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 2001 Dodge Ram owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 65mph the front end of the suspension in the vehicle dropped down. This in turn caused the contact to loose control of the vehicle. It slid into a guard rail, there was no warnings prior to the crash. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and then towed to the dealership. The manufacturer has been alerted, no repairs made.
On my way to work, as usual, on a "slightly" bumpy part of the highway my steering wheel and front end started vibrating so violently that I almost lost control. I could barely hold the steering wheel; and could not steer at all; all I could do was start braking and come to a stop. I got out and checked my tires and front end and everything appeared normal. I continued to work at about 40 MPH (I had gone to work early so no traffic) . At 8:00 I called my local mechanic and took it to him to check out what happened. He check everything and nothing showed. The next day it happened again; then again 2 days later. About 2 weeks later I took pickup in for regular oil/fuel/air filter change service. He test drove with me along and I explained further what happened. He said he has seen it before with Dodge 2500 & 3500 and it has been labeled the "Dodge death wobble". …
The ball joints of my 2001 Dodge Ram pickup had 5 times the allowable limit of play, which is 60,000th of an inch (1/16). All four ball joints had 5/16 of play at only 21,000 miles. The shop I went to for my inpection diagnosed the problem, and said I was fortunate that it didn't get any further. One good pot hole with that much play and a wheel could have come off. The shop owner told me that the ball joints were probably out of spec at 6,000 miles, considering their condition at 21,000 miles. He also said that this is a very common problem with all Dodge vehicles. He said that he has had Dodge durango's in his shop with only 6,000 miles that had the play he found in mine at 21,000 miles!
2001 Ram 1500 extd. Cab 4wd sport. I don't use it off-road and only use 4x4 in the snow. 32000 miles needed new tires. Shop wouldn't align wheels because they said I needed new ball joints. Brought truck to dealer, they said it was within specs. 35700 miles, same dealer replaces upper and lower universal joints on warranty. I went back to tire dealer for alignment, they said the ball joints were still bad and needed to be replaced. 36010 miles, dealer replaces upper and lower, left and right ball joints on warranty. 65600 miles, check engine light came on, same dealer replaces purge solenoid, stabilizer links and shift rod link to quiet rattling noise.
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 24, June 2205. The consumer stated the vehicle was poorly designed, the front of the vehicle was too light for the weight of the engine. There was no grease fitting for the ball joint. The rotors were replaced.
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 the axel and what not. This is only seven months after buying the thing. The people at the dealership are rude and very unhelpful. They honestly could care less about the inconvenience they have caused us.
2001 Dodge Ram extended cab pickup truck bought brand new. With 17,500 miles on this vehicle, my ball joints failed pennsylvania state inspection. This vehicle is driven only around 8,000 miles per year on hard road (no off-road). My Dodge is not the only Dodge that is having problems with ball joints. Something needs done about this problem before it turns into another Ford explorer problem with Firestone tires.
The steering wheel was hard to turn while driving at a low speed. The vehicle wandered across the road. The vehicle has been to the dealer on three separate occasions. The dealer replaced the steering box on two separate occasions and made some other repairs, however the problem continued. The consumer stated the brakes would grab, however the mechanic informed the consumer that was the way ABS worked.
Recall 00V307000 upper control arm. Vehicle was taken to dealer for recall repair. Dealer deleted information out of database without inspecting vehicle. Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision which resulted in total loss of the vehicle. Consumer suspected that recall defect was the cause of the collision. Please provide additional information.
While vehicle was being driven it would not go straight, but continously pulled to either right or left which has resulted in a collision. Dealer replaced steering box three times, and track bar, and steering pump, which did not corrected problem. Dealer replaced steering box 2 times, power steering was lost when brakes were applied.
Related recalls
Suspension › Rear
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.
Remedy: 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…
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper arm
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the upper control arm bolts and nuts.
Suspension complaints in other Ram years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2001 Dodge Ram?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the suspension of the 2001 Dodge Ram, 12% of the model year's 459 complaints. The component named most often is front (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Ram suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-008 (rear, Jan 5, 2001); NHTSA recall 00V-307 (upper arm, Oct 12, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Dodge Ram suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries 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.