2003 Dodge RAM 1500 body problems

Filed Feb 4, 2025 · Body, Suspension · WI

Rear fenders are rusted such that wiring harness falls off from underside if fenders and rubs on tires. Middle of frame rusted through on right and left side and dealer's floor lift went about half-way through both sides when the technician. tried to raise truck to check wiring under truck. The lift only crunched about halfway through near the middle of the frame. That was the point when the technician noticed the truck was lifting unevenly and making a crunching sound when he started trying to lift it. He left the truck as it was - with two wheels on the floor and two wheels about an inch off the floor He hollered for th shop supervisor to look at, who came and got me in the waiting room to show me what happened. The dealership could not repair the frame, but said there was a welding shop a couple of miles away down a back road in Zachow, WI where I could safely drive to if I went really slow. I don't know when the frame started rusting or the date the dealer's hydraulic lift broke through the frame. The truck's rear fenders were starting to significantly rust when it was about 3-4 years old. It was purchased new. I don't know how badly the frame had rusted at that time. I'm fairly certain the truck had less that 100,000 miles on it when the dealer found that the frame was rusted through. It's 22 years old now and was bought new in 2003. It has 147,000 miles on it today. Assuming that the miles/year were roughly the same at 6,682, and the tail lights started acting "funny" (the reason we brought the truck to the dealership),happened the year after we bought our new 2013 Lund boat (2014), that would put the mileage on the truck at 73,502. This type of dangerous deterioration should not happen with a low-mileage vehicle like ours.

Filed Oct 2, 2024 · Body · WI

The frame/chasis rusted through and dealer could not raise truck because lift went through frame. If it had not been noticed at dealership, we and others could have been killed if the frame had broken through on the highway. The dealership and repair shop can confirm. The box and other body components are severely rusted. The body around the gas filler cap is so rusty that I have to hold the gas dispenser just so as to prevent gas leakage from the filler apparatus going into the gas tank. The gas tank fell off the truck twice and the truck was towed into the dealer to be fixed. The truck has less than 150,000 miles, and was purchased new. The incidents occurred between 2004 and 2020 - approx. No police reports or injuries, but no help from dealer.

Filed Aug 7, 2022 · Body · FL · 1 injury

2003 dodge ram 1500 dashboard cracked all over. If involved in an accident the sharp pcs of hard plastic would definitely impale the occupants. Dodge states its only a few trucks but I have not seen one 2003 dodge ram with a dashboard on one pc. Once I was forced to brake hard and my passenger reacted by slamming her hand on the dash and a sharp point of a broken pc stabbed into her palm which began bleeding. Definitely need to look into this matter as it's a real hazard that could most probably result in a death if someone were to get in an accident.

Filed Jul 30, 2022 · Body · WI

The truck was brought in to dealer to inspect/repair wiring for trailer outlet. When they and began raising the vehicle, the rear lift arms broke through the frame on both sides. When I drove it short way to the repair shop (about 5 miles), the frame on the left broke and sagged and I nearly lost control. The repair shop was in sight and I was able to make it at under 10 mph. The road between the dealer and repair shop was an old country road and I never exceeded 45mph. The rusted frame was first noticed by Witt Ford in Pulaski and the frame was reinforced/surrounded by welded plate steel. There was no warning of the defect. If I had been travelling at highway speed and this failure occurred, I would have lost control, the left side of the truck would have been dragging as well as fuel tank. There would have been a crash and probably a fire.

Filed Nov 15, 2020 · Body, Electrical · 85,000 miles · GA

Dash is cracked and pieces are flying everywhere when the AC is turned on. Very unsafe.

Filed Aug 25, 2020 · Airbags, Body · 163,000 miles · SC · crash · 3 injuries

On august 1 2020, my 2 adult children and another passenger was in a crash and my truck flipped several times from front to back and all passengers were badly injured and not one of the air bags were deployed. The truck was hit from the passenger side causing the truck to air lift and flip.

Filed Jun 3, 2020 · Body · 120,000 miles · WI

Truck body rusted through around rear wheel wells starting in 2005. Rusted completely through in 2007 (dealer wouldn't repair under 7-year rust-through warranty, and appeared much the same as in recent photo. In 2019 the frame on both sides in the rear were noted to be rusted all the through and reinforcing patches needed to be welded on as seen in photo.

Filed Jan 27, 2020 · Airbags, Body · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v312000 (air bags). The vehicle was taken to local dealer hayes chrysler dodge jeep ram of gainesville located at 3115 frontage rd, gainesville, ga 30504, where she was informed that the dashboard needed to be replaced before the recall repair could completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 4, 2019 · Body · 160,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. -frame corroded -vehicle unsafe to be driven.( by independent mechanic ) -rust -the contact had the vehicle diagnosed by an independent mechanic that determined the frame was severely rusted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Filed Sep 4, 2019 · Body · 170,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. -the frame was severely corroded. -vehicle unsafe to be driven ( diagnostic by independent mechanic ) -rust -the contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, they determined vehicle not safe to be driven. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.