RoadVitals

2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
181
Latest Sep 28, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
39%
of 468 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 181 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.

Owner reports naming body or structure

The 25 most recent of 181, in the owner's own words

Body & structure
Filed Sep 28, 2022

The dashboard in this truck has been crumbling to pieces. It is to the point now the gauge cluster and passenger air bag are barely in place. This is a common occurrence on all of these dodge rams and it is definitely a safety hazard

NHTSA ID
11486883
Incident
May 1, 2019
Body & structure
Filed Feb 25, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED TO THE POINT THAT IT FRACTURED INTO PIECES. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD AFFECT OTHER COMPONENTS. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE DASHBOARD WAS UV COATED. LITHIA CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE OF GREAT FALLS (4025 10TH AVE S, GREAT FALLS, MT 59405, (406) 205-3430) WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

NHTSA ID
11182324
Incident
Feb 1, 2018
Mileage
121,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 4, 2017

DASH CRACKED 7 YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN FALLING APART STEADILY SINCE THEN. SHARDS OF DASH POSE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF A WRECK. KNOWN PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS OF THIS YEAR RANGE.

NHTSA ID
10939728
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
110,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 4, 2017

DASH CRACKED 7 YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN FALLING APART STEADILY SINCE THEN. SHARDS OF DASH POSE A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF A WRECK. KNOWN PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS OF THIS YEAR RANGE.

NHTSA ID
10939727
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
110,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DEFECTIVE AND EXHIBITED FRACTURES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DASHBOARD WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID
10863631
Incident
May 1, 2015
Mileage
105,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 20, 2015

BROKEN DASH PARTS ARE FALLING INSIDE THE DASH AND MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THEY SIMPLY TURN OFF FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME I RECYCLE THE SWITCH AND A FEW SECONDS THEY COME BACK ON AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ADDITIONALLY THE BROKEN DASH CAP IS DISTRACTING THIS CREATING AN ISSUE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING IN OHIO IS ILLEGAL. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND AMAZED TO FIND OUT IT COVERS MULTIPLE YEARS AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS O N LINE RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY THERE ARE WIRES EXPOSED TO THE OCCUPANTS AND I AM NOT SURE THEY ARE SAFE THEY CAN EASILY BECOME WORK AND SHORTED OUT THUS CREATING A FIRE HAZARD/ PLEASE HELP BY RECALLING THIS ISSUE TO DODGE..

NHTSA ID
10795002
Incident
Sep 15, 2003
Mileage
28,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 2, 2015

DASH STARTED CRACKING IN 2006 AND PARTS ARE STARTING TO FALL IN. HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10779314
Incident
Sep 6, 2006
Body & structure
Filed Sep 21, 2015

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND BRAKING APART PEACE S ARE COMING OFF AND HITTING ME IN THE FACE AND EYES.

NHTSA ID
10766369
Incident
Jul 1, 2007
Mileage
30,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 12, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD CRACKED AND FRACTURED IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE THE SAME DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD INSTALLED. THE CRACKS WERE SIX TO EIGHT INCHES WIDE AND STARTED TO APPEAR ON JULY 22, 2006. THE MANUFACTURER NEVER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. MA 09/25 UPDATED 10/19/2017*CN

NHTSA ID
10724876
Incident
Jun 11, 2015
Mileage
103,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 3, 2014

AROUND 2009 I STARTED NOTICING CRACKS IN DASH. THEY CONTINUED TO GET BIGGER AND BEGIN BREAKING OFF IN CHUNKS. NOW I WONDER WHEN DASH WILL FALL APART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641253
Incident
Oct 1, 2009
Mileage
125,500 mi
Body & structureBrakes
Filed Oct 2, 2014
Crash reported

BRAKES FAILED WHEN APPLIED. ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING. AFTER HARD BRAKING APPLICATION THE TIRES LOCKED AND SLID ABOUT 5 INCHES IN DAMP BACKTOP AND HIT A CAR STOPPED AT A LIGHT. HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO BRAKE BUT NO OR VERY LITTLE BRAKING ACTION. LATER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LOST PRESSURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THESE TRUCKS ARE PRONE TO BRAKE LINE RUSTING. DRIVER SEEMED TO BE FINE AND DROVE AWAY AFTER EXCHANGING INFO. HE LATER CLAIMED INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10640916
Incident
Oct 2, 2014
Mileage
103,000 mi
Body & structureExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jun 8, 2014

THE DASHBOARD IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN CRACKED AND BROKEN SINCE 2004. IT CONTINUES TO BREAK AND CHIP CAUSING PIECES OF SHARP PLASTIC TO FALL INSIDE THE INNER DASH AREA. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE FROM LOW BEAM, TO HIGH BEAM, THE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND WILL NOT BE OPERATIONAL. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY FLIP THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. THIS DID NOT START UNTIL THE DASH CRACKED AND PLASTIC PIECES FELL INSIDE THE DASH. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES CONTINUE TO THIS DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10596931
Incident
Aug 2, 2004
Mileage
75,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 3, 2014
1 injury reported

DASH WAS CRACKED UP AND A PIECE FLEW OUT AND GOT HIT IN FACE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10595948
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Body & structure
Filed Jun 2, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO DEVELOPED CRACKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ID
10595514
Incident
Jun 6, 2012
Mileage
84,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 13, 2014

MY DASH BOARD ON MY 2001 DODGE RAM 2500 HAS COMPLETELY BROKE CAUSING THE PLASTIC TO ENTER IN TO THE DASH CAUSING MY LIGHTS TO FLICKER BOTH THEE INNER AND OUTER DASH HAS FAILED. PARTS HAVE ALSO FLEW AT ME IN THE FACE AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564206
Incident
Nov 1, 2013
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Feb 2, 2014
1 injury reported

THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE. AT 70,000 MILES IT HAD OPENED UP A GIANT SINKHOLE AND STARTED CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTAGES, LIKE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING. NOW EVERY TIME THE FAN IS RUN, SMALL PIECES FLY AROUND THE CAB. A PIECE GOT INTO MY EYE WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS A BAD SITUATION. I HAD TO BE TREATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS IN EYE FOR A CUT. NOW I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY IN THE EVENT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. SHARP SHARDS OF SHRAPNEL COULD BE FORCED INTO MY BODY BY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING. IT IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER. I AM HAVING THE WHOLE DASH REPLACED AT MY OWN COST BECAUSE OF THIS. DODGE REFUSES TO HELP. UNFORTUNATELY MY MECHANIC SAYS HE REPLACES THESE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IN TWO YEARS NEW DASH IS DISINTEGRATING AGAIN. THIS IS CLEARLY AN UNSAFE SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, BEFORE FATALITIES OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10562565
Incident
Nov 14, 2012
Mileage
132,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Feb 2, 2014

THE DASHBOARD IN THIS VEHICLE STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES, EVEN THOUGH IT HAD A DASH COVER AND WINDOW SUN PROTECTION IN AT ALL TIMES, SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS LIKE A SINKHOLE OPENING UP IN DASH. IT IS NOW CAUSING WIRING PROBLEMS TO THE POINT I HAVE IT IN THE SHOP. CALLED DODGE TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL AS THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAS THE SAME TRUCK, WITH SAME ISSUE, AND EVERY DODGE 2001 TRUCK HE WORKS ON HAS THE SAME ISSUE. DODGE WOULD NOT COMMENT. I HAVE A DODGE RAM 2500 1992, AND THE DASH LOOKS LIKE NEW. IT IS A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. IT CAN CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS TO SHORT OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10562560
Incident
Dec 11, 2012
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 5, 2014

CRACKS FORMED IN THE DASH AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE DASH BEGAN TO FALL APART. I DUCT TAPED IT TOGETHER OUT OF FEAR THAT WATER WOULD SHORT OUT THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS VISIBLE THROUGH THE LOOSE PIECES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10558554
Incident
Jun 6, 2012
Mileage
99,500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 31, 2013

THE DASHBOARD AND THE INSTRUMENT TRIM BEZEL HAVE SEVERE CRACKS IN THEM. I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND DODGE SHOULD REPLACE THE DASHBOARDS AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10557952
Incident
Jul 1, 2008
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 19, 2013

I BOUGHT MY 2001 RAM NEW FROM DEALER . I PUT A DASH MAT ON FIRST WEEK I OWNED . A FEW YEARS AGO I NOTICED A DIP IN THE MAT . I TOOK IT OFF AND NOTICED A SECTION OF MAT MISSING. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND RECEIVED NO HELP . I AM NOW MISSING MOST OF MY DASH TOP . THERE ARE NUMEROUS SHARP PIECES WHICH MAY CAUSE DAMAGE IN THE DASH AREA . I FOUND A LONG TIME MOPAR MECHANIC AND HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL THE CHRYSLER CARE LINE . THEY TOLD ME THE MECHANIC HAD NO RIGHT TELLING ME HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AS THEY HAD NONE ON FILE. THREE DAYS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER THANKING ME FOR CALLING THEM AND A LICENSE PLATE FRAME CONGRATULATION ME ON 200000 MILES . THIS IS THEIR WAY OF SAYING SORRY . WHILE CHECKING ON OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT ISSUES , I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS . THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY ISSUE AS COULD CAUSE FIRE OR FLYING PIECES . *TR

NHTSA ID
10556750
Incident
Dec 1, 2006
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 3, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH FAILED AND CAUSED THE HOOD TO OPEN AND STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 317,000.

NHTSA ID
10554660
Incident
Nov 30, 2013
Mileage
317,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 25, 2013

DASH BOARD TOTALLY DESTROYED LIGHTS AND A/C SWITCH WON;T WORK PROPERLY RADIO IS ATTACHED ONLY BY 2 SCREWS I AM AFRAID THAT THE LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE AT NITE ANYMORE AND BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CONTACTED LOCAL DODGE DEALERS, INDICATING THEY DON"T HAVE ANY RECALLS ON THIS ITEM AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE MATERIAL, BUT CHRYSLER REFUSED TO KNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10553776
Incident
Nov 25, 2013
Body & structure
Filed Sep 24, 2013

TOP OF DASH IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM FRONT TO BACK IN SEVERAL PLACES. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PARKED EITHER IN THE SHADE OF UNDER A CARPORT. *JS

NHTSA ID
10545253
Incident
Jun 26, 2013
Mileage
106,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 19, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS CRACKS ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE DASHBOARD. IN ADDITION, A MASSIVE HOLE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID
10525722
Incident
Jun 1, 2005
Mileage
75,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS STARTING TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10505222
Incident
Apr 1, 2007
Mileage
100,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .