IllustrationWHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT, THIS TRUCK JUMPS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I ALMOST WAS THROWN INTO A RETAINING WALL YESTERDAY. YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING ON ROUGH SURFACES!! DANGEROUS. *JB
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 reportsI HAD A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH I HEARD A LOW HUMMING NOISE. SUDDENLY THE TRUCK VEERED TO THE LEFT. I WAS NOW IN INCOMING TRAFFIC AND NARROWLY MISSED ONE CAR. I TRIED TO GET THE TRUCK BACK TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. THE TRUCK FISHTAILED BACK TO THE RIGHT ONL…
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I HAD A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH I HEARD A LOW HUMMING NOISE. SUDDENLY THE TRUCK VEERED TO THE LEFT. I WAS NOW IN INCOMING TRAFFIC AND NARROWLY MISSED ONE CAR. I TRIED TO GET THE TRUCK BACK TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. THE TRUCK FISHTAILED BACK TO THE RIGHT ONLY TO VEER AGAIN TO THE LEFT. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS HIT BY A CAR, RAN UP A LAWN, HIT A TREE AND FLIPPED THE TRUCK. BOTH MYSELF AND THE DRIVER OF THE CAR SUFFERED MINIMAL PHYSICAL INJURIES. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST DAIMLER CHRYSLER INVOLVING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE DURANGOS. I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
WHEN ON THE SLIGHTEST ROUGH SURFACE, THIS TRUCK JUMPS AND BOUNCES ALL OVER THE ROAD. I LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE TRUCK WHEN IT IS JUMPING. WORSE, THE BRAKES BOUNCE AND GRAB WHEN YOU APPLY THEM. DANGEROUS. WIDE SPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THESE SAFETY ISSUES. NEED A RESOLUTION AND RECALL. *JB
RACK & PINION STEERING LEAKING ON LEFT SIDE. TRANSMISSION ROUGH. NO DASH LIGHTS. BLOWER MOTOR WORKS SELDOM. DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. SEEMS LIKE THESE HAVE WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JB
FIRST, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO AN OVERDRIVE BAND THAT BROKE AND THEN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. SECOND, I HAD THE MECHANICS CHECK THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR NORMAL SERVICING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LTD SLIP COMPONENT HAD BROKEN, WHICH THEN CAUSED BEARINGS TO BREAK, WHICH THEN NEARLY DESTROYED THE…
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FIRST, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO AN OVERDRIVE BAND THAT BROKE AND THEN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. SECOND, I HAD THE MECHANICS CHECK THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR NORMAL SERVICING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LTD SLIP COMPONENT HAD BROKEN, WHICH THEN CAUSED BEARINGS TO BREAK, WHICH THEN NEARLY DESTROYED THE AXLE HOUSING. $4500 OR MORE TO REPAIR TRANSMISSION AND TO REPLACE REAR AXLE. 77337 MILES, NO OFF ROAD USE AND GENTLE DRIVING HABITS. I CAN HAVE THE OLD AXLE I BELIEVE. 10 DAYS IN SHOP SO FAR. *NM
THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER VIOLENTLY WHEN I TRY TO STOP. I HAD THE BRAKES FIXED BUT THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS TO KNOW THAT THE ROTORS ARE INFERIOR!!! THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF THIS TRUCK SO I KNOW THAT I DO NOT OVER BRAKE... THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. …
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THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER VIOLENTLY WHEN I TRY TO STOP. I HAD THE BRAKES FIXED BUT THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS TO KNOW THAT THE ROTORS ARE INFERIOR!!! THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF THIS TRUCK SO I KNOW THAT I DO NOT OVER BRAKE... THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *NM
I WAS TRAVELING ON A DIRT ROAD WHICH IS ALL WE HAVE IN THE AREA AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM WHICH THEN PLOWED OVER SEVERAL TREES AND FINALLY COMING TO REST HEAD ON IN A GROUP OF 3 TREES TOTALING MY TRUCK. THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WAS MORE THAN EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED AND THE AIR …
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I WAS TRAVELING ON A DIRT ROAD WHICH IS ALL WE HAVE IN THE AREA AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM WHICH THEN PLOWED OVER SEVERAL TREES AND FINALLY COMING TO REST HEAD ON IN A GROUP OF 3 TREES TOTALING MY TRUCK. THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WAS MORE THAN EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING NECK AND BACK INJURIES AS WELL AS MY TOOTH BEING BROKE IN HALF. DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS NOTIFIED AND SCANNED THE ON BOARD COMPUTER AND STATED THAT SINCE NO CODES SHOWED UP THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE FULLY FUNCTIONAL. *JB
FIRST THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN 3RD GEAR AT TIMES,THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE THAT THE DEALER CAN'T REPRODUCE. THE LAMP OUT LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF WITH THE BELL THIS WILL DO IT INTERMITTENTLY FOR AS LONG AS 30 MIN STRAIGHT AND THIS TRUCK IS ALL OVER THE ROAD WHEN YOU HIT BUMPS AT HIGH SPEED. *JB
POWER STEERING LEAKING, I HAD IT IN TO BE REPARED ONCE ALREADY AND IS LEAKING AGAIN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE CHECK ENGINE, AIRBAG, AND CHECK GAUGES LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 03/28/06
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.