The ventilation system failed as is common with these vehicles. Due to weal parts, the, "doors" that control air flow through the ventilation ducts broke. I have slowly replace each of the four doors as they failed. As they went out it affected every aspect of ventilation, including the defrost. After doing some research it is evident dodge was fully aware of this issue but made no improvements to the system, continuing to sell these vehicles to an unsuspecting public for several years.
The worst 2003 Dodge Ram problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Body8
- Engine8
- Transmission6
- Fuel system5
- Airbags4
- Brakes4
- Electrical4
- Steering4
- Visibility4
- Acceleration3
- Suspension3
- Lights2
- Seat belts2
- Tires2
- Seats1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Dodge Ram
Recalls 2
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
- What is wrong
- On certain van and wagon vehicles equipped with 4-wheel antilock brake systems (ABS), aftermarket batteries may leak electrolyte onto the ABS control module connector, which can compromise sealing integrity of the connector.
- Risk
- This may allow development of a short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the ABS control module connector for electrolyte damage and replace the connector as necessary. The recall will begin on september 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1‑800‑853‑1403.
Recall number 04V185000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- Certain pickup trucks, equipped with cummins diesel engines and manual transmissions, may experience an elevated idle speed after extended cruise control use.
- Risk
- This can result in unintended acceleration and a reduction in braking effectiveness, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the software in the cummins engine controller. Owner notification began on march 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1‑800‑853‑1403.
Recall number 03V033000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2003 Dodge Ram
Defect investigations
False park
The subject vehicles are heavy duty pickup trucks with diesel engines and automatic transmissions commonly used for commercial and work purposes.a column mounted shift lever is used for gear selection and an electronic prndl on the instrument panel provides gear position information to the driver.the subject vehicles are also equipped with a brake-transmission shift interlock that prevents the shift lever from being moved from the park position (when the engine is on) unless the brake pedal is depressed and an ignition-shift interlock that prevents key removal unless the transmission is in the park position.complainants generally report that the vehicle was being operated in a forward gear and brought to a stop through brake application on alevel surface, at which time the operator moved the shift lever to engage the park position.the operator then opened the driver side door and, without verifying park engagement (e.g., prndl gear indication), securing the park brake, or turning the engine off, exited the vehicle.initially, no vehicle movement was apparent, however, a short time later, typically reported as 10 to 30 seconds, the vehicle moved rearward under engine power.the incident often ended in a vehicle crash, and sometimes involved serious injury.two fatalities are alleged.odi?s analysis of test vehicles and some incident vehicles found no evidence to indicate that a shift lever properly placed in park could unintentionally (I.e., without driver input) disengage from that position.however, odi did find that the shift lever could be inadvertently placed, and remain at rest, within an intermediate position between the park and reverse gear positions.when placed in such an intermediate position, the vehicle can experience a delayed pressurization of the reverse hydraulic circuit that is sufficient to cause the vehicle to roll rearward under power.the delay period allows sufficient time for operators to exit the stationary vehicle without perceiving that the shifter is not in park.the summary report discusses the technical analysis of this issue in greater detail and compares the frequency of these incidents in the subject vehicles to other peer vehicles that odi examined.as described in their october 4, 2005 letter to the federal safety agency, daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) will conduct a safety recall (the federal safety agency recall no. 05v‑462, dcc no. E17) to install an out-of-park alarm system in the subject vehicles.the alarm will provide audible and visual feedback to alert the driver, and others, if the driver attempts to exit the vehicle while the engine is running and the shift lever is not in the park position.the timing of dcc?s action has yet to be determined.
EA04025
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Dodge Ram 63
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Dodge: electronic fuel control actuator (fca) available for service/new diagnostics available for DTC...
- Positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system freezes in extreme cold ambient temperatures -- involves...
- Trailer towing mirror - new mirror glass locking tab - new removal procedure. kb
- 5.9L turbo - diesel engine system enhancements. kb
- Front end shimmy on 4X4 vehicles when traveling over rough surfaces in the road. kb
- Powertrain control module initialization. kb
- 5.9L turbo-diesel engine system enhancements. tt
- Rear suspension vibration while driving at highway speeds. tt
- Positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system freezes in extreme cold ambient temperatures. tt
- 45RFE/545RFE trans - delayed engagement due to cooler return filter replacement. sc
What 2003 Dodge Ram owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH and attempting to brake, the vehicle hesitated to come to a full stop. The contact released the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated independently. The electronic throttle control warning light was also illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic who advised that the failure was related to the electronic control throttle. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue however no further assistance was provided. The VIN was unavailable. The current and the failure mileage was 168,000.
Passenger side grab handle failed while entering vehicle. Passenger lost balance and fell to the ground.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured, causing small fragments to fall into the vents. Once the ventilation system was activated, the contact stated that those small fragments would fly out of the vents and into her eyes. The dealer did not offer any assistance. The manufacturer failed to offer any assistance either since there were no recalls addressing the failure. No repairs were performed. The failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 180,000.
Dash board on 2003 dodge ram 2500 is cracked in multiple areas. Windshield defroster vent panels have crumbled and fallen into the air handler system causing defroster to stop functioning.
The dashboard in my 2003 has alot of cracks and now pieces are falling into the vents. This is a safety hazard to have pieces of the dashboard breaking off,it's just a matter of time before the entire dashboard caves in.
My 2003 dodge ram has a cracked dashboard.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram. The contact stated the wire connecting the ignition wire melted causing the windshield defroster to malfunction. The wire melted due to the size of the terminals to the connector. The lack of a defroster made driving very difficult for the contact. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer stated the wire that connect the ignition to the blower motor needs to be replaced. The contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to to drive due to the impaired vision. The failure mileage was 137,000.
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 federal safety agency 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.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram. The contact stated that his vehicle has a jake brake mechanism that leaks while idling or decelerating. He heard the leak near the engine compartment. The dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that it was an exhaust leak caused by the jake brake system, but stated that this was a normal occurrence for the vehicle. Carbon monoxide fumes are also entering the vehicle. The contact has not filed a complaint with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 10,000 and current mileage was 34,000.
Compare the 2003 Dodge Ram
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Questions about the 2003 Dodge Ram
Is the 2003 Dodge Ram reliable?
Owners have filed 53 complaints about the 2003 Dodge Ram, 1.3 times a typical Ram model year.
What is the 2003 Dodge Ram year score?
The 2003 Dodge Ram scores 65 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Dodge Ram: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Dodge Ram?
Body and structure, with 8 complaints. Next is engine (8).
How many recalls does the 2003 Dodge Ram have?
2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic and vehicle speed control.
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