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 reports
93,000 miles · Sep 20, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentSteering
PURCHASED 2002 DODGE RAM USED. AT FIRST SERVICE INTERVAL, RACK AND PINION BOOTS WERE LEAKING, MAIN SEAL WAS SHOT. ALSO HAD MANIFOLD LEAK, ALONG WITH A STEERING PROBLEM THAT CAUSES SHAKING AT 40 MPH. STEERING PROBLEM STILL REMAINS, AND THERE IS A LOUD RATTLE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, …
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PURCHASED 2002 DODGE RAM USED. AT FIRST SERVICE INTERVAL, RACK AND PINION BOOTS WERE LEAKING, MAIN SEAL WAS SHOT. ALSO HAD MANIFOLD LEAK, ALONG WITH A STEERING PROBLEM THAT CAUSES SHAKING AT 40 MPH. STEERING PROBLEM STILL REMAINS, AND THERE IS A LOUD RATTLE THAT THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, MOST RECENTLY, MY FUEL PUMP DECIDED TO QUIT WORKING. ALSO, THE INTERIOR TRIM, NAMELY THE HAND GRIPS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES, DUE TO THE CHEAP PLASTIC THAT IS USED AS A HOLDING RING. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT HEADACHES WITH THE TRUCK, FROM THE SIMPLE THINGS, TO THE EXPENSIVE THINGS...WAS JUST TOLD THAT MY HEAD GASKETS ARE SHOT AS WELL, HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON THIS TRUCK, WITH NO RETURNS, DO NOT GET THIS YEAR/MODEL OF RAM 1500. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10203511
17,000 miles · Sep 10, 2007
SuspensionCrashInjury
THERE IS A COMPLAINT ALREADY ON FILE ABOUT THE UPPER BALL JOINT THAT FELL OUT @17K MILES. THE COMPLAINT THAT I WANT TO FILE NOW IS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM THA IS FLEXING WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED OR WHEN A BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED. THE TRUCK WILL JUMP FROM ONE LANE TO THE OTHER WHEN A ROUGH PLACE IS HIT AT INTERSTATE SPEED. I HAVE HAD …
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THERE IS A COMPLAINT ALREADY ON FILE ABOUT THE UPPER BALL JOINT THAT FELL OUT @17K MILES. THE COMPLAINT THAT I WANT TO FILE NOW IS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM THA IS FLEXING WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED OR WHEN A BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED. THE TRUCK WILL JUMP FROM ONE LANE TO THE OTHER WHEN A ROUGH PLACE IS HIT AT INTERSTATE SPEED. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND NO ONE HAS EVER HAD THE TIME TO EVEN LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THE LAST DAY OF 2001 AND NOW HAVE 35K MILES ON IT .I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT VERY MUCH. WHEN THE FIRST COMPLAINT WAS FILED(BECAUSE CHRYSLER DENIDED ANY CLAIM) I THOUGHT I WOULD AT LEAST GET A RESPONSE THAT I FILED THE COMPLAINT BUT TO THIS DAY I HAVE NOT. ONE MORE THING CHRYSLER SAYS THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INJURY ATTRIBUTED TO THE UPPER BALL JOINT COMING OUT OF THE 2002 DODGE 1500, WELL I SENT THEM THE COPY OF THE HOSPITAL REPORT WHERE I HAD 14 STITCHES ACROSS MY NOSE AND UNDER MY EYE. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN ANY THING DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? MUST SOMEONE BE KILLED BEFORE SOMEONE LOOKS INTO THIS? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10202454
70,000 miles · Aug 27, 2007
Structure
THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS SEVERAL LARGE CRACKS AND PARTS ARE STARTING TO BRAKE AWAY. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD CAUSE HARM TO ME OR MY PASSENGERS IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I FEEL THAT IT IS VERY UNSAFE DUE TO SHARP HARD PLASTIC PARTS OF THE DASH THAT COULD DO SERIOUS HARM. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS COULD AFFECT THE D…
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THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS SEVERAL LARGE CRACKS AND PARTS ARE STARTING TO BRAKE AWAY. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD CAUSE HARM TO ME OR MY PASSENGERS IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I FEEL THAT IT IS VERY UNSAFE DUE TO SHARP HARD PLASTIC PARTS OF THE DASH THAT COULD DO SERIOUS HARM. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS COULD AFFECT THE DEFROST DUCT AND CAUSE THE DEFROSTER TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10200872
Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2007
Structure
THE MAIN DASH IN MY 2002 DODGE RAM IS CRACKED JUST ABOVE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. HEARD THAT OTHER DODGE OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND GOT IT FIXED UNDER WARRANTY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10197703
125,000 miles · Jul 2, 2007
SuspensionCrash
WHILE COMING OUT OF A CURVE THE TRUCK JOLTED, DIPPED AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED (1ST FAILURE). SUBSEQUENTLY I HIT A TELEPHONE POLE DETRYING THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT PANEL AND THE TRUCK SLID TO STOP AFTER "SHUTTING OFF" ( 2ND FAILURE). WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK , BEHIND ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE PASSENGER SIDE SIDE WHEEL…
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WHILE COMING OUT OF A CURVE THE TRUCK JOLTED, DIPPED AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED (1ST FAILURE). SUBSEQUENTLY I HIT A TELEPHONE POLE DETRYING THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT PANEL AND THE TRUCK SLID TO STOP AFTER "SHUTTING OFF" ( 2ND FAILURE). WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK , BEHIND ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE PASSENGER SIDE SIDE WHEEL WAS LAYING ON THE GROUND STILL ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. THERE WERE NO POT HOLES OR ROCKS ON THE ROAD TO CAUSE THE "JOLT". THIS IS A SIMILAR CONDITION THAT I BELIEVE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED FOR THE DURANGO AND DAKOTA OF THE SAME YEAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10195137
80,000 miles · May 30, 2007
Electrical SystemStructure
DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND FALLING IN EXPOSING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO SUNLIGHT AND INTENSE HEAT. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES ON. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10192029
Mileage unknown · May 18, 2007
Structure
I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB TRUCK. THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO. THERE ARE FIVE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD NOW. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER, I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10191163
61,000 miles · May 14, 2007
Structure
THE DASHBOARD ON THE V 2002 DODGE RAM WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK. THE CRACK STARTED OFF VERY SMALL, AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS, IT SPREAD ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE DASHBOARD. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10190679
Mileage unknown · May 13, 2007
Structure
I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM THAT HAS 5 CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. 4 OF THE CRACKS GO FROM THE WINDOW TO THE DEFROSTER VENTS ,AND ONE GOES FROM THE SIDE DEFROSTER VENT TO THE GLOVE BOX. AT THIS TIME THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS OR RECALLS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10190603
Mileage unknown · May 8, 2007
Structure
I OWN A 20 02 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB. I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED INTO MANY PIECES. THE TRUCK WAS NOT IN A WRECK. I AM ONE OF QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IF DODGE WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF POOR EQUIPMENT, THEN AT LEAST DON'T CHARGE 1500.00 TO REPLACE IT. THANKS FOR YOU T…
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I OWN A 20 02 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB. I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED INTO MANY PIECES. THE TRUCK WAS NOT IN A WRECK. I AM ONE OF QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IF DODGE WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF POOR EQUIPMENT, THEN AT LEAST DON'T CHARGE 1500.00 TO REPLACE IT. THANKS FOR YOU TIME.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10190227
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.
2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year