U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Dodge RAM problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

318 owner complaints analyzed

9 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 61 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 318 complaints (9.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	69	21.7%
Braking behavior	40	12.6%
Transmission and shifting	32	10.1%
Electrical and battery issues	13	4.1%
Engine operation	9	2.8%
Fuel system concerns	6	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags:Frontal

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Steering

Suspension

Air Bags

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Structure

Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Air Bags:Frontal	29
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	27
Steering	17
Suspension	17
Air Bags	16
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	16
Structure	14
Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)	13

Air Bags:Frontal: 29; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 27; Steering: 17; Suspension: 17; Air Bags: 16; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 16; Structure: 14; Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion): 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 2

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (27). 257 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

108

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2012

2023

2000: 21; 2001: 85; 2002: 108; 2003: 33; 2004: 29; 2005: 14; 2006: 2; 2007: 7; 2008: 6; 2009: 4; 2011: 7; 2012: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 69 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 32 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10006323 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK.*AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006323 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006331 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL BUT TIRES DID NOT TURN. THUS, RESULTING IN A ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006331 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009490 · 2003-02-27 (February 27, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009490 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017753 · 2003-05-08 (May 8, 2003)

THE VEHICLE WAS 2 YEARS OLD WHEN PURCHASED. THE FRONT BRAKE WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHILE BRAKING. THE TIMING CHAIN MADE NOISE. THE SPARE TIRE WAS BALD. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. *AK *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017753 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007242 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE AND THEN LOCKED UP.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007242 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10048355 · 2003-11-19 (November 19, 2003)

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, ENGINE FAILED, AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR 20 DAYS. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ASSIST IN REPAIRS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048355 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059821 · 2004-04-01 (April 1, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH DRIVER TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL UPWARDS AND VEHICLE STALLED . DRIVER TILTED THE STEERING BACK TO THE NORMAL POSITION AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THEN, DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR.*AK *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059821 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071334 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

DEALER COULDN\\'T DIAGNOSE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. KEPT REPROGRAMMING COMPUTER UNTIL TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE @ 30,000 KM. 10 MONTH FIGHT FOR ENGINE. 6 WEEKS TO REPLACE IN SHOP. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STILL EXIST SINCE NEW. TRUCK HAS 77,000 KM NOW. IT IS TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF TOWING RV, WHAT TRUCK WAS BOUGHT FOR. MAX FUEL MILEAGE EMPTY IS 10 MPG, 4 LOADED. EXCESSIVE SMOKE. ALL SYMPTOMS VERIFIED BY OUTSIDE SOURCES, AND DODGE STATES THE PROBLEM IS WITH ME. AM A FORMER DIESEL MECH, AND TRUCKER. DODGE REFUSES OUTSIDE DIAGNOSIS INCLUDING CUMMINS. THIS TRUCK HAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071334 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059293 · 2004-02-18 (February 18, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10059293 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10038557 · 2003-10-21 (October 21, 2003)

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER'S ANALYSIS WAS THAT THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN AND HESITATE BECAUSE THE FUEL WAS INCORRECTLY TRANSFERRING INTO FUEL PUMP. *AK *TS *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 60,502 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038557 at NHTSA ↗