FaultScore

2002 Dodge RAM body problems

15 of the 152 complaints about the 2002 Dodge RAM are about the body and structure — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 82,500 miles.

C

15

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Structure 9 60.0%
Body 3 20.0%
Door 2 13.3%
Tailgate 1 6.7%

Body & Structure across every Dodge RAM year

1994 18 11.4%
1995 27 17.1%
1996 25 15.8%
1997 14 8.9%
1998 18 11.4%
1999 17 10.8%
2001 24 15.2%
2002 15 9.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 60,000 miles Goodyear, AZ

STRUCTURE

THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING AROUND 60,000 MILES. IT HAS CONTINUED TO CRACK AND ALL OF THE PLASTIC VENT COVERS HAVE FALLEN APART INTO THE VENTS. I HAVE NOW FOUND OUT THAT THE INSULATION IN THE DASH IS DRY ROTTING AND FALLING INTO THE A/C VENTS AND CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE A/C MOTOR. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10456343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles East Jewett, NY Fire 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM MODEL R35. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN SMOKE EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM THE HOOD. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A DITCH BUT THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN DURING THE FAILURE SO THE CONTACT ESCAPED BY PUNCHING AND SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER DISRUPTION CAUGHT FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #10434257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Webster, TX

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE DASH IN MY 2002 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB PICKUP BEGAN TO CRACK AND HAS NOW COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THERE ARE PIECES THAT HAVE BROKEN OFF AND ARE NOW EFFECTING MY HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF I HIT A BUMP TO HARD THAT A PIECE MIGHT ACTUALLY DISLODGE AND HARM SOMEONE. OR CAUSE EVEN MORE SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE THAT MIGHT EFFECT MY ABILITY TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10432304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ward, AR

STRUCTURE

THE DASH WAS FINE NO EVENTS UNTIL SEPT.2008. OPENED THE TRUCK UP ONE DAY TO REVEAL A HUGE CRACK IN THE DASH. THE DASH IS CRACKING IN THE RATE OF 2 CRACKS IN 2008 AND ONE IN 2009 ,ONE IN 2010. WE ARE UP TO 4 CRACKS NOW. HASN'T BEEN FIXED. I AM HEARING HORROR STORIES OF THIS CAUSING SERIOUS PROBLEMS. I DO NOT LET MY KIDS RIDE IN IT.THE MORE IT CRACKS THE LESS SAFE WE FEEL DRIVING IT.

NHTSA complaint #10422521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 95,000 miles Universal City, TX

STRUCTURE

DASH CRACKING ON 2002 DODGE RAM QUADCAB; NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE TO BE EXPERIENCING THIS. MANY FORUMS AND COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS MATTER. FORMAL COMPLAINT ON DODGE TO NHTSA. VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 95K WHEN FIRST APPEARED; PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, BECOMING A DRIVING HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #10381304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,000 miles Columbia, MD

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONERY, THE EXTERIOR BODY PAINT EXPOSED A WHITE SPOT THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL. THE DEFECT WAS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND THE HOOD. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS BUBBLING ON THE EXTERIOR PAINT NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BODY PAINT DEFECT WOULD EVENTUALLY RUST FROM THE INNER TO THE OUTER SURFACE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE BROUGHT IN WHEN IT BEGINS TO RUST AND POSSIBLY REPAIRED AT NO COST. AS OF JULY 24, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA complaint #10235686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Columbia, MD

STRUCTURE

AFTER OWNING THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS< THE PAINT IS STARTING TO PEEL, AND IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE I AM HOPING YOU CAN POINT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10235315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sanibel, FL

STRUCTURE

DASH ON OUR 2002 DODGE RAM IS CRACKING.

NHTSA complaint #10204043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewater, FL

STRUCTURE

CONSUMER IS COMPLAINING ABOUT CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. CUSTOMER STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 10 CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. THE CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY DODGE IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10203765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pembroke Pines, FL

STRUCTURE

THE BOARD 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB DASHBOARD IS ALL CRACKED AND BREAKING APART. READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN MY LOCAL ACTION LINE SECTION WHERE OTHER DODGE OWNERS OF DIFFERENT MODELS BETWEEN THE YEARS 2000 AND NEWER WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING NEAR THE VENTS AND HAS PROCEEDED TO BREAK IN OTHER PLACES ALONG THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD, ABOUT LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I' HAVE ASKED AROUND TO PEOPLE RELATED IN THE INDUSTRY, AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WAS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH. ALSO, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ON A 2000 DODGE 1500 . PLEASE HELP, THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10193686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rockledge, FL

STRUCTURE

CRACKED DASHBOARD.

NHTSA complaint #10190424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Laguna, NM

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

WHILE DRIVING, THE TAIL GATE DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10019799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jamestown, NC

STRUCTURE

THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LOCKS, SPEAKERS, AND BODY SCRATCHES. ALSO NO KEYLESS ENTRY AS PROMISED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *AK ALSO THE PASSENGER DOOR REGULATOR WAS REPLACED, THE ROOF SEAM LEAKED WATER

NHTSA complaint #10017850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Catoosa, OK

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY WHICH CAUSED WATER TO COME INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coospay, OR

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

TRANSFER CASE IS LEAKING, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES ALREADY FOR TRANSFER CASE LEAK, BUT SOLUTIONS DO NOT WORK. *AKCONSUMER RECEIVED NO HELP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLE. ALSO THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER QUAD DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE INNER HANDLE, THE LOCK RODS WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #8015919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2002 Dodge RAM problems

← Full 2002 Dodge RAM report