← New search

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
Mileage unknown · May 24, 2010
SteeringSuspension

I HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND CONTROL ARMS ( BOTH SIDES) BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVEN. I DO NOT DRIVE THIS PICK-UP OFF ROAD! IF YOU LOOK AT THE LACK OF SIZE TO THE BALL JOINTS, IT IS AMAZING THEY LASTED 3 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10331917

45,631 miles · May 24, 2010
Visibility

I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH SIDE MIRRORS BECAUSE OF THE INSIDE SUPPORT BROKE OFF. THEY BROKE ABOUT A MONTH APART. LEFT MIRROR FIRST AND THEN THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10331912

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2010
Structure

I HAVE A 2002 QUAD CAB 1500 AND THE DASH HAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. I NOW HAS A CRACK ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE DASH.(WINDSHIELD TO THE GLOVE BOX) I OWN A 1973 DODGE DART AND THE DASH IS PERFECT. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY 2002 DODGE 1500? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10331908

61,000 miles · May 18, 2010
Exterior LightingVisibility

HEADLIGHTS, WIPERS, AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM PICKUP. HEADLIGHTS SWITCHED TO HIGH BEAM, WILL NOT SWITCH TO LOW BEAM AND VICE A VERSA. WIPERS WILL NOT GO TO STEADY WIPING, OR FAST WIPING SPORADICALLY. TURN SIGNALS WILL SIGNAL 'RIGHT TURN' WHEN I SWITCH THE LEVER FOR A 'LEFT TURN', AND VICE A VERSA…

Read full complaint

HEADLIGHTS, WIPERS, AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM PICKUP. HEADLIGHTS SWITCHED TO HIGH BEAM, WILL NOT SWITCH TO LOW BEAM AND VICE A VERSA. WIPERS WILL NOT GO TO STEADY WIPING, OR FAST WIPING SPORADICALLY. TURN SIGNALS WILL SIGNAL 'RIGHT TURN' WHEN I SWITCH THE LEVER FOR A 'LEFT TURN', AND VICE A VERSA, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENTS YET, AND I HAVE REFRAINED FROM DRIVING AT NIGHT OR WHEN IT IS RAINING IF POSSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10331106

65,000 miles · May 2, 2010
Structure

TOP OF DASH IS CRACKING IN NUMEROUS PLACES AROUND THE DEFROSTER OPENINGS. THIS LEAVES NUMEROUS SHARP EDGES ON TOP OF THE DASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10328459

37,000 miles · Apr 12, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

STARTED IN 2005 WITH A BLOWN LIFTER AT 37000 MILES. IN 2008 THE LIFTERS,VALVES ON ONE SIDE BLEW AS DID THE HEAD. DODGE CLAIMED I WASN'T CHANGING OIL PROPERLY AS IT WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. THE OIL PUMP AND SUMP CLOGGED RESULTING IN ALL THE DAMAGE. $3800.00 TO REPAIR. IN MARCH 2009 LIFTERS BLEW AGAIN. COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. SHORTLY A…

Read full complaint

STARTED IN 2005 WITH A BLOWN LIFTER AT 37000 MILES. IN 2008 THE LIFTERS,VALVES ON ONE SIDE BLEW AS DID THE HEAD. DODGE CLAIMED I WASN'T CHANGING OIL PROPERLY AS IT WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. THE OIL PUMP AND SUMP CLOGGED RESULTING IN ALL THE DAMAGE. $3800.00 TO REPAIR. IN MARCH 2009 LIFTERS BLEW AGAIN. COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED. I CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. I HAVE BEEN CHANGING THE OIL EVERY 1500 MILES SINCE MARCH 2009 USING RINSOLINE TO TRY AND CLEAN MOTOR. IT STILL TAKES S 6-10 SECONDS AFTER START TO GET OIL PRESSURE TO MOTOR. LIFTERS ARE TAPPING AGAIN AND I AM SURE THEY ARE READY TO GO. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL USING CASTROL SYNTEC 5-30 EVERY 3000-4000 MILES SINCE I BOUGHT TRUCK NEW IN 10/2001. I BELIEVE THE SLUDGE ISSUE IS DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN ON THE 4.7 L V8 DODGE USED. I KNOW FIND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THE NHTSA SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10325143

81,086 miles · Feb 25, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 4.7 ENGINE DEFECT DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEADS, LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE ENGINE LOCK UP WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF ENGINE FAILURE THEY MOST OFTEN START WITH A CYLINDER MISFIRE AND GO FROM THEIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314409

98,638 miles · Feb 8, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 4.7L 2WD QUAD CAB. ON OCTOBER 30TH, MY VEHICLE DECIDED IT WAS GANNA LET GO OF THREE SENSORS ALL AT ONCE. AN IGNITION, TIMING, AND ??HYAC?? , COST ME ALMOST 750$ IN PARTS AND LABOR AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. ONE (1) WEEK LATER MY TRUCK BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND A HAIRLINE FRACTURE IN TH…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 4.7L 2WD QUAD CAB. ON OCTOBER 30TH, MY VEHICLE DECIDED IT WAS GANNA LET GO OF THREE SENSORS ALL AT ONCE. AN IGNITION, TIMING, AND ??HYAC?? , COST ME ALMOST 750$ IN PARTS AND LABOR AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. ONE (1) WEEK LATER MY TRUCK BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND A HAIRLINE FRACTURE IN THE RADIATOR FILL RESERVOIR STEM. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE OVERHEATING WAS DUE TO A PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED AND THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING MY RADIATOR EXPLODED UNDER NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURES. AFTER THE RADIATOR AND THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED AND I HAD THE TRUCK RUNNING AGAIN I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CIRCULATION OF THE FLUIDS AND OUT OF THE SUDDEN STRING OF EVENTS IT STARTED TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE AND I WAS RUNNING OUT OF RADIATOR FLUID ALL DUE TO A RUPTURED HEAD GASKET. AFTER REPLACING ALL OF THE TOP END ENGINE GASKETS AND THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS, I STARTED UP MY TRUCK AGAIN AND IT RAN GREAT FOR ABOUT TWO (2) MINUTES AND GRINDED, CHOKED, TINGED, PANGED, BANGED AND FINALLY SPUTTERED TO A STOP. I STARTED FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE,...AGAIN....AND FOUND THAT MY CAM SHAFT GEAR HAD SPUN ON THE CAMSHAFT AND SHEARED THE CAM LOBE THAT IS SUPPOSE TO LOCK IT INTO PLACE. I HAVENT TOUCHED IT SINCE AND ALL TOGETHER MY FAMILY HAS PAYED 1700$ JUST TO HAVE A BROKEN VEHICLE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. *CN

NHTSA ODI #10307646

Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 2009
Structure

DASH STARTED CRACKING AT 30,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO REPAIR SAID IT WAS MY FAULT. TEXAS HEAT. THE DASH MATERIAL IS LITERALLY DISINTEGRATING. MATERIAL IS DEFECTIVE, HAVE OTHER DODGE VEHICLES THAT ARE OLDER AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM AND THEY ARE OLDER AND WERE NEVER KEPT IN GARAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292552

122,000 miles · Nov 17, 2009
Structure

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB, DASHBOARD IS CRACKING FOR NO SPECIFIC REASON. CRACKS ARE NOT JUST SUPERFICIAL BUT RATHER COMPLETELY THROUGH THE DASHBOARD STRUCTURE AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS. PIECES OF THE DASH COULD BECOME PROJECTILES IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY STOP OR IF INVOLVED IN A COLLI…

Read full complaint

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB, DASHBOARD IS CRACKING FOR NO SPECIFIC REASON. CRACKS ARE NOT JUST SUPERFICIAL BUT RATHER COMPLETELY THROUGH THE DASHBOARD STRUCTURE AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS. PIECES OF THE DASH COULD BECOME PROJECTILES IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY STOP OR IF INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THERE IS NO SUBSTRUCTURE TO STOP PIECES OF THE DASH FROM FALLING INTO THE INTERIOR WORKINGS OF THE CAB AND PERHAPS CAUSING INSTRUMENT FAILURE, FIRES ETC. THIS DEFAULT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292450

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.