IllustrationI HAVE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH A CRACKED DASH WHICH IS BAD THE CRACKS STARTED OUT SMALL AND NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL. IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WHAT IS TO STOP THIS DASH FROM SEPARATING AND CAUSING LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. DODGE NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT. *TR
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM Quad Cab 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
340–25K
2925–50K
3950–75K
3375–100K
13100–150K
8150K+
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 reportsAT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 ON MY VEHICLE, IN THE YEAR OF 2004, I NOTICED SMALL CRACKS STARTING TO FORM ON THE DASHBOARD THIS PROGRESSED INTO MUCH LARGER CRACKS, COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD OVER THE YEARS. THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE SMALL SEGMENTS OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL FELL INTO THE BACK OF THE DASHBOARD CAUSI…
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AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 ON MY VEHICLE, IN THE YEAR OF 2004, I NOTICED SMALL CRACKS STARTING TO FORM ON THE DASHBOARD THIS PROGRESSED INTO MUCH LARGER CRACKS, COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD OVER THE YEARS. THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE SMALL SEGMENTS OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL FELL INTO THE BACK OF THE DASHBOARD CAUSING FAILURE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS, DEFROSTER, AND ILLUMINATION OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS. A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED BASED ON THE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS BY DISSATISFIED OWNERS. CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS AGREED TO REPAIR THE DASHBOARD, BUT ONLY IF I AGREE TO A $500 DEDUCTIBLE, IN WHICH I HAVE NOT AGREED TO, SIMPLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICE, OF THE DASHBOARD. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. ..UPDATED 01/17/2013 *BF
DASH IS CRACKING IN SEVERAL PLACES DROPPING PARTS OF DASHBOARD INTO FAN MOTOR TO OVERHEAT CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH AIR CONDITIONER OPERATION. *TR
REAR DOOR WIRING FAILURE CAUSING THE WIRES TO SHORT OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, SPEEDOMETER, DOOR LOCKS, POWER WINDOWS, DOOM LIGHTING. THE WIRING FAILURE IS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN AND POOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE READ DOORS WIRING SYSTEM BETWEEN THE B PILLAR CONNECTOR AND THE DOOR. THIS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY…
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REAR DOOR WIRING FAILURE CAUSING THE WIRES TO SHORT OUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, SPEEDOMETER, DOOR LOCKS, POWER WINDOWS, DOOM LIGHTING. THE WIRING FAILURE IS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN AND POOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE READ DOORS WIRING SYSTEM BETWEEN THE B PILLAR CONNECTOR AND THE DOOR. THIS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY REMOVING THE BLACK RUBBER BOOTH. *TR
I HAVE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH A CRACKED DASH WHICH IS BAD THE CRACKS STARTED OUT SMALL AND NOW THERE SO MANY THAT THE BROKEN PIECE HAVE STARTED TO FALL THROUGH INTO THE FLOOR AND DOWN THROUGH THE DEFROST .WHAT THESE DASHES ARE MADE OF YOU WOULD THING THAT THEY WOULD NOT CRACK BUT HAS SOME OF THESE PIECES COULD BECOME AIRBORNE…
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I HAVE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH A CRACKED DASH WHICH IS BAD THE CRACKS STARTED OUT SMALL AND NOW THERE SO MANY THAT THE BROKEN PIECE HAVE STARTED TO FALL THROUGH INTO THE FLOOR AND DOWN THROUGH THE DEFROST .WHAT THESE DASHES ARE MADE OF YOU WOULD THING THAT THEY WOULD NOT CRACK BUT HAS SOME OF THESE PIECES COULD BECOME AIRBORNE IF YOU HAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN CAUSING ACCIDENT IF IT WERE TO HIT YOU IN THE FACE. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT FROM FLYING PLASTIC. *TT
THE TOP OF THE DASH ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS SEVERELY CRACKED. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE SINCE APPROXIMATELY 2004 AND IS NOW STARTING TO WORK IT'S WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE DASH. I THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, BUT I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG MANY (IF NOT MOST) DODGE R…
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THE TOP OF THE DASH ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS SEVERELY CRACKED. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE SINCE APPROXIMATELY 2004 AND IS NOW STARTING TO WORK IT'S WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE DASH. I THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, BUT I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG MANY (IF NOT MOST) DODGE RAMS. I ALSO DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PLACE TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM UNTIL NOW. OTHERWISE, I WOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS YEARS AGO. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X4 AND MY DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND LOOKING LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE. IT STARTED WITH ONE CRACK AT THE WINDOW AREA AND NOW THEY ARE ALL OVER THE DASH. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN, IT JUST CRACKS AND KEEPS CRACKING. *KB
FRAME RAILS ARE CORRODING. DRIVER'S SIDE HAS A 3' 6" SECTION OF BADLY CORRODED FRAME. THERE ARE HOLES LARGE ENOUGH TO PUT THREE FINGERS THROUGH. PASSENGER'S SIDE IS BEGINNING TO CORRODE. FRAME HAS NOT FAILED YET. *TR
I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH IS CRACKING. SEARCHING ONLINE I HAVE FOUND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY AIRBAG LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND ONLY HAS 76,000 MILE ON IT. I THINK THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO WITH A RECALL SINCE I S…
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I OWN A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH IS CRACKING. SEARCHING ONLINE I HAVE FOUND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY AIRBAG LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND ONLY HAS 76,000 MILE ON IT. I THINK THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO WITH A RECALL SINCE I SEE SO MANY PROBLEMS OBSERVED ONLINE WITH THIS YEAR OF TRUCK. I AM AFRAID THAT WITH WIRING UNDER THE DASH IT MIGHT POSE A SAFETY PROBLEM. MY AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT START GOING ON AND OFF UNTIL I NOTICED BY DASH CRACKED. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUARD CAB TRUCK. THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKS FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.FROM THE FRONT OF THE DASH TO THE BACK OF IT. *KB
Official recalls
0No 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
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.