IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC TETHERS ON BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS WERE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TETHERS WERE BEING USED TO HOLD A CHILD SAFETY SEAT ONLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000. *TR
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
860–25K
10525–50K
12050–75K
10775–100K
104100–150K
62150K+
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
What owners actually said
815 reportsRETAINING CLIPS FROM THE LIMITED SLIP CLUTCH PACKS IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, FRACTURED AND FELL INTO THE GEARS, LOCKING THE REAR END. THE TRUCK SLID ON A DIRT ROAD INTO A GATE CAUSING MINOR BODY DAMAGE. THIS IS THE 9.25 INCH RING GEAR AXLE WITH A DANA TRU-TRAC LIMITED SLIP. *TR
I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY POWER TRAIN AND WHEEL TWICE,THE FIRST INCIDENT THE FRONT WHEELS BROKE APART COMPLETELY, I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED SO NO INJURIES EXCEPT TO THE HIGHWAY I HAD IT REPLACED AND LESS THAN THREE YEARS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. MY DASH IS CRACKED SO BAD IT LOOKS JUST AWFUL.I HAD NO IDEA SO MANY OTHER PEO…
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I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY POWER TRAIN AND WHEEL TWICE,THE FIRST INCIDENT THE FRONT WHEELS BROKE APART COMPLETELY, I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED SO NO INJURIES EXCEPT TO THE HIGHWAY I HAD IT REPLACED AND LESS THAN THREE YEARS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. MY DASH IS CRACKED SO BAD IT LOOKS JUST AWFUL.I HAD NO IDEA SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE POWER TRAIN. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT. I HAVE SEVERAL GRAND KIDS THAT RIDES WITH ME. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, AND SEND A REPLACEMENT LETTER. THE UNKNOWN OR OTHER IN THE AFFECTED PARTS IS MY DASH. *TR
DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. THERE ARE SEVERAL JAGGED EDGES WHICH ARE A SAFETY RISK THAT COULD CAUSE SEVERE INJURY IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR MATERIAL WITH…
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DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. THERE ARE SEVERAL JAGGED EDGES WHICH ARE A SAFETY RISK THAT COULD CAUSE SEVERE INJURY IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR MATERIAL WITHIN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. MANY SPOTS ON THE DASH THAT COULD SEVERELY INJURE AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THESE CRACKS WHEN DEFROST IS TURNED ON PIECES OF FOAM AND PLASTIC SHOOT OUT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABO…
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DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. MANY SPOTS ON THE DASH THAT COULD SEVERELY INJURE AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THESE CRACKS WHEN DEFROST IS TURNED ON PIECES OF FOAM AND PLASTIC SHOOT OUT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR MATERIAL WITHIN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. THERE ARE SEVERAL JAGGED EDGES WHICH ARE A SAFETY RISK THAT COULD CAUSE SEVERE INJURY IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR MATERIAL W…
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DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETELY CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART. THERE ARE SEVERAL JAGGED EDGES WHICH ARE A SAFETY RISK THAT COULD CAUSE SEVERE INJURY IF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. DODGE WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THEIR MATERIAL WITHIN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
THE DASHBOARD IN MY TRUCK HAS DISINTEGRATED TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE I WAS SCARED THAT ONE OF MY KIDS WOULD GET HURT OR EVEN KILLED IF WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER CO. SHOULD INITIATE A FULL RECALL AND REPLACE THE PLASTIC DEATH TRAPS THEY INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
DASHBOARD IS CRACKING BADLY---POSSIBLE SHARP SHREDS IF ACCIDENT OCCURS--POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH DEFROST IF PIECES OF DASH CLOG DEFROST VENTS--VEHICLE WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR MOST OF IT 9 YRS---VEHICLE IN LIKE NEW CONDITION OTHER THAN DASH FALLING APART---THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
WHINING NOISE IN DIFFERENTIAL AT ALL SPEEDS STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TURNING. REPLACED PINION BEARINGS, RACES, AND CARRIER BEARINGS AND RACES. PINION GEAR AND RING GEAR OK BUT BEARINGS WERE ROUGH. CRACKED DASH. REPAIR COST ON DIFFERENTIAL $800. PARTS. DID LABOR SELF. CRACKED DASH NOT REPAIRED. *TR
Official recalls
303V504000 · 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
1PE02096 · 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.