2002 Dodge 1500 Owner Complaints

I bought this truck new I still own problem is the cooling system does not function properly I have put new radiator and all heat and cooling in it the heat and air does not operate properly I have talked with crysler several times and they will help with issue it’s been like this about as long as I have had it please help me and there’s a whole lot more people with same issue and it’s a very bad problem with the windshield keeps fogging up can not see the road or traffic

NHTSA ID

11726774

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Dodge Ram 2002 ABS brake module failure. No recourse for repairs. Dodge has rendered this part obsolete and although they have the technology to repair or replace it they neglect to help thousands of vehicle owners.

NHTSA ID

11625032

Incident

Oct 15, 2024

The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, he became aware that the external lights and turn signal lights were not functioning properly. The lamp out warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11594041

Incident

Jun 12, 2024

The heat stopped working so i replaced the blower motor and blower relay the heater switch and still have no heat. The wire gets hot to the touch. The heater only use to work on high then all of a sudden it just stopped all the way around

NHTSA ID

11553692

Incident

Mar 30, 2023

To put it as simple as I can describe it is a death wobble. that occurs every time you hit a bump in the road, hole, or pot hole. This truck has always had this death wobble from factory. The reason why this is a safety issue is because it causes the steering wheel to go out of balance and go into other lanes in the road and potentially cause an accident.

NHTSA ID

11531959

Incident

Jul 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while attempting to turn on the heat in the vehicle, the HVAC system failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the instrument panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall for the failure. There was no additional assistance provided. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11507456

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

50,000 mi

I was driving on the highway at about 65mph and at first I noticed that it felt like my tie rod ends were going bad. And then all of a sudden I felt an explosion and my truck made a sharp right dive into the right hand lane and caused the car in that lane to swerve right. I was then able to gain back control and gradually came to a stop on the right hand berm of the highway. The right rear tire appeared just as it does in the attached photos. The tire size is p264/70R17 no authorities were notified and the tire has not been inspected by anyone.

NHTSA ID

11466612

Incident

May 28, 2022

While traveling at normal speeds approximately 40 mph a car ran a stop sign I t-boned them on their passenger side with my front end I hit them at approximately 40 mph my airbags did not deploy my face and chest hit the steering wheel and dash

NHTSA ID

11436510

Incident

Oct 11, 2021

Pinion nut became loose. It was caught before it totally fell off, however if it did fall off the rear axle could possible seize up and cause loss of control of the vehicle. This is a 2002 Dodge Ram with the 9.25" rear axle and they appear to still have issues to this day with that axle model. The recall Dodge had in 2009/10 does not even begin to cover the number of Dodge Ram/Dakota vehicles with this issue. The axle in this vehicle was replaced in 2009 for another issue with an axle retainer clip falling off and causing the internal assembly to grind on the boss for the axle. So as the original owner, and with only 137,140 miles on the vehicle in 19 years, it has had multiple problems fixed under warranty, including total axle replacement and now it will have rebuilt again. There should be a real safety concern for all Dodge pickups with the 9.25" rear axle and a recall for every one of them, not just 2009/10. This has been happening for 20 years. When will NHTSA step up and hold Dodge to task for this issue. Regards, [XXX] Minden, NV INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11436280

Incident

Sep 7, 2021

The brakes failed due to corrosion of the brake line from the master cyl. to the LH front brake flex hose. The brake fluid simply came out of the line. There was insifficient fluid pressure to do any wheel braking. Luckily, I had just moved off from a stop and was applying the brakes to slow down on a bend. The corrosion occured under a plastic clip that is there to keep adjacent brake lines from vibrating against each other. The corrosion occured in an area that is not inspectable unless the front wheel and wheel arch cover is first removed.

NHTSA ID

11423015

Incident

Jun 25, 2012

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 5.9L WAS DRIVING DOW HEY 10 WHEN MY BACK TRIES LOCKED UP COULDN'T GET IT IN GEAR OR OUT ALMOST CRASH WHEN GOT IT ON TO SIDE OF ROAD AND STOPPED WHEN IT FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GO IN A GEAR IT WAS REVERSES AND IT WOULD JUST MAKE THIS GOD AWFUL GRINDING NOSE TRUCK WAS TOWED BACK HOME

NHTSA ID

11403626

Incident

Feb 18, 2021

Mileage

163,000 mi

THE BEAM UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK IS BREAKING APART. NO OTHER PART UNDER THE TRUCK HAD THIS PROB. NO CORROSION ANY OTHER PLACE BUT THE BEAM OF THE TRUCK

NHTSA ID

11338270

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

150,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ALL OF THE GAUGES HAVE QUIT WORKING HEADLIGHTS STAY ON WILL NOT TURN OFF.

NHTSA ID

11228709

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

194,000 mi

HELLO, I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY DODGE RAM THE FUEL LINE SYSTEM JUST CRACKED AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE AND BLOW UP WHILE MYSELF IN MY 7 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN THE VEHICLE MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW NEVER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT OTHER THAN YOUR WILL WELLS WERE NEVER DRILLED OUT TO DRAIN THE WATER IN THE BACK I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE ON THE SAME INCIDENT. MYSELF IN MY GRANDDAUGHTER INHALE VERY TOXIC FUMES BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT THE TRUCK AS IT WAS ON FIRE AND INCHES AWAY WHEN IT EXPLODED.PICS AND REPORT WONT DOWNLOAD THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11220970

Incident

Jun 14, 2019

Mileage

140 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AN INDEPENDENT TOWING COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WIRE HARNESS CONVERTIBLE BOX HAD A LOT OF CORROSION AROUND IT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A COLLISION SHOP WAS CONTACTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11219740

Incident

May 9, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. STUCK IN DRIVEWAY CANNOT MOVE NEEDS TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. HE WILL TURN BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK.

NHTSA ID

11209073

Incident

Apr 30, 2019

Mileage

86,402 mi

TRIED TO GET THE TRUCK STARTED AND COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK. TOOK THE KEYS OUT AND THROW THEM UP ON THE DASH AND THE TRUCK STARTED AND ALL ELECTRONICAL STUFF IN TRUCK CAME ON. THEN WHEN DRIVING HOME IT WOULD REV UP AND DOWN AND WOULD TRY TO SHUT OFF WHEN I HAD TO STOP

NHTSA ID

11208128

Incident

May 16, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVESHAFT DETACHED AND CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO SEIZE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED SOUTHERN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP AT 936-634-7793 (LOCATED AT 2711 S MEDFORD DR, LUFKIN, TX 75901) AND THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 262,000.

NHTSA ID

11203977

Incident

Apr 22, 2019

Mileage

262,000 mi

TURNED ON THE A/C AND DASH CRACKED AND WHITE POWDER WAS COMING OUT OF MY VENTS AND NOW MY HEATER IS NOT WORKING THAT HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, I THINK THE AIRBAG CAME OPEN BUT DID NOT DEPLOY?

NHTSA ID

11183292

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

Mileage

1,355,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING WAS DAMAGED IN THE VEHICLE AND FAILED TO PRODUCE HEAT IN COLD WEATHER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED ANCHORAGE CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP (2601 EAST 5TH AVENUE, ANCHORAGE, AL 99501, 855-269-2609), BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11162268

Incident

Nov 9, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE REAR WHEELS SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE SLID OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11156598

Incident

Dec 1, 2018

Mileage

107,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL. NO HEAT FROM DRIVERS SIDE HVAC, THIS CAUSES VISIBILITY PROBLEMS CAUSE POOR WINDOW DEFROSTING. WIFE IS DISABLED WITH NO INCOME CAN'T AFFORD THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR SERVICE OR AFFORD A NEWER VEHICLE. NEVER HAD HEAT PROBLEMS IN ANY OF MY OLDER VEHICLES LIKE THIS. BEEN THIS WAY FOR 4 YEARS NOW.

NHTSA ID

11154759

Incident

Nov 1, 2014

Mileage

75,000 mi

4.7L ENGINE HAS A SLUDGE BUILD UP PROBLEM WHICH IN TURN CAUSES ENGINE TOTAL FAILURE. I'VE HAD ENGINE REPLACED 3 TIMES WITH BRAND NEW REMAND FROM CHRYSLER CORP. AND ALL ENGINES WERE INSTALLED AT ASE CERTIFIED SHOP AND ALL HAVE BLOWN UP ALSO DUE TO THIS SLUDGE BUILD UP PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER CORP IS AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO ADMIT ITS ENGINE FACTORY DEFECT AND ALL MY ENGINES FAILED AT 1,200 MILES/ 1,468 MILES/27,497 MILES ON LAST ENGINE AND ALL FAILED OF SAME CAUSE SLUDGE BUILD UP.

NHTSA ID

11151648

Incident

Mar 24, 2018

Mileage

27,697 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRAME AROUND THE STEERING BOX DISCONNECTED FROM THE STEERING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11150278

Incident

Oct 26, 2018

Mileage

65,000 mi

A FEW YEARS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE DASH BEGAN TO DEVELOP CRACKS AND HOLES. THIS HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE A DASH COVER HAD TO BE PURCHASED TO AVOID THINGS FALLING DOWN BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. CURRENTLY, THERE IS MORE MISSING THAN STILL IN PLACE IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS GENERATION, AND DODGE HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT, OTHER THAN TO CLAIM IT IS STRICTLY COSMETIC. THE PLASTIC PIECES ARE EXTREMELY SHARP, AND HAVE RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF SUPERFICIAL CUTS WHEN WORKING ON THE DEFROST VENTS, OR WHEN ADJUSTING THE CARPETED DASH COVER. OTHER PIECES HAVE FALLEN INTO THE VENTS AND THEN BEEN EJECTED INTO BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S FACES WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER ARE TURNED ON. PIECES OF PLASTIC RATTLE BEHIND THE DASH, AND HAVE FALLEN INTO THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLS AND RADIO HARNESS, POSSIBLY BEING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE FRONT SPEAKERS (BUT NOT VERIFIED) IF THEY HAVE CUT THE WIRES. IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS, THE PERDON IN THE SEAT IS LIKELY TO BE BLINDED OR DISFIGURED FROM THE AMOUNT OF DANGEROUSLY SHARP SHRAPNEL, ASSUMING IT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN CUT AND RENDERED USELESS. REPLACEMENT DASHES FROM DODGE ARE PRICED AT NEARLY $1,000, WHICH IS A RIDICULOUSLY EXORBITANT AMOUNT TO EXPECT CUSTOMERS TO PAY IN ORDER TO FIX A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT INSTALLED BY THE COMPANY. OVERLAYS OF DECENT QUALITY COST NEARLY A THIRD OF THAT.

NHTSA ID

11149560

Incident

Jun 13, 2007

Mileage

30,000 mi