Common problems with 2003's

[CKimball]

8800 miles and only complaints are:



17 inch PLASTIC wheel covers... 40k for plastic?? Come on ALCOA are you reading this????



along with that limited tire selection and big $$ when you can find them :{



a/c compressor comes on with a thug sometimes (dealer says it is normal! hogwash :-{}



gas pedal vibration when on cruise (get better mileage while OFF of Cruise!



bed panels are paper thin. . gots a couple of indents from leaning on the bed rail already:{



when pulling my fiver i wish you could keep it in that "tweener gear" just before lock up... it would help on the hills pulling my big beast!



AWESOME brakes love them Oo.

good mileage for a dually 18-19 hwy 16 around town

GREAT fit and finish... still have the old alt bracket (will wait for it to crack before I take it to the people who know NOTHING about these trucks (sorry moderator: I have one lousey dealer that just is clueless! have to drive 60 miles to a good one!)

GREAT ride for a 1 ton truck... . rode in my friends Silverado and wasent impressed!



ok... I am done!

Cameron

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

My AC sux too!

 

[DPKetchum]

My ac makes a BIG strange noise if off for a few days but cools as good as any other 134a system I've been in.

 

[rbattelle]

My AC clunks so loud sometimes when first engaged I expect to see the compressor go shooting out through the grill. But it provides cold air just fine.



I've been able to locate quite a good selection of 17 inch tires. I'm not sure why so many are having so much trouble. Chevy Avalanche and the H2 both have factory 17 inch wheels, so there is certainly a big market for them.

 

[Hunter1]

Also very disappointed in the 17" tire market :-(



Only thing I can find out there is Michelin or BFG, same company with 10 plys, hoping for

Toyos to put a real 10 ply out!



Hunter1

 

[chipmc]

I've been able to locate quite a good selection of 17 inch tires. I'm not sure why so many are having so much trouble. Chevy Avalanche and the H2 both have factory 17 inch wheels, so there is certainly a big market for them.



-------------



Its easy to find 17" tires. The hard part is finding them with a 10 ply rating.

 

[Kel]

No problems here either after 12k miles.



I have the driveline howl at about 75 mph and the A/C compressor clunk too, but neither has affected performance.



I love this truck!

 

[RobG]

I only have 1650 miles on my '03 so far (coming up on a month old) but so far it hasn't exhibited any of the problems mentioned in this thread (knock on wood).



The transmission does shift a bit too firmly at times but I would rather it do that than be mushy.



I had to give up my stock 17" wheels/tires in order to keep the Rickson 19. 5's off of my '01, so I can't really comment on the tire market. I do wish DC would put alloys on the duallies, though. I know they had to go to 17" wheels to clear the larger brakes, so be glad there's a good reason for dealing with the limited tire selection right now.



I found out that American Eagle's new planned 17x6 dually wheel won't be out until the end of the year at the very earliest (it isn't even in production yet).



After reading about the dirty fuel and stuff, I will check my fuel filter at 5000 miles, which is when I'll do my first oil change. I also had to add about 3/4 of a quart of fluid to my rear axle... I should check the front too now that I think about it.



Ride... this one rides WAY nicer than my '01. It even rides better than the '04 GMC Sierra 3500 DRW D/A that I drove a few days prior. And the ride is still decent with the extra-stiff 19. 5" wheels/tires.



So at least for now, I'm very, very pleased with my new truck! I guess my only real complaint is that the doors sound hollow when closed, compared to the solid sound/feel of the doors on my '01.



Rob

 

[EB]

Be glad you don't have a dually, then all you would have is Goodyear. They are the only one making the 235/80R/17.

 

[Fred Swanson]

22K miles and the only problems were a slight leak in the 6 speed casing, easy fix, and the shifter housing leaking, again easy fix.



Even better, I didn't have to do it, had the dealer take care of it.



Passenger towing mirror developed the shakes, again fixed under warranty.



I did have the rattle in the passenger door, but it went away when the new mirror was installed.



Oh yeah, had a marker light bulb burn out. A little sooner than I would have expected.

 

[Photoman]

Experienced rear end whine at 60mph immediately upon taking delivery of my truck. Did not appear to effect performance. Took it to the dealer at 2,000k. They checked the tech hotline and were approved to replace ring, pinion and bearings. Also installed a shim kit. This only changed the problem to the whine appearing at 64mph, instead of 60. Calls back to a supervisor at the tech hotline revealed that dealer SHOULD NOT have replaced the above parts, that Dodge was working on a fix for this problem. So far I have not been re-contacted by my dealer. When I check with them during oil changes, they tell me (more or less), "we'll call YOU when we have a solution. " I tow a 9,000 k fiver and have had no issues towing, etc. The rear end whine seems to have good away in the last 4-5,000k- a mystery, to be sure. I am wondering if the warmer weather during the summer has some effect, as I took delivery of my truck in 2/03. This is my first Dodge/Cummins and I am kicking myself for not buying one years ago..... !

 

[CKimball]

rbattelle,... you are right there are some 17's out there but ONLY one for a dually!:{... the stock badyears!!! garbage!

my two cents!

Cameron

 

[4xquadrod]

AC is poor

My AC blower doesn't seem strong enough and the passenger side blows a little warmer for a short then the truck cools down well. I think it just takes too long.



I helped a long time Ford friend decide on a new Dodge, he just received it this last Saturday and it went into the dealer today due to that vibration at around 65.



He still seems happy with the truck but I was banking on him having a good experience with the Dodge.

 

[COBRAJET]

I turned 41K miles yesterday. I have had the pinion seal replaced once and the right front axle bearing and seal replaced. Both were leaking like crazy.



I had an annoying short in the right front headlight which was a grounding problem from the factory. The dealer looked twice with no success at 29K and 34K. They found it at 40K and tried to charge me for it since it was out of the bumper to bumper warranty... . I did NOT pay.



The tire "choices" are non existant for the DRW trucks. . which stinks since I am approaching that hurdle in the next few months. I will likely go with 19. 5's on 265/70's.



I have also replaced two of the marker lights on the DRW extensions... seemed a little early, but I do drive at night a lot.



The AC does clunk at times, but the check guage light has not been flickering in a long time.





From a design side the armrests on the doors need better padding. The cupholders need serious help on the sticks... . where the heck is that 2003 Cup Smoothie. The cruise vibe needs fixed from the factory.





Overall, I have been very pleased... cancelled a KING RANCH for this truck and made the right decision. I would still like a larger cab, but I have no use in being a test bed for an engine that came to market one year early.



I have consistantly averaged 16. 5mpg at 70-75mph in weather that is not an advantage or disadvantage... not bad for a truck that sits on the scales at 9K lbs. I averaged 11. 3 at 65-70 grossing 22k over 5K miles. This was with a 37' 5th wheel with a very high profile... . CJ

 

[Steve M]

Aside from leaning on the seat adjuster buttons every time I lean in to get something, I don't have any complaints. But the truck has no personality. My '95,'98 and '01. 5 had personality. The '03s look like Droopy Dog. Fords are tacky looking and the new Chevy... WTF were they thinking? GMC ain't too bad on the eyes but no Cummins and they price them like they're catering to the Bentley crowd.

 

[ldg]

From 8-12 to 9-17 I put 21,193 miles on my 03. She is stock with transmission Temp, EGT and Boost gauge. I was pulling 5th wheel and Tag along trlrs from 25 ft. to 38 ft. triple axle, triple slide outs, high profile units weighing in excess of 14K. This 48RE transmission is great, NO slippage locked up in OD and when pulling some of my biggest loads on the hottest days my transmission temp was 160 to 165 down the road, normal being 150 to 155. She did hit as high as 200 briefly (sec's) in stop and go traffic with 12K lb load and 98 degrees outside (if 35mph or less 2nd overdrive cures that real fast). Overall during this period I towed in temps from 26 to 101 degrees.



Comming off and going up 8 miles of 10% grade on US 14A in the Big Horn Mtns. , WY - no problems and the direct third gear holds her back very well going down hill. (this was in a blizzard - snowing hard - 26 degrees and wind gust to 60 mph. One class C RV had been blown off the road and was on its TOP. I was not towing through this . But had pulled and descended this route with a load earlier). Going through TN, KT, OH and PA, as well as the Western States and BCCA I encountered very little down shifting of the 48RE in the hills/mtns. (I do not use cruise control in the steep hills/mtns).



The ride is great, empty or loaded. From Sioux Falls, SD. to Gary, IN. (643 miles) empty at 65 to 70 mph using secondary roads and freeways resulted in 21. 8 mpg, figured with pen and pencil and no cheating on the fill up (overhead monitor read 20. 8). She noticeably broke in at about 22 K. Loaded mpg were 10. 4 to 14. 2 (all higher mpg were after 22K). Currently has 27,350 miles on her.



Visability out of the P/U is great and alot better than the Y2K. I like the no wheel well inserts, easier to clean the under carrage of mud, SALT, ice & snow. Towing mirrors are fantastic. Like the tie downs in the bed and the relocation of the trlr electrical hook up over the Y2K setup.



On Del. I found the rear axle and transmission low on fluids. Yes the rear drops more than the Y2K 3/4 did and adjustment on the lights when your towing is a compromise. No other issues encountered.



Very happy I went with the 48RE, 373 rear end ratio and SRW. There will not be a need for a box, power is very good and the boost runs about 21 and I never saw the EGT's over 1100 (pre turbo) and I let her cool to 200/250 prior to shut down. Brakes are excellent and no problems with steering issues.



I keep detail records and notes on my towing and all issues with the truck. If anyone would like addional information email me. This is way to long at this point already. Just my exprience with my 03.

 

[RankRam]

lgd, thank's for the review if I didn't already own an 03 I would buy one after reading that!



Mine just turned 8k miles yesterday(got it in May).



Still waiting for her to break in.

 

[Fiver]

With only 5000 mi maybe it's too early to post but... ... ... ..... My 99 was equiped with 275 injectors, a boost module/elbow, and a 4 inch exhaust but the new HO 48RE has more power, rides better, brakes better, shifts better, tows better, bone stock and seems tighter all around. No problems at all. A friend delivers trailers about half of his mileage, bought last Dec. and now has 80k on his (HO 6-spd) with no problems whatsoever. Oil/filter changes only. For what it's worth.

Smile if you have a Cummins-

 

[Eric_77]

Only problem is it pulls so well I didn't realize I was overloaded. The new truck pulled 28,680 like the 96 pulled 21,000. I may have to get a bigger trailer to go with this truck.

 

[91W350]

Mine has a front driveline vibration, had it since it was new. Comes in at about 72 goes away at about 85. I always used to drive as close to 80 as I could. The dealer replaced it at less than 2K, it is a little better, but still there. Now I drive 68, sure saves a load of looking in the mirror and fuel money. That is the only thing I have experienced. Over 19K and still running hard, I just drive fairly hard, always have and this one is a blast. For a straight axle 4X4, it is amazing how good it drives and how well the tires are wearing. Kind of frustrating that the computer shuts it down at 106 mph, great pull to there though. Glen