Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact who is a certified mechanic, inspected the vehicle. Upon expecting the vehicle, the contact determined that both upper control arms had completely rusted and needed to be replaced. The upper and lower ball joints and suspension had been replaced by the contact. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 225,000. The VIN was unavailable.
As with many of the other complaints about 2003 Dodge Ram 3500's this Ram 3500 has had all suggested steering component upgrades and recall upgrades (change steering to 2008 steering) and the tie rod recall for the 2008 steering. The 2008 steering upgrade seemed to exacerbate the tire wear issue. Additionally, ball joints and shocks have been replaced. The Ram death wobble and excessive tie wear is still present. The last set of tires lasted 8,000 miles (I am putting a new set on today). The tire wear on my last trip of only 360 miles was very noticeable - so much so a trip of 1,000 miles or more would have caused dangerous tire wear and potential catastrophic failure. Dodge has tried to fix the problem by only skimming over the issue with minor fixes. …
Purchased vehicle at 100,000 in 11/2011. Miles seemed in good condition. Quickly started death wobble. Thought it was weak tires. Purchased new (better) tires, no change. Took into oak ridge, tn Chrysler dealership for death wobble repairs at 122,351 miles (ticket chcs182246). Fine until last month 12/2016 at approx 137,051 miles. Death wobble is back (and worse). Easily occurs at interstate speeds when one hits bridge expansion joints (especially on a curve). But must also watch (be careful) on secondary roads at slower speeds. Does not need to be on a curve if the bump is big. In my opinion engineering wise, think the engine / front end is too high/heavy for the default steering/suspension components to handle the forces. It seems the repairs I am offered are merely fixing symptoms and not root cause. …
Was changing oil on my 03 Dodge Ram 3500 and noticed the frame rail near cab mount on drivers side was completely rusted thru with a hole approximately 2 inches long and 1/4" wide. I'm afraid to haul my goose neck trailer under these conditions. I'm afraid that additional weight could cause the frame to collapse. I don't remember seeing a recall for this condition.
Lost control of vehicle on a mountain road. Front left wheel fell off, leading me into a rock. Vehicle is total loss and I have had physical damage on my face from it going through the driver door window on impact. Dodge has denied my claim even though there is a recall on dakota's for same problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500. While driving 40 MPH, the driver side tie rod ball joint fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was repaired by the owner; however, the failure continued intermittently. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
2003 Dodge Ram 3500. 76000 mile. Rear axle seal leaking onto right rear emergency brake pads. Loss of rear end fluid. Had the transmission and rear end serviced at local Dodge dealer at 30,000 and 60,000 miles. They stated both times the rear end was low on fluid. But could not figure out where the fluid went to. During a recent brake pad replacement the technician removed the right rear wheel to turn the disk, and found the problem. The local dealer stated they had the seals but when they arrived they were the wrong size. Several phone calls later the technician was able to located the correct size but they could not be delivered until the next day. Also there has been a clicking noise comming from the right front of the truck for some time. I assumed it was the shock. …
I went to Chrysler with I thought shock problems .the mechanic told me there was a recall on the steering linkage he tim/ also said Chrysler would only replace one small part but that the other rods and bushings would have to be replaced also because they were part of the problem and if I did not replace rods and bushings they would eventually brake and I would have no steering control right now the bushing are rattling real bad and the steering is loose and walks on the road tim the mechanic said this is one whole problem and all linked together also I have cost guard insurance and since part is on recall they would not pay for the other parts which will cost over 700.00 I feel Chrysler is responsible and need to pay Chrysler already had one repair on same breakdown last week please check into this for us.
From 55mph and above if a bump in the road is hit, small or large the vehicle will suddenly shack uncontrollably. I am the original owner of this truck. I installed an after market high performance front stabilizer that prevented the death rumble from occurring. This worked for 50-60 thousand miles. The death rumble has returned. I bought another after market stabilizer however it was not effective this time. This vehicle is unsafe to drive. My question is how many people have to die before Dodge does something about it. I paid 50,000 for a truck that has not operated properly for 40 of the 90thousand miles. Dodge is aware of this issue. I have sent my truck to Dodge to no prevail. Help!
Tl contact owns a 2003 Dodge 3500. The contact stated that there was a recall regarding the steering linkages on her vehicle. The dealer will only perform half of the repair for free and the contact must pay $700 for the other half. The vehicle is currently at the dealer waiting to be repaired. The contact will call the manufacturer for assistance. The NHTSA campaign id number was 07e009000. The failure mileage was 66,000. Updated 07/14/09. The consumer stated the pitman arm was on an angle which caused the other arm to twist at an odd angle and caused damage the rubber gasket. Updated 07/15/09.
Suspension complaints in other Ram 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the suspension of the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500, 11% of the model year's 286 complaints. The component named most often is front (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.