2003 Dodge RAM 2500 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 159 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2003 Dodge RAM 2500, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 86,079 miles. The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (25% of reports).
- 159steering complaints
- 86,079median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 80%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 40 of 159 complaints (25%)
- Front end: mentioned in 33 of 159 complaints (21%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 26 of 159 complaints (16%)
- Shake violently: mentioned in 13 of 159 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 124 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 159 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Dodge RAM 2500 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 2500 | 109 | 39% | 42,300 |
| 2011 RAM 2500 | 210 | 70% | 38,500 |
| 2010 RAM 2500 | 152 | 64% | 38,000 |
| 2009 RAM 2500 | 155 | 72% | 60,000 |
| 2008 RAM 2500 | 175 | 55% | 60,000 |
| 2007 RAM 2500 | 199 | 55% | 66,561 |
| 2006 RAM 2500 | 231 | 34% | 89,000 |
| 2005 RAM 2500 | 153 | 36% | 95,925 |
| 2004 RAM 2500 | 140 | 24% | 90,340 |
| 2003 RAM 2500 | 159 | 24% | 86,079 |
| 2002 RAM 2500 | 20 | 13% | 84,500 |
| 2001 RAM 2500 | 69 | 15% | 50,000 |
| 2000 RAM 2500 | 38 | 18% | 50,520 |
| 1999 RAM 2500 | 36 | 12% | 49,000 |
| 1998 RAM 2500 | 24 | 11% | 116,000 |
| 1997 RAM 2500 | 10 | 5% | — |
| 1996 RAM 2500 | 20 | 7% | 203,000 |
| 1995 RAM 2500 | 14 | 5% | 100,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Dodge RAM 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4, model year 2007-2008 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis and model year 2006-2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4 trucks manufactured February 12, 2002, through February 13, 2008. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Risk: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler notified owners and launched its recall campaign in January 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N62.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 2500/3500 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 3500 cab chassis 4x2, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; and model year 2008 dodge ram 1500 mega cab 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through august 15, 2008, because the left tie rod ball stud may fracture. This condition tends to occur during low speed parking lot type maneuvers when the customer is making a tight turn. Additionally, model year 2003-2008 dodge ram 2500/3500 vehicles may have received the affected tie rod assembly as a replacement part during normal service.
Risk: This condition could result in the potential loss of directional stability in the left hand front wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the tie rod ends for relative orientation and replace the left outer tie rod as required and perform a front end toe alignment as needed. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 3, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09E001000 (Steering), 13V528000 (Steering) and 15V312000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the…
We have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel crew cab pickup that occasionally after hitting a bump or on rough roads the steering mechanism or suspension develops an uncontrollable harmonic vibration with one or the other front wheels bouncing. The only way to stop the vibration is to come to a complete…
I was driving on I55 this morning and all of a sudden my truck started vibrating really bad, the steering wheel was veering, I had to constantly fight to keep in my lane. And when I touched my brakes it veered. Riding really rough, and has power loss. I took it to the nearest shop and they said my…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Dodge RAM 2500s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 159 owner complaints about steering for the 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 (24% of the 661 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 86,079 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2003 Dodge RAM 2500?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 40 of 159 complaints, followed by “front end” (33).
Other 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 problems
- Structure problems (146)
- Air Bags problems (138)
- Suspension problems (122)
- Power Train problems (55)
See all 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 problems or steering problems across all RAM 2500 years.