING HAD MELTED THE INSULATION.
NHTSA complaint #10128264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
THE LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY WHEN APPLIED. DRIVER NOTICED THAT WHILE APPLYING THE HIGH BEAM TO THE LOW BEAM THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM DIMMER SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10117563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS
THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FOG LIGHTS WERE CRACKED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE LIGHT FIXTURE. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A WARRANTY NOT A DEFECT, AND CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10112895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HEADLAMPS WENT OUT, AND THEY WON'T COME BACK ON. HE CHECKED THE FUSES AND OTHER PARTS AND NOTHING WORKED. THIS HAPPENED ON FRIDAY. ALL THE INSIDE PANEL LIGHTS WERE ON. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE AT NIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10095018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO COME ON. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER TOOL VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED T DUE TO SOLENOID DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10089946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
COMPLAINT INVOLVING 2002 DODGE RAM TRUCK.*MR (NAR) THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE AND REQUESTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10048469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.