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2002 Dodge RAM 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

584 reports with mileage · 231 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Structure. Review the 278 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

55 crash reports14 fire reports43 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

62 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2023
SuspensionUnknown Or Other

To put it as simple as I can describe it is a death wobble. that occurs every time you hit a bump in the road, hole, or pot hole. This truck has always had this death wobble from factory. The reason why this is a safety issue is because it causes the steering wheel to go out of balance and go into other lanes in the road and pot…

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To put it as simple as I can describe it is a death wobble. that occurs every time you hit a bump in the road, hole, or pot hole. This truck has always had this death wobble from factory. The reason why this is a safety issue is because it causes the steering wheel to go out of balance and go into other lanes in the road and potentially cause an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11531959

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2021
Air BagsUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

While traveling at normal speeds approximately 40 mph a car ran a stop sign I t-boned them on their passenger side with my front end I hit them at approximately 40 mph my airbags did not deploy my face and chest hit the steering wheel and dash

NHTSA ODI #11436510

140 miles · Jun 18, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or OtherFireInjury

HELLO, I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY DODGE RAM THE FUEL LINE SYSTEM JUST CRACKED AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE AND BLOW UP WHILE MYSELF IN MY 7 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN THE VEHICLE MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW NEVER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT OTHER THAN YOUR WILL WELLS WERE NEV…

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HELLO, I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY DODGE RAM THE FUEL LINE SYSTEM JUST CRACKED AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE AND BLOW UP WHILE MYSELF IN MY 7 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN THE VEHICLE MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW NEVER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT OTHER THAN YOUR WILL WELLS WERE NEVER DRILLED OUT TO DRAIN THE WATER IN THE BACK I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE ON THE SAME INCIDENT. MYSELF IN MY GRANDDAUGHTER INHALE VERY TOXIC FUMES BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT THE TRUCK AS IT WAS ON FIRE AND INCHES AWAY WHEN IT EXPLODED.PICS AND REPORT WONT DOWNLOAD THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11220970

86,402 miles · May 21, 2019
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. STUCK IN DRIVEWAY CANNOT MOVE NEEDS TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. HE WILL TURN BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK.

NHTSA ODI #11209073

161,000 miles · Apr 12, 2018
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or OtherCrash

THE FCM AND PDC ARE EXTREMELY BAD ON THE 2002 DODGE. THEY CORRODE CAUSING YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS, BLINKERS, HEADLIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHER NOT TO WORK. DODGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANDATED TO RECALL AND REPLACE BOTH PARTS ON EVERY TRUCK. THE CORROSION IS DO TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE PDC "FUSE BOX" WITH HOLES IN THE BOTTOM ALLOWING WATER…

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THE FCM AND PDC ARE EXTREMELY BAD ON THE 2002 DODGE. THEY CORRODE CAUSING YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS, BLINKERS, HEADLIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHER NOT TO WORK. DODGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANDATED TO RECALL AND REPLACE BOTH PARTS ON EVERY TRUCK. THE CORROSION IS DO TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE PDC "FUSE BOX" WITH HOLES IN THE BOTTOM ALLOWING WATER AND MOISTURE TO ENTER THE PDC AND START TO CORRODE. THIS IN TURN CAUSING THE FCM " FRONT CONTROL MODULE" TO SHORT OUT. THIS IS A SEVERE DANGER TO THE TRUCK OWNER AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN TO AND FIXED. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE THIS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES BY MOTORISTS BEHIND ME DO TO THE FACT MY TAILLIGHTS QUIT WORKING AND MY BLINKERS DID AS WELL. I HAVE REPLACED MY FCM AND PDC 4 TIMES ALREADY AND EACH ONE SHORTS OUT AFTER A YEAR. THAT'S $600-$1200 EACH TIME. DODGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11084850

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2018
StructureUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

MY DASHBOARD HAS HOLE IN IT. ITS BEEN CRACKING FOR A WHILE AND REALLY DIDN'T PAY ATT

NHTSA ODI #11062924

35,000 miles · Dec 29, 2017
Unknown Or Other

ABOUT 3 YEARS AFTER BUYING MY NEW DODGE TRUCK THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO FALL APART, BECOME BRITTLE. ITS CURRENTLY IN COMPLETE PIECES. THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN MOTION AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROTECTED FROM THE SUN. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CASES JUST LIKE MINE. PICTURES WILL BE AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11057495

9,658 miles · Oct 20, 2017
Unknown Or Other

THE DASH IS CRACKING AND PIECES FALL DOWN INTO THE VENT THEN WHEN I TURN ON HEAT OR AIR PIECES COME FLYING OUT HITTING MYSELF OR PASSINGERS IN EYES AND FACE

NHTSA ODI #11034794

140,000 miles · Aug 6, 2017
Unknown Or Other

THE DASH AND DASH COMPONENTS ARE CRACKING AND OR BREAKING CAUSING SHARP EDGES AND FLAYING DEBRIS. I HAVE RESORTED TO USING GORILLA GLUE AND A DASH MAT TO MINIMIZE THESE ISSUES BUT IT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT THIS IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A DEALER AND I HAVE HAD THEM INSPECT THIS ISSUE. PLEASE SEE ATTACH…

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THE DASH AND DASH COMPONENTS ARE CRACKING AND OR BREAKING CAUSING SHARP EDGES AND FLAYING DEBRIS. I HAVE RESORTED TO USING GORILLA GLUE AND A DASH MAT TO MINIMIZE THESE ISSUES BUT IT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT THIS IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A DEALER AND I HAVE HAD THEM INSPECT THIS ISSUE. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED.

NHTSA ODI #11013055

117,000 miles · Jun 27, 2017
Unknown Or Other

WHILE HAVING THE EVAPORATOR REPLACED, THE DASH CAME APART IN PIECES. THE PIECES CAN NOT BE PUT BACK TOGETHER AND REINSTALLED SAFELY. THE DASH SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF A PLASTIC THAT COULD BREAK APART AND CAUSE DAMAGE IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #11001675

Official recalls

3

03V504000 · Tires

Dec 10, 2003

ON CERTAIN 4X4 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SNOW PLOW PREPARATION PACKAGE, THE TIRES SUPPLIED ON SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS THAT SLIGHTLY EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TIRE LOAD CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PROVIDE REPLACEMENT P245/75R16 TIRES TO MEET THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY SPECIFIED ON THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL AND ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITION OF A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SNOW PLOW AND HARDWARE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997.

03V077000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior

Mar 10, 2003

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, THE DETENT SYSTEM ON THE EXTERIOR MIRROR HOUSINGS MAY LOSE THE FUNCTIONALITY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT REARWARD FIELD OF VISION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MIRROR DETENT RETAINER KIT TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 2003. 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.

03V078000 · Steering:column

Mar 10, 2003

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN CONTAINS AN UNDER-SIZED TERMINAL FOR THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR CIRCUIT. LOCALIZED HEATING FROM CURRENT FLOW WITH THE BLOWER SPEED SET ON HIGH MAY CAUSE THE TERMINAL CONTACTS TO RELAX AND LOSE ELECTRICAL CONTACT. THIS CAN CAUSE THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE IMPAIRMENT OF VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS OVERLAY TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 15, 2003. 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE02096 · Rear Axle Failure

Opened Dec 26, 2002 · Closed May 15, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:axle Assembly; Power Train:driveline:differential Unit

SEE ATTACHED REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:axle Assembly

SEE ATTACHED REPORT.

Power Train:driveline:differential Unit

SEE ATTACHED REPORT.