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2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

156 reports with mileage · 50 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 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

206 reports
79,000 miles · May 4, 2007
Structure

DASHBOARD HAS STARTED TO CRACK, ABOUT 6 INCHES AND GROWING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189740

87,000 miles · May 3, 2007
Unknown Or Other

DASHBOARD CRACKING ON MY DODGE 2500 RAM TRUCK. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10189702

40,000 miles · May 2, 2007
Structure

I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN CRACKED AND IS OVER TIME CAVING IN. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF BONIFACE HIERS DODGE IN MERRITT ISLAND, FL AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEREFORE WOULD BE MY EXPENSE IF I WANTED IT REPLACED. RECENTLY, I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS…

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I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN CRACKED AND IS OVER TIME CAVING IN. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF BONIFACE HIERS DODGE IN MERRITT ISLAND, FL AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEREFORE WOULD BE MY EXPENSE IF I WANTED IT REPLACED. RECENTLY, I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH MY LIGHTS AND BELIEVE IT MAY BE CAUSED BY THE DASHBOARD ISSUE. OUR LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL IS RUNNING A STORY ON THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW (WWW.LOCAL6.COM, CLICK ON PROBLEM SOLVERS)AND HAS LOCATED SEVERAL PEOPLE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS WAS SUCH A POPULAR ISSUE AND I DEFINITELY FEEL SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. SOME OF THE OTHER OWNERS ARE SAYING THAT THE DASHBOARD IS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH WIRING AND COULD CAUSE HEADLIGHTS TO FAIL. THAT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD NEED TO BE FIXED BEFORE ANY FATALITIES OCCUR. I AM EMBARRASSED OF THE WAY THE INTERIOR OF MY TRUCK CURRENTLY LOOKS. I TRY TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY TRUCK AS I EXPECT TO OWN IT FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS AND VEHICLE APPEARANCE IS IMPORTANT TO ME. WHILE I THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM WAS SIMPLY COSMETIC, I WAS EMBARRASSED BUT NOT COMPELLED TO PUSH THE ISSUE WITH DODGE. NOW THAT I REALIZE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY LIFE OR MY HUSBANDS LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER, I AM VERY CONCERNED. I HAVE PICTURES I WOULD BE HAPPY TO FORWARD TO YOU IF THEY WILL ASSIST IN YOUR REVIEW OF MY CASE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189490

60,000 miles · May 1, 2007
Structure

DODGE 2002 RAM QUAD CAB DASH BOARD CRACKING AND COLLAPSING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189392

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2007
Structure

FORWARD PLASTIC DASHBOARD FAILURE. DASH CRACKED AND BROKE IN ABOUT FIVE PLACES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189329

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2007
Latches/locks/linkages

THE REAR DOOR LOCKS ON THE 2002 RAM 1500 WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT HITTING THE BUTTON MORE THAN 8-9 TIMES. THIS WAS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I PAID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THIS TRUCK, AND I WOULD EXPECT THINGS LIKE THIS TO WORK ON FIRST TRY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10187592

87,000 miles · Mar 5, 2007
Power Train

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MPH IN THE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE TRUCK DISENGAGED FROM OVERDRIVE, AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT TURNED ON. HE PUSHED THE BUTTON TO ENGAGE THE OVERDRIVE. HE DROVE ABOUT ONE MILE AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT TURNED ON. HE HAD TO DRIVE ANOTHER …

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TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MPH IN THE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE TRUCK DISENGAGED FROM OVERDRIVE, AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT TURNED ON. HE PUSHED THE BUTTON TO ENGAGE THE OVERDRIVE. HE DROVE ABOUT ONE MILE AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT TURNED ON. HE HAD TO DRIVE ANOTHER 1/2 MILE TO GET TO SAFE PLACE. ONCE THERE HE PUT THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL, SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ,AND HE CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IT SEEMED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH ON THE DIP STICK. HE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, CHECKED AGAIN., AND THE FLUID WAS NORMAL ON THE DIP STICK. WHEN HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE ALL LIGHTS ON DASH SEEMED TO BE NORMAL. HE DROVE ANOTHER 100 MILES AND THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. HE STATED THAT THE NEXT MORNING HE DROVE TO WORK AND BACK HOME, AND THE NEXT DAY THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE NEXT DAY THE OVER DRIVE OFF LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. MHAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN FIRST GEAR AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD 87,000 MILES, AND WAS INFORMED HIM THAT SOMETHING CAME LOOSE IN THE TRANSMISSION ,AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT MAYBE SOMEONE WILL GET BACK WITH HIM AT LATER DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87879.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10184240

91,000 miles · Feb 21, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I'M A MECHANIC I CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY WITH VALVOLINE AND THE ENGINE SLUDGES UP . THIS WEEKEND WENT OUT OF TOWN AND THE ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE CAUSING IT TO BLOW UP RESULTING IN MY FAMILY GETTING STRANDED 400 MILES FROM HOME. IT TOOK FOUR DAYS AND A 1000.00 TO GET IT BACK HOME AND NOW IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE I DON'T …

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I'M A MECHANIC I CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY WITH VALVOLINE AND THE ENGINE SLUDGES UP . THIS WEEKEND WENT OUT OF TOWN AND THE ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE CAUSING IT TO BLOW UP RESULTING IN MY FAMILY GETTING STRANDED 400 MILES FROM HOME. IT TOOK FOUR DAYS AND A 1000.00 TO GET IT BACK HOME AND NOW IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR A NEW ENGINE . 2002 DODGE RAM 4.7L . *NM

NHTSA ODI #10183206

54,000 miles · Feb 20, 2007
Steering

I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND ALL ITS COMPONENTS AT ONLY 54,000 MILES ON A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. I LOOKED INTO THIS AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON THING TO HAPPEN, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE, SOME AS LOW AS 20,000 MILES! I THINK DODGE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS AND FIND OUT WHY IT IS FALLING APART SO SOON…

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I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND ALL ITS COMPONENTS AT ONLY 54,000 MILES ON A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. I LOOKED INTO THIS AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON THING TO HAPPEN, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE, SOME AS LOW AS 20,000 MILES! I THINK DODGE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS AND FIND OUT WHY IT IS FALLING APART SO SOON, AND POSSIBLY ISSUE A RECALL AND A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ALREADY SPENT THE 1100 TO FIX IT! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10183063

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2006
Unknown Or Other

CRACK DASH, JUST ABOVE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10173044

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.