Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Dodge Dodge Truck, most frequently naming the suspension, brakes and steering categories.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2003 | 1 | 1 |
| Mar 2003 | 2 | 3 |
| Apr 2003 | 2 | 5 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 6 |
| Aug 2004 | 2 | 8 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 9 |
| Dec 2004 | 2 | 11 |
| Jan 2005 | 1 | 12 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 13 |
| Apr 2007 | 1 | 14 |
| Jan 2008 | 1 | 15 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ENGINE FAILED TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED. BROKEN VALVE SPRING 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH 5.7L HEMI ENGINE. 87,000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. REPAIRED AT DODGE DEALER AT A COST OF $580.00. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT DETECTED A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED, SIMILAR TO CAMPAIGN # 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 57,134.
(1)AROUND 5 AM WITH A DODGE DAKOTA 2003 TRUCK, I DELIVERED NEWSPAPER ON THE TOP OF A HILL IN BLACK STONE ROAD TO FOUR ADDRESSES ON A FAIRLY LEVEL AREA. EACH NEEDED COMPLETE BRAKING TO ALMOST COMPLETE STOPS BECAUSE THE NEED TO INSERT THE PAPERS IN THE TUBES. APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE LAST TUBE A STEEP DESCENT STARTED, THUS I TO PUT THE TRUCK IN LOWER GEAR I TRIED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE. THE PEDAL FIRST GAVE A VERY SMALL RESISTANCE AND SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT HAVING ANY EFFECT ON THE BRAKE. 2)WITH AN UNWANTED ACCELERATION, I TRIED TO PUT THE TRUCK IN LOWER GEAR, BUT THE DOWNHILL HAD MANY CURVES AND I COULD NOT CHANGE GEAR. I COULD NEGOTIATE THE FIRST CURVE BUT AT THE SECOND I DROVE OFF THE ROAD HIT AND BROKE A TREE AND ROLLED OVER AGAINST A HOUSE, SHATTERED TWO WINDOW PANES, PUT DENTS IN THE GUTTERS. THE LAST 30 YARD OF UNWANTED ACCELERATION WAS WITNESSED BY CODY LATTEE THE OWNER OF 13756 WEST PARK, BOULDER CREEK CA 95006.IT IS THE DAMAGED PROPERTY ADDRESS ON THE CORNER OF BLACK STONE AND WEST PARK. THE OWNER MADE SEVERAL PHOTOS AND PROMISED TO GIVE ME A COPY OF ALL. HE COULD NOT BELIEVE HIS EYES THAT MY INJURIES WERE NOT FATAL. I SUFFERED BACK AND SHOULDER AND HEAD INJURIES. I WAIVED THE HOSPITALIZE, BUT WENT TO SEE MY PHYSICIAN THE SAME DAY. (3) I INSTRUCTED THE TOW TRUCK DRIVE AND LATER AN EMPLOYEE ON THE LOT NOT TO ALLOW ACCESS TO ANYONE TO THE TRUCK. THREE DAYS LATER JANUARY 4TH, 2003, I HAVE IT TOWED TO A THIRD PARTY IN CAPITOLA, CALIFORNIA COVERED WITH TARP AND BOUND AND TIED IT DOWN WITH CORD. I MADE A WRITTEN CONTRACT THAT THE YARD WILL NOT ALLOW ACCESS TO THE TRUCK WITHOUT MY INSTRUCTION. *AK *BF *NM
TRUCK SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHEN STOP AND IS LEAFED RUNNING. 1) STOP TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STORE, STOP THE TRUCK SHIFT THE TRUCK INTO PARK, OPEN THE DOOR GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK, CLOSE THE DOOR, AS I WAS WAKING TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE TUCK I WAS APPROXIMATELY 5? FEET AWAY FRONT THE DOOR THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE IN REVERSE. I QUICKLY CHASE THE TRUCK BACK OPEN THE DOOR JUMP INTO THE TRUCK (WHILE THE TRUCK WAS MOVING) APPLY THE BRAKES AND STOP THE TUCK. THE SHIFT INDICATOR IT SHOWED THAT HE TRUCK WAS IN PARK. *NM
I HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 09/30/04. DRIVER WHEEL CAME OFF. I HIT A MAILBOX, TELEPHONE POLE, WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON A PARKED TRUCK. $10,000 IN DAMAGES TO MY 2003 DODGE DURANGO. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *JB
EVER SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED OUR 2003 DURANGO IN NOVEMBER OF 2003 WE HAVE BEEN TOTALLY UNIMPRESSED WITH IT TO SAY THE LEAST.. I HAVE IT IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL, MOLDING COMING DOWN OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR, THE MATERIAL ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS LOOKS HIDEOUS AND WHEN I TOOK IT IN THEY SAID IT WAS MADE THAT WAY, ALSO WE'VE HAD IT IN FOR THE WIPER RECALL AND MY CD PLAYER KEEPS MESSING UP NOT TO MENTION RIGHT AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE KNOB FOR THE FRONT AND REAR SOUND HAD BROKE OFF AND WHEN I ASKED FOR THAT TO BE FIXED THEY SAID I'D HAVE TO BUY A NEW STEREO..NOW IS THIS WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM A HIGHLY PRICED DODGE VEHICLE???IF SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST! BY THE WAY THE INCIDENT DATE IS FUNNY I SHOULD HAVE PUT SINCE THE DAY WE BOUGHT IT BUT THE DATE CLOSEST WOULD BE TODAY 12-10-04 CAUSE I JUST PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
I HAVE A 2003 DODGE DURANGO I BOUGHT NEW. I NOW HAVE 25000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE JUST HAD MY BRAKES REPAIRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALONG WITH BRAKE PADS. I ALSO HAVE A SMALL COLLAPSE(AT THIS TIME) IN MY GAS TANK. I HAVE NOT BEEN DOING ANY OFFROAD DRIVING. THERE IS A STRANGE NOISE FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT HEAR ANY NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING.*AK
MY SON WAS DRIVING THE 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 ON THE 405 FREEWAY AT APPROX.70MPH WHEN THE RIGHT REAR AXLE BROKE. MY SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT SPUN AGAINST THE TRAFFIC. HE GAINED CONTROL, VEERED AGAINST THE RIGHT OUTSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE FREEWAY WITH HIS FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND WHILE DRAGGING THE RIGHT BACK TIRE, CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. THE RIGHT BACK TIRE WAS DRAGGED FLAT ON THE FREEWAY FOR 400 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. HE WAS ONLY LUCKY NOT TO BE SERIOUSLY HURT OR DEAD.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003Viewing | 15 | 0 | 0 | 39.0 |
| 2002 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 37.6 |
| 2001 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 34.4 |
| 2000 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 38.5 |
| 1999 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 36.8 |
| 1998 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 38.4 |
| 1997 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 36.0 |
| 1996 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 37.2 |
| 1995 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 36.6 |
| 1994 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 35.7 |
| 1993 | 6 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1992 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 44.1 |
| 1991 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 31.1 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1988 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 4 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1986 | 3 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.