2003 Dodge RAM 2500: windshield wiper failure

Filed Apr 9, 2023 · Electrical, Lights · IL

After driving in heavy rain. During the following day started having electrical issues the parking lights would stay on even when the switch was turned off the driver's side headlight would also come on. and the parking lights would either turn off or flash when the high beams were turned on this happened with front and back parking lights the only way to fully get them to stay off was to pull the relay or disconnect the battery. The problem is with the power distribution center and front control module the poor design allows them to corrode damaging the copper tracing and causing shorts in the system this is a common problem as there are several online forums dedicated to these problems with a lot of people having the same issues so I'm not sure why there hasn't been a recall for this since it is a major safety problem when it affects lights, windshield wipers and several other things that could cause accidents. my brother's truck is also having sign's of the pdc and fcm being bad. and at over $1000 to replace both for a manufacturing defect it's not right that dodge customer's should have to pay that bill. I'll be attaching a picture of another board but the damage is the same and in the same spot

Filed Feb 11, 2014 · Electrical · 166,000 miles · MO

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 2500. The contact stated that all the gauges in the vehicle failed and all the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact mentioned that the windshield wipers also failed. The failure would recur intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was unable to be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 166,000 and the current mileage was 180,000. Updated 04/22/14*lj updated 04/23/14

Filed Sep 3, 2012 · Electrical, Lights · KY

When I turn signal to left makes right signal comes on, when you turn right signal on makes left signal comes on. The lamp out light keeps coming on and going off when you turn the left signal on then off again. I checked none of the lamps are out. Has been took to dealer twice and had the wiring harness in the steering column fixed, it quit for a while and then starts the same thing again.the dealer claims using the tilt on the steering wheel is the cause of the problem. I think the problem is in the turn signal arm because it affects the signals and the wipers. I have talked to other dodge owners who are experiencing the same problems. I feel there should be a recall on it because it could turn into a safety issue.

Filed Mar 25, 2010 · Body, Visibility · 56,000 miles · TX

I'm a 3 time dodge owner currently have a 2003 ram 2500 slt hemi, 2004 ram 1500 short bed, 2005 durango hemi. Each one has problems. What I don't understand is how the federal safety agency and dodge don't see the safety danger involved. The 2003 has the most serious safety issues. A dash that is cracking so bad that pieces are now starting to fall out. If an accident were to occur this is a projectile hazard . I have taken pictures of the dash. I hope know one gets injured from projectile fragments of the dash. The more serious issue with the 2003 is the flapper door on the actuator motor that changes the air flow from vent to floor or defrost. Dodge does not see this as a safety issue. I don't see the difference between the defrost to the windshield not working and a windshield wiper recall; they both affect your view. We don't drive the pickup if ice and snow are in the forecast. I could not believe all the complaints about this issue and nothing is being done. Lets wait until one of these 2 issues injuries someone seriously or even sadder yet someone is killed!!!!! There is always a lawyer waiting. I would think any problem that affects your site or view for driving would be most dangerous.

Filed Jul 21, 2009 · Lights, Steering · 120,000 miles · IN

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge 2500. The contact stated that the wiring harness failed and was repaired under warranty. On a separate occasion, the defroster and windshield wipers failed. While utilizing the driver's side turn signal, the passenger side turn signal would illuminate instead. This failure was also repaired under warranty. In addition, the contact was experiencing very hard vibrations form the front end of the vehicle. He struck a squirrel in the road and nearly lost control of the vehicle due to the vibrations. A local service dealer replaced the steering linkages in the vehicle at the contact's expense. He later received a recall notice for the suspension and excessive vibrations (steering linkages). The federal safety agency campaign id number was unknown. The current and failure mileages were less than 120,000.

Filed Apr 5, 2009 · Lights · 116,000 miles · WI

My turn signal stalk doesn't signal properly when actuated. I push up for a right signal, sometimes I get a right signal sometimes I get the total opposite (left signal). This is dangerous. Also on the same lever my wipers don't always turn on properly or the high beams don't activate or don't turn off. However, I strongly feel this is a chrysler issue because having to do some research on a tdr discussion board it has been realized that there is too much stress on the wiring harness that terminates at the multifunction switch. When the steering wheel is tilted down this harness separates from the switch due to no slack causing it to become erratic, then if you tilt the wheel up it makes a full connection and works properly. There needs to be a recall before this causes an accident!!!

Filed Feb 14, 2006 · Visibility · 15,000 miles · AK

A recall is due. Driving the 2003 dodge heavy duty 2500 hemi pickup towards work in the dark morning hours of 02-10-05 in anchorage alaska, the wiper arm and attached wiper blade on the (left) drivers side windshield fell off at 45 MPH while in use on a rare 40 f degree warm morning, heavily sanded and slushy covered road way. The view became instantly blurry and hard to focus on the dangers ahead, while the following vehicles barely escaped the projectile of the assembly of steel and plastic. The second vehicle hit it and destroyed any attempts to investigate its reasons for failure to stay with the truck. When she was able to stop and clean the windshield to see she was greatly shaken and afraid of the final duration to work. She then swapped the passenger side to the drivers side and finished her trip. She called me and told me that the arm fell off again, and said that it had happened before, due to the ice and snow that deposit in the plastic trim cover of the arms locking clip below the arms base. That the arm hits the ice and switches the lock into the off position and than the motor power tosses the arm off the truck in any given direction. The dodge dealer declares to us this is a common event in the northern environments. They warranted the whole assembly and admitted that this only happens on the drivers side. They admitted the problem was always the drivers side because the way the snow piles and melts into an icy dam in the arms way to operate freely. I believe that a black neoprene doughnut could be placed under the arm and through the splinted socket below the arm to stop the ice damming in this sensitive area and or a screw inserted into the safety tab to prevent the ice from opening the switch. Drivers in the northern climates should be notified about this problem. And the arm could use a leash to keep from leaving the vehicle. The dealer I went to was lithia of south anchorage. Apparently they are aware of the problem.