IllustrationSEVERELY CRACKED DASH BOARD. PARTS FALLING DOWN INTO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING INCLUDING AIRBAG AREA. CONTINUES TO CRACK IN DIFFERENT AREAS. MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE DASH IS CAVING IN. COULD CAUSE GAUGE, LIGHTING, AIRBAG AND HEATING/COOLING PROBLEMS. *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 reportsFOUND METAL PIECES (BROKEN C CLIP) AND DAMAGE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X2. THE WHOLE REAR END HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED KNOWN PROBLEM BASED ON HUNDREDS OF FORUM THREADS UNDER "C-CLIP", "RETAINER CLIP" AND/OR "CLUTCH PACK RETAINER" PROBLEMS. PAID OUT OF POCKET TO FIX AS WARR…
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FOUND METAL PIECES (BROKEN C CLIP) AND DAMAGE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X2. THE WHOLE REAR END HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED KNOWN PROBLEM BASED ON HUNDREDS OF FORUM THREADS UNDER "C-CLIP", "RETAINER CLIP" AND/OR "CLUTCH PACK RETAINER" PROBLEMS. PAID OUT OF POCKET TO FIX AS WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *TR
THE DASHBOARD BEGAN EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE CRACKS, RESULTING IN SHARP EDGES AND PIECES THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING, CAUSING VARIOUS SAFETY RISKS. *TR
SEVERELY CRACKED DASHBOARD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE CALIBER BRACKET WAS FRACTURED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE CALIBER BRACKET WAS FRACTURED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CALIBER BRACKETS. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.
CRACKED DASH. *TR
MY DASH ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM HAS BEEN FALLING APART AND DROPPING INTO MY VENTS. IT IS SO BAD I HAD TO PUT CARPET OVER IT. NOW I'M HAVING HEATER REPAIRS DONE ON IT. I CALLED DODGE AND THEY WON'T DO A THANG ABOUT IT. I HAVE KIDS AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE CUT THEMSELVES ON THE SHARP PIECES ON THE DASH. I HAD TO TAKE ONE TO THE DR. DODG…
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MY DASH ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM HAS BEEN FALLING APART AND DROPPING INTO MY VENTS. IT IS SO BAD I HAD TO PUT CARPET OVER IT. NOW I'M HAVING HEATER REPAIRS DONE ON IT. I CALLED DODGE AND THEY WON'T DO A THANG ABOUT IT. I HAVE KIDS AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE CUT THEMSELVES ON THE SHARP PIECES ON THE DASH. I HAD TO TAKE ONE TO THE DR. DODGE NEEDS TO FIX THIS ON ALL THE TRUCK DASHES NOW. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE CLEARLY BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WINDSHIE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE CLEARLY BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
CRASHED DASHBOARD! THE VENT COVERINGS ARE NO LONGER PRESENT AND HAVE FALLEN INTO THE AIR DUCTS. THERE ARE LARGE CRACKS STARTING FROM WHERE THE DASH MEETS THE WINDSHIELD AND EXTENDING OUT TO THE END OF THE DASH. THERE ARE TRIANGULAR HOLES WHERE THE DASH HAS FALLEN THROUGH. THERE ARE ROUGHLY 8 LARGE CRACKS, EACH HAVING ROUGHLY 3 O…
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CRASHED DASHBOARD! THE VENT COVERINGS ARE NO LONGER PRESENT AND HAVE FALLEN INTO THE AIR DUCTS. THERE ARE LARGE CRACKS STARTING FROM WHERE THE DASH MEETS THE WINDSHIELD AND EXTENDING OUT TO THE END OF THE DASH. THERE ARE TRIANGULAR HOLES WHERE THE DASH HAS FALLEN THROUGH. THERE ARE ROUGHLY 8 LARGE CRACKS, EACH HAVING ROUGHLY 3 OR 4 SMALLER CRACKS RADIATING PERPENDICULAR TO THE MAIN CRACKS. THE CRACKS ARE VERY SHARP, AND CAN CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR HARM. WHEN THE A/C IS TURNED ON, THERE HAS BEEN PIECES OF SMALL PLASTIC THROWN OUT OF THE DUCT. THIS IS A MAJOR HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE CRACKS AND HOLES IS THAT THERE IS NOW A CHANGE IN CONTRAST UPON REFLECTION FROM THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH IS VERY DISTRACTING. INSTEAD OF HAVING A CONSTANT TAN COLOR BEING REFLECTED, THERE IS TAN WITH BLACK INTERRUPTIONS. *TR
SERIOUSLY CRACKED DASHBOARD, NO WRECKS OR DAMAGE TO CAUSE THE CRACKS. *TT
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.