CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 has the well-known and documented problem with their dashboards falling to pieces, but it also has engine failure from oil sludge. That's a doube shot of awful in your morning coffee.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
12 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,451 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Dodge Ram 1500 body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 13)

problem #241

May 102010

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 67,904 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard cracking - vehicle is always covered or garaged or under a covered parking spot. Dash started cracking around May 2010 while living in Oklahoma and has gotten progressively worse. Pieces have broken and fallen into the vents, and when the defrost is turned on or when the ac is turned on, small to medium pieces fly out and can hit someone, myself or front seat passenger in the eye. And if involved in an accident where air bags are deployed, pieces could break off and do more injury to occupants. I have been hit in the forehead with pieces already.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #240

Apr 122006

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 54,000 miles
Dashboard is cracking and little pieces of plastic are coming out of the ac.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #239

Dec 012014

Ram 1500

  • 201,000 miles
Dash board has shattered and the air condition/heater does not blow.

- Ramer, AL, USA

problem #238

Jan 312003

Ram 1500

  • 13,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have emailed Dodge many years ago about the safety issue of my dash busting in several places when my truck was just one year old. The only response I received was an offer to buy a discounted dash. I feel this is a manufacturer defect and I realize my truck is now 12 years old but this happened in only 1 year. I have since read where I am no where near alone. Dodge knows there is a problem and has done nothing to correct it.

- Monteagle, TN, USA

problem #237

Jul 012006

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 45,000 miles
Dashboard has been cracking since 2006, now dashboard has completely crumbled apart. Totally unsafe hazardous situation now.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #236

Mar 152006

Ram 1500

  • 35,000 miles
Dashboard begin cracking and finally in a couple days of weeks broke apart completely as I had been in a crash.I called the company they said the warranty had expired.I told them I have 1992 Ford aerostar whose dashboard was completely.intact and that it was much older it had to be a structural defect. They offer to pay half which meant I had to pay $500 dollars, which I didn't have. I felt they should pay all of it. Also the airbag light is on and the RPM accelerate without me pushing the gas pedal.I took many times to the dealership and they said they would fix it but they never did.

- Brownsville Tx., TX, USA

problem #235

Oct 152013

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The dash has cracked on is falling apart into pieces. These pieces are falling into the dash and defroster vent. If the passenger air bag deploys it will send plastic into the air.

- Palestine, TX, USA

problem #234

Nov 152006

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • miles
Dashboard started cracking - dealer said out of warranty - cracking has continued. This vehicle has 44000 miles on the odometer and is in beautiful condition except for the awful dashboard problem. If I ever have a bad accident the dashboard will come apart and cause added injuries to the driver and passengers. It is time for Ram to step up and give some help to all its customers with this problem. I have seen various pictures showing the dashboards completely collapsed. This is clearly beyond a cosmetic issue and into a safety issue.

- Santa Clara, CA, USA

problem #233

Jun 012010

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 25,000 miles
Dash is cracking everywhere and pieces are falling off, doubt that if the vehicle was in a crash that the air bag would work properly, and if it did or did not, little piece of the dash would fly every where and cut the passengers and the air bag. Contacted Chrysler and they will do nothing below is Chrysler response, like they threaten you that if you email again it will go in the corporate records, I told them I hope that it did. Needless to say they don't understand how to retain customers and sell new trucks. Thank you for your recent email, although it does not contain any information that would cause a change in the previous decision. Your request must again be respectfully declined. Any future communication related to this issue will be retained in corporate records.

- Kerrville, TX, USA

problem #232

Jan 022014

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 143,000 miles
Dash panel caving in and cracking all over. Parts of the dash have broken off and fallen inside the console creating a possibly dangerous scenario of damaged wiring or debris flying off while traveling down the road.

- Wheaton, MD, USA

problem #231

Jan 012010

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard started cracking in 2010 and has progressively gotten worse. It now has open holes and completely cracked. And since the last few months it is causing electrical failure and dangerous to drive. This situation I have now found out to be very common for my truck and now realize that this is not common wear for this or any other vehicle. Chrysler has told me they are not excepting any responsibility for the product failure and that it's up to me to pay for the costly repairs. This is unacceptable as this problem is clearly a product defect that they are aware of and should at no cost to the consumer be fixed.

- Santa Ana , CA, USA

problem #230

Sep 202013

Ram 1500 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Dash came apart, cracking pieces falling down inside vents, sharp pieces everywhere due to poor material and cheap craftsmanship Dodge is going to get someone seriously hurt or killed over them not taking care of this issue that every Dodge owner has suffered from man up and make it right you don't mind sticking your hand out when its time to buy your trucks.

- Loxahatchee, FL, USA

problem #229

Jul 312013

Ram 1500

  • 307,000 miles
Driving on flat surface street, heard loud popping noise. Later realized it was the dash popping and noticed multiple straight cracks beginning in the corners of dash vents, gradually expanding. Creates multiple small, sharp shards of plastic. Potential for numerous projectiles of plastic if ever the airbags were to deploy not to mention now that the entire dash is weakened small parts intermittently fall into the dash area causing electrical problems with all the gauges, causing warning lights to illuminate and potential for fire is obvious considering other Dodge recalls for wiring problems in this model truck.

- Waddy, KY, USA

problem #228

Mar 092011

Ram 1500

  • 150,000 miles
I had just had the motor rebuilt, at the dealer, and when I stopped at a red light, on the way home I heard a cracking noise, and noticed the dash had a split near the passenger air bag. Since then the dash part next to the windshield, has had multiple cracks, and totally fallen apart.

- Venice, FL, USA

problem #227

Aug 142013

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • miles
Vehicle has severe dash cracking. Power windows are not working and lamp indicator will not shut off causing ongoing beeping. Concerned that dash parts are stuck inside causing driving conditions to be unsafe. Would like to be notified if an investigation has been done to remedy the problems at dealer cost.

- Harker Heights, TX, USA

problem #226

Jan 132010

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
The dash cover that is closest to the windshield cracked causing pieces of plastic to brake off and enter the blower motor. There was also pieces of plastic from the dash that fell off and and made it to the floor board and could have blocked the brake or gas pedal.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #225

May 012012

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
Dashboard cracked.

- Dundee, OR, USA

problem #224

Aug 012012

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 232,000 miles
Dashboard on my 2002 Dodge Ram is completely cracked and is falling apart. Many spots on the dash that could severely injure an individual in the event of an accident because of these cracks when defrost is turned on pieces of foam and plastic shoot out. Dodge will not replace or fix the problem. Something needs to be done about this issue as it is a defect with their material within their vehicles.

- Campobello, SC, USA

problem #223

Feb 012013

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 97,542 miles
Dashboard on my 2002 Dodge Ram is completely cracked and is falling apart. There are several jagged edges which are a safety risk that could cause severe injury if vehicle was involved in an accident. Dodge will not replace or fix the problem. Something needs to be done about this issue as it is a defect with their material within their vehicles.

- Harleysville, PA, USA

problem #222

Mar 012008

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 78,850 miles
Dashboard on my 2002 Dodge Ram is completely cracked and is falling apart. There are several jagged edges which are a safety risk that could cause severe injury if vehicle was involved in an accident. Dodge will not replace or fix the problem. Something needs to be done about this issue as it is a defect with their material within their vehicles.

- Milton, FL, USA

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