U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Dodge RAM problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

116 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

37,827 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 35 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 116 complaints (9.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	15	12.9%
Steering behavior	11	9.5%
Transmission and shifting	6	5.2%
Engine operation	4	3.4%
Electrical and battery issues	2	1.7%
Fuel system concerns	1	0.9%

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

Structure

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Suspension

Engine And Engine Cooling

Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Air Bags:Frontal	11
Structure	9
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	7
Suspension	7
Engine And Engine Cooling	6
Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior	6
Unknown Or Other	5
Air Bags	4

Air Bags:Frontal: 11; Structure: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7; Suspension: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior: 6; Unknown Or Other: 5; Air Bags: 4

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: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 81 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.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2011

2012

2021

2001: 2; 2002: 42; 2003: 27; 2004: 18; 2005: 7; 2006: 2; 2007: 8; 2008: 3; 2011: 4; 2012: 2; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 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 10007248 · 2003-03-05 (March 5, 2003)

ODI #768732: BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER CLANKING NOISE AT FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT WHEEL AREA STILL EXISTED. INSPECTION REVEALED PIVOT ARMS HAD ROTATED, MAKING CONTACT WITH THE SUSPENSION ARM FRAME MOUNT AREA WHICH CAUSED GOUGES IN THE FRAME MOUNT AREA. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED EXHAUST LEAK FROM BOTTOM SIDE OF MUFFLER. *TT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007248 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007334 · 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)

LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM WERE NOT REPLACED, ONLY THE BRAKE PADS. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THERE WAS STILL A CLANKING NOISE AT FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT WHEEL AREA. CONSUMER'S INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ON BOTH SIDES THE PIVOT ARMS WERE LOOSE AND HAD ROTATED SEVERAL TIMES HITTING THE SUSPENSION ARM FRAME MOUNT AREA AND THERE WERE GOUGES IN THE FRAME MOUNT. FURTHER INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED EXHAUST LEAK ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE MUFFLER AT THE BACK WELD OR SEAL OF THE UNIT. CONSUMER PLANNED ON TAKING VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007334 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001809 · 2003-01-02 (January 2, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE ARE HOLES IN THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND KEYS GET CAUGHT IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001809 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008711 · 2003-03-04 (March 4, 2003)

THE VEHICLES STEERING, TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION FAILED. *AK *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008711 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004290 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)

TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES FOR THE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING IT FEELS AS THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004290 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071913 · 2004-04-30 (April 30, 2004)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071913 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10105434 · 2004-12-28 (December 28, 2004)

THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLS, THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED. THE DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105434 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10444610 · 2012-01-20 (January 20, 2012)

1) ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. LIGHTS KEPT GOING IN AND OUT 2) DASH CRACKING AND CRUMBLING. PIECES FALLING INTO AIR VENTS AND PREVENTING WINDSHIELD FROM DEFROSTING! DANGEROUS! COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DASH IS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE THAT IF PASSENGER AIR BAG WERE TO BE DEPLOYED IT COULD KILL SOMEONE DUE TO FLYING PIECES OF HARD PLASTIC ALL OVER THE VEHICLE. MAKE DODGE RECALL THIS PRODUCT! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? YOU ALREADY HAVE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM! *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10444610 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456343 · 2012-04-24 (April 24, 2012)

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. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456343 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10235686 · 2008-07-24 (July 24, 2008)

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235686 at NHTSA ↗