KnownCarProblems2001 Dodge Ram Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 318 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Dodge Ram, most often about the steering (17% of complaints, typically around 49,000 miles). It is the most complained-about Ram model year since 2000 and has 9 recalls.
Most common 2001 Dodge Ram problems
Steering
53 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 49,000 miles. Parts named most often: gear box (other than rack and pinion), hydraulic power assist system, steering wheel/handle bar, hydraulic power assist.
Ball joints worn out at 49,000 miles 3 mechanics say this is typical of these Dodge trucks. If this a recuring problem, shouldn't Dodge be doing somthing on this
While driving, consumer turned the steering wheel but tires did not turn. Thus, resulting in a accident. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information. Ph
Transmission
50 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 39,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, manual transmission, axle assembly, driveline.
My transmission consisitently acted up from about 15,000 mile to the present. At 38,000 miles after numerous trips to the dealership the tranny finally stopped completely. Now 11 months and 20,000 miles later it is going out again and chrylsler says they will only pay for part of it this time leaving me with about…
My boyfriend bought a 2001 Dodge Ram in november of last year. After having the truck only four months the transmission had to be completly replaced. Two days ago we noticed a problem with the shocks. He brought it to the dealership and they told him all of the shocks need replacing, as well as other things such as…
Air bags
46 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 36,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal, side/window.
Dt: on august 30, 2005 the caller's husband was involved in an accident while traveling 25 MPH. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. The caller's vehicle hit a school bus. There was no indication that the air bag would not deploy. Caller's husband was injured. A police report was taken. The dealer and manufacturer…
While driving at 40 MPH vehicle impacted a brick wall. Upon impact, neither the driver's side nor the passenger's side air bags deployed. Driver sustained serious bodily injuries.
Suspension
42 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 40,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
My boyfriend bought a 2001 Dodge Ram in november of last year. After having the truck only four months the transmission had to be completly replaced. Two days ago we noticed a problem with the shocks. He brought it to the dealership and they told him all of the shocks need replacing, as well as other things such as…
Dt: was pulling a trailer at 45 MPH the vehicle started fish tailing. Without the trailer at 55 MPH the vehicle will fish tail. Took the vehicle to chrysler , and found that it was shaky. The tie rods ends, ball joints, and the check bar malfunctioned on the front of the vehicle. Almost had a wreck. This happened on…
Brakes
34 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 33,000 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, foundation components, power assist, pedals and linkages.
The rotors were replaced. There was a whisling noise heard while driving. The dealer could not find the problem therefore the problem remained the same. Scc
Dt: on august 30, 2005 the caller's husband was involved in an accident while traveling 25 MPH. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. The caller's vehicle hit a school bus. There was no indication that the air bag would not deploy. Caller's husband was injured. A police report was taken. The dealer and manufacturer…
Engine
30 complaints · 9%Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
Dealer couldn\\'t diagnose fuel pump problem. Kept reprogramming computer until total engine failure @ 30,000 km. 10 month fight for engine. 6 weeks to replace in shop. Electrical problems still exist since new. Truck has 77,000 km now. It is totally incapable of towing rv, what truck was bought for. Max fuel mileage…
Bought a 2 yr old durango with 60,000 miles on it at carmax. At 116,000 miles it started knocking. I took it to allen samuels dealership and they claimed the engine failed. We replaced the engine at our cost for 6k, because we still owed 7k on the vehicle. We bought new tires as we decided to keep the vehicle and try…
Body and structure
24 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 48,000 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
Dt: while driving down a hill the brakes went out. The contact was able to get it safely off the highway. This occurred on august 15, 2005. The contact took vehicle to a mechanic. They said that it was due to the way that the van was built. He said that it caused the battery to leak and burn a whole in the brake line.…
At 35 MPH hood opened without warning, destroying windshield and hood. There was no secondary latch on hood. Dodge dealer unwilling to investigate because vehicle was out of warranty.
Electrical
20 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: wiring, ignition, 12v/24v/48v battery, alternator/generator/regulator.
While driving 60 MPH driver tilted the steering wheel upwards and vehicle stalled . Driver tilted the steering back to the normal position and restarted the vehicle. Then, drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced the wiring harness connector.
2001 Dodge Ram d150 developed a problem with the wiring harness located in the steering column.** answer required***. The wiring harness had broken loose in the steering column and caused the vehicle to shut down. The power train control module failed and caused the check engine light to illuminate.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2001 Dodge Ram recalls
Brakes: control unit/module
Risk: This may allow development of a short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Electrical: alternator/generator/regulator
Risk: This could cause a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the installation of the alternator wire connection to the pdc and if necessary, reposition the wire so that the crimp connection will face upward and tighten the fastener to the correct torque setting. Owner notification began may 20, 2002. 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.
Full defect summary
On certain pickup trucks, the alternator wire connection to the power distribution center (pdc) can loosen.
Wheels and tires: tires
Risk: This could cause a tire to blow out if the vehicle is operated at the maximum gross vehicle weight. .
Fix: Dealers will replace the load range 'd' tires with correct load range 'e' tires. Owner notification began september 24, 2001. 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.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: certain 2500 wagons were equipped with incorrect load range tires.
Electrical: wiring
Risk: If the circuit breaker cycles for an extended period of time, heat could build up in the connector, possibly resulting in a fire.
Fix: Owners will receive instructions for removing the circuit breaker from the fuse panel. If an owner desires, their dealer can perform the repair. Owner notification began august 27, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: vans and wagons not equipped with power front seats. In the presence of road salt, water, and possibly other debris, the power seat connector located beneath the driver's seat could develop a high resistive short circuit that cycles the circuit breaker.
Wheels and tires: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Risk: Improper wheel lug nut torque could allow a wheel to loosen and cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the wheel lug nuts for proper torque and correct if necessary. Owner notification began june 4, 2001. All owners have been contacted.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: vans. A substitute wheel lug nut tightening process may not have been sufficient to assure proper torque of the lug nuts.
Air bags
Risk: When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.
Fix: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began june 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, will also be included in this campaign. 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.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11th VIN position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11th VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11th VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000. Important: vehicles that have already had the proper clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been excluded from this recall. In addition, 1997-2000 model year vehicles that have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been added to this recall.
Suspension: rear
Risk: The soft joint could cause the rear axle u-bolts to lose clamp load, resulting in displacement of the rear axle and a loss of vehicle control. This could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will remove the spacer plates and the spring plates will be replaced. Owner notification began february 5, 2001. 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.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: quad cab pickup trucks equipped with a camper package and overload springs. The rear axle spacer plate could lead to deformation of the upper spring plate during assembly of the axle to the vehicle resulting a soft joint.
Child Seat
Risk: In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Fix: Owners will be provided with an addendum to the owner's manuals.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." some of the owner's manuals for these vehicles are missing instructions that provide a step-by-step procedure, including diagrams, for properly attaching a child restraint system's tether strap to the tether anchorage.
Suspension: upper arm
Risk: This rotation could twist the steering linkage and possibly separate the brake lines, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the upper control arm bolts and nuts.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: quad cab pickup trucks. The upper control arms attached with cadmium coated nuts can cause the bolts to stretch due to the application of a higher than specified clamp load. Breakage of the upper control arm fasteners could cause the axle to rotate forward under braking conditions.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
2000-2001 dodge ram pickup hood latch
Summary
The agency opened this investigation based on 30 complaints alleging that the hoods on model year (my) 2000 and 2001 dodge ram pickup trucks flew up and blocked the driver's vision.these vehicles have a primary hood latch and a secondary (backup) hood latch.the secondary latch is designed to secure the hood if the primary hood latch is not properly closed or otherwise malfunctions.in these complaints, the secondary hood latch malfunctioned, apparently due to corrosion, and did not latch.dodge conducted recall 01v-040 in 1999 to address similar problems on model year 1994-1997 dodge ram pickup trucks.the information chrysler provided in response to odi's information request letter indicated t
Questions about the 2001 Dodge Ram
- What are the most common problems with the 2001 Dodge Ram?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: steering (53 complaints, typically around 49,000 miles); transmission (50 complaints, typically around 39,000 miles); air bags (46 complaints, typically around 36,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2001 Dodge Ram have?
- 9 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 12, 2004 (brakes). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2001 a bad year for the Dodge Ram?
- It is the most complained-about Ram model year since 2000, with 318 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.