Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Dodge 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD LOCK INTO ANY GEAR. ALSO, THE KEY WAS ABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION KEY ALTHOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PAM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUP POP AS SMOKE BEGAN ESCAPING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD EXPLODED, CAUSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FROM PARK AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PLACE THE VEHICLE BACK IN PARK. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY START WHEN IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V555000 -POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: LEVER AND LINKAGE: COLUMN SHIFT) BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
DRIVE SHAFT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT BACK INTO PARK, AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V460000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND HE NO LONGER DRIVES THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 35,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LINKAGE BAR THAT CONNECTS THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSFER CASE IS APPROXIMATELY 14 INCHES LONG. IT IS HELD TOGETHER BY RUBBER GROMMETS. OVER TIME, A COMBINATION OF EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES AND WEAR AND TEAR CAUSED THE GROMMETS TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE LINKAGE BAR FALLS OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO OTHER DRIVERS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44,200. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB
MY DEALER, UNITED DODGE OF LAS VEGAS, IS UNABLE TO REMEDY A RECALL, (G28) PARK SHIFT LOCK DEFECT, IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME(OVER 9 WEEKS) DUE TO CHRYSLER CORP. ONLY SENDING TWO PARTS A WEEK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR AN IGNITION SHIFT PARK INTERLOCK RECALL, BUT A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT FOUND. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE DEALER, THE GEAR WAS ABLE TO SHIFT FROM PARK WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING APPLIED. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED BACK INTO PARK AND THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND BY THE DOOR WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO JUMP BACK IN THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ALSO RUN OVER BY A TIRE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED THROUGH A YARD AND A DITCH BEFORE CRASHING INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES AND ABRASIONS ON HIS FOOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO CHARGE JUST TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 157,000. UPDATED 06/05/08.
I HAVE A 02 DODGE RAM 4X4 QUAD CAB WITH THE 360 ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSED UP I CONTACTED A LOCAL SHOP AND THE SOLENOIDS ARE BAD AND THE SHOP OWNER STATED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS HE TRIED TO GET THE PARTS AND NO ONE HAS THEM THEY ARE ON BACK ORDER TILL NEXT WEEK THAT SAYS TO ME THIS IS A FAILURE ON DODGE FOR FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *TR
ON SATURDAY APRIL 15, 2006 WE WERE DRIVING HOME AND THE TRANSMISSION IN OUR 2002 DODGE RAM TRUCK BEGAN SLIPPING. WE HAD TO DRIVE IN LOW GEAR TO GET HOME. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO SCHAEFER AND STROMINGER, THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE TRUCK BRAND NEW FROM IN 2002 AND WERE TOLD "OH ITS PROBABLY JUST A SWITCH, WE'LL REPLACE IT AND ITS GOOD YOU BOUGHT THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY...WELL THIS 2002 TRUCK ON HAS APPROXIMATELY 26,000 MILES ON IT! AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK FOR OVER A WEEK, I WAS TOLD THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THIS TRUCK....A TRUCK THAT ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT. WELL NOT ONLY SCHAEFER AND STROMINGER, BUT ALSO CHRYSLER THEMSELVES DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO GIVE ME A LOANER CAR FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF DEALING WITH THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THERE IS NO WAY I SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN A TRUCK THAT IS HARDLY DRIVEN AND HAS NEVER, EVER HAULED ANYTHING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, I AM FINDING OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM EVERYONE IS HAVING WITH THESE TRUCKS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CHRYSLER TO MAKE THEM FIX THESE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. I AM THOROUGHLY DISGUSTED WITH THE "OH WELL, WHAT A SHAME" ATTITUDE CHRYSLER HAS, WE CONSUMERS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THESE VEHICLES AND WE ALL DESERVE NOT ONLY A BETTER PRODUCT, BUT ALSO BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE. PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO CAN MAKE THESE MANUFACTURES STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED DRIVING ON OF THESE TRUCKS. *JB
FIRST, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO AN OVERDRIVE BAND THAT BROKE AND THEN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. SECOND, I HAD THE MECHANICS CHECK THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR NORMAL SERVICING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LTD SLIP COMPONENT HAD BROKEN, WHICH THEN CAUSED BEARINGS TO BREAK, WHICH THEN NEARLY DESTROYED THE AXLE HOUSING. $4500 OR MORE TO REPAIR TRANSMISSION AND TO REPLACE REAR AXLE. 77337 MILES, NO OFF ROAD USE AND GENTLE DRIVING HABITS. I CAN HAVE THE OLD AXLE I BELIEVE. 10 DAYS IN SHOP SO FAR. *NM
FIRST THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN 3RD GEAR AT TIMES,THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE THAT THE DEALER CAN'T REPRODUCE. THE LAMP OUT LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF WITH THE BELL THIS WILL DO IT INTERMITTENTLY FOR AS LONG AS 30 MIN STRAIGHT AND THIS TRUCK IS ALL OVER THE ROAD WHEN YOU HIT BUMPS AT HIGH SPEED. *JB
WITH 65,000 MILES ON 2002 DODGE RAM 4X4 QUAD CAB. TRANSMISSION FAILED. ONLY DO ORDINARY DRIVING, NO HAULING OF ANY KIND. OF COURSE NO WARRANTY. $3000 TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO DOWN SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK IN ADDITION, CONSUMER IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH TIRES AND ITS SIDEWALL AND REQUESTING MANUFACTURER TO DESIGN TIRES FOR OFF ROAD CONDITIONS. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND THE PADS HAVE 80 PERCENT LEFT AT 34,000 MILES. *LA
WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO A PARTICULAR GEAR IT WILL NOT RESPOND. WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS PUT IN PARK IT IS REALLY IN NEUTRAL. WHEN IN DRIVE IT IS REALLY IN REVERSE. *AK WHEN CHANGING GEARS, READING IN THE DASH BOARD IS NOT SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. TRUCK WAS REPAIRED 4 TIME BUT WITH NO AVAIL. CONSUMER FEARED THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC GEAR INDICATOR. THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, CONSUMER'S WIFE WITNESSED THAT THE BACK-UP LIGHT WENT ON. *LA
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN BECAUSE SHIFT LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE GEARS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO JUDGE WHICH GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAD AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOCK OUT FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT FIRST PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK POSITION. LOCK OUT FEATURE WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPLACED INTERLOCK CABLE AND IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER WORKED ON 4 TIMES. HOWEVER THE INTERLOCK STILL DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. *TT *JB
VEHICLE HAS A HARD SHIFT OR BUMP WHEN REACHING ABOUT 20 MPH. HAPPENS MOSTLY ON THE UP SHIFT AND DURING COOLER WEATHER. 8JB
THE TRANSMISSION GEAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL, WITHOUT WARNING. *JB THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 1K MILES,AND AT 6K MILES A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. THE MANUFACTURER FELT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REMEDIED. SCC
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
I AM THE OWNER OF A DODGE 2002 TRUCK. IT HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT THE DEALERS ARE TELLING EVERYONE JUST TO "HOLD ON" BASICALLY, WHEN THE TRUCK SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR IT JOLTS AND SURGES FORWARD. I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY BY RICK GLADWELL DODGE IN MOREHEAD CITY, NC. (252-247-2003) THAT IT IS MORE OF AN INCONVIENENCE TO THE DRIVER RATHER THAN A MECHANICAL FAILURE WAITING TO HAPPEN. THEY CLAIM THAT IT IS A MODULE THAT NEEDS REPROGRAMMING AND THAT UNTIL THE EPA APPROVES IT THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO. DT
HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. SOME HAVEN'T BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER YET. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE. IT SHIFTS HARD AT ABOUT 2200 RPM'S OR AROUND 25-30MPH. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE. I'VE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WERE NOT LISTED INCLUDING BRAKES AND ALTERNATOR. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR MIRROR HAS RECENTLY BROKEN AND NOW FLOPS IN THE WIND ON THE FREE WAY AND IS UNUSABLE. I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, THEN FOUND THAT IT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. THE VENTILATION FROM THE PANEL IS ASLO SENT TO THE FLOOR VENTS DESPITE THE DIAL BEING SET TO "PANEL" NOT "FLOOR". THE TAILGATE CABLES ARE MISMATCHED. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL. I WON'T PLACE ANYTHING ON THE TAILGATE IN FEAR THAT THE CABLE MIGHT BREAK. THE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS ARE NOT SYNCHED WITH THE DISPLAYED TRUN SIGNALS. THE SIMULTANEOUS FLASH IS NOT THERE. ALSO, THE ALTERNATOR WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AT AROUND 600 MILES. IT WAS CAUSING A HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKING SOUND SIMILAR TO WHAT A DEFECTIVE BELT MAY SOUND LIKE. IT WAS REPLACED, BUT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN AT 6750 MILES. THE HOOD HAS SLIGHT DENTS IN IT LIKE SOMEONE HIT IT WITH A BALL PEN HAMMER. APPARENTLY CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT THIS. I'LL BE TAKING IT IN THE FIRST CHANCE I GET TO TRY TO HAVE IT FIXED. I'VE HAD THIS TRUCK A 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS IN HOPE THAT THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE MORE HELP THAN THE PREVIOUS. NO SUCH LUCK. I'VE HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK (ABOUT 6 DAYS TOTAL; HAD TO WAIT AT DEALERSHIP SINCE IT WAS AN OUT OF TOWN PURCHASE ) AND RENT CARS 5 TIMES WHILE HAVING IT WORKED ON AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN ORDER TO GET TO WORK. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT BAD LUCK WITH THIS VEHICLE. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER HAS DREADFUL QUALITY CONTROL AND I CAN'T SAY MUCH MORE FOR THE DEALERS. I HOPE I CAN GET THE ISSUES WITH THIS TRUCK RESOLVED SOMEDAY. DT
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET AND VEHICLE GOES ON AN UPGRADE OR HITS IT WILL ACCELERATE INTENSIVELY. CONSUMER FEELS IF ON ICE IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.*AK. CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*JB
6-11-2002 TRUCK DIED OUT IN MOTION. 6-15-2002 BELLS IN TRUCK CAME ON, NO DUMMY LIGHTS LASTED 10-15 MIN THEN STOPPED ON ITS OWN, ALSO THIS DAY TRUCK DIED OUT ONCE IN REVERSE, 3 TIMES IN DRIVE. ON THIS DAY I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. 6-22-2002 TRUCK STUCK IN REVERSE. ENGINE REVED IN REVERSE AS IF IN NUETRAL BUT WAS CLEARLY IN REVERSE. CAR WAS DRIVEN TO DEALER THAT DAY. 6-29-2002 STUCK IN REVERSE AGAIN. DEALER CONTACTED - I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT A SERVICE MANAGER ON 7-1-2002 , I OBVIOUSLY HAVE AN INTERMITENT PROBLEM AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE UNTIL THEY CAN PROVE THERE IS A PROBLEM. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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