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2002 Dodge RAM Pickup

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 14 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

22 reports
109,000 miles · Sep 23, 2005
Power Train

LSD PORTION OF DIFFERENTIAL FAILED INTO SMALL PIECES OF METAL THAT COULD HAVE BECOME LODGED IN GEARS AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND POTENTIAL ACCIDENT . IT APPEARS THAT THE DESIGN OF THE LSD IS FAULTY AS MANY UNITS HAVE FAILED. LSD REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE WITH ZERO ASSISTANCE FROM DODGE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10137419

49,000 miles · Dec 3, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

INVOLVED IN AN COLLUSION, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, IMPACT AREA DRIVER FRONT TO CENTER OF HOOD, SPEED OVER 40 MPH. PASSENGER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURY ALONG WITH CHEST BRUSING FROM SEATBELT. SPOKE TO DODGE DEALER AND COMMENT WAS THAT SOMETIMES THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT GO OFF IF THE IMPACT DOES NOT ENERGIZE MILTIPAL SENSORS. AI…

Read full complaint

INVOLVED IN AN COLLUSION, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, IMPACT AREA DRIVER FRONT TO CENTER OF HOOD, SPEED OVER 40 MPH. PASSENGER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURY ALONG WITH CHEST BRUSING FROM SEATBELT. SPOKE TO DODGE DEALER AND COMMENT WAS THAT SOMETIMES THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT GO OFF IF THE IMPACT DOES NOT ENERGIZE MILTIPAL SENSORS. AIRBAGS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE DEPLOYED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10102105

4,500 miles · Feb 9, 2004
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH TRANSFER CASE KICKED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE SLID DOWN A STEEP INCLINE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WOULD BE THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE SEEN. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10057765

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

DEFECTIVE AC FAN MOTOR AND WIRING HARNESS

NHTSA ODI #10045473

31,100 miles · Oct 1, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE STUMP. FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION BEFORE THE CRASH THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES TO THE FACIAL AREA. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10042096

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2003
Unknown Or Other

CONSUMER IS REQUESTING HELP WITH COMPLAINT. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN UPDATE OF THE STATUS OF THE COMPLAINT. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10031801

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2003
Electrical System

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS NOT BROKEN BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER THE MOTORS WAS BROKEN. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018201

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2003
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 20/30 MPH, VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ODI #10006012

45,300 miles · Nov 1, 2002
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT NEITHER THE PASSENGER NOR DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *MR *NLM

NHTSA ODI #8022040

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2002
Power TrainTrailer HitchesVehicle Speed Control

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATEED ON ITS OWN WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING DUE TO DEFECTIVE THROTTLE POSITION CONTROL SENSOR FAILURE AND WAS REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #567325

Official recalls

1

07V555000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Dec 4, 2007

ON CERTAIN VAN AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS CAN ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED (OR IN THE "LOCK" POSITION). THIS CAN ALSO ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GEARSHIFT BLOCKER AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER 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.