Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 146 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 146, in the owner's own words
TAKATA ?- ON 7/15/2017 MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AS HE DROVE HOME ON THE FREEWAY. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE SPINNING AND IMPACTING A GUARD RAIL POST , EJECTING HIM FROM THE VEHICLE ON TO THE FREEWAY WHERE HE DIED. UPON EXAMINATION OF VEHICLE NO AIRBAGS IN THE CABIN DEPLOYED. *BF * *TR
THE DASH BOARD ON ALMOST ALL OF THESE TRUCKS ARE SEVERELY CRASHING AND IF THE AIRBAGS GO OFF PARTS OF THE DASH CAN INJURY OR KILL SOMEONE FROM FLYING PARTS OF THE DASH BOARD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT CALLED FREEHOLD DODGE RAM AT 732-462-1600 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE PART WAS NOT REPLACEABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
DASHBOARD DISINTEGRATED INTO PLASTIC KNIVES THAT FLY OFF AND CAUSE INJURY. ALSO COMPROMISING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND OR CREATING ADDITIONAL DEBRIS TO BE THROWN AT THE OCCUPANTS DURING A CRASH.
DASH IS CRACKED COMPLETELY. PIECES OF THE DASH HAS FALLEN IN THE AIR VENTS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO A PIECE MIGHT HIT ME OR MY PASSENGER. HAVE A 2002 FORD FOCUS ZTS, I HAVE TAKEN CARE MY DODGE BETTER THAN MY FORD AND THE DASH IS IN PERFECT CONDITION
DASHBOARD DISINTEGRATING INTO HUNDREDS OF EXTREMELY POINTED AND SHARP SHARDS OF HEAVY GAUGE PLASTIC SOME OF CONSIDERABLE MASS THAT POSE A SEVERE RISK IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. DAILY REMOVE PIECES OF DASH AS THEY BREAK FREE. MANY ARE HEAVY ENOUGH AND POINTED ENOUGH TO SEVERELY INJURE DRIVER OR OCCUPANTS EVEN UNDER SEVERE BRAKING LET ALONE A CRASH WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS. UNDER SEVERE BRAKING THESE SHARDS BREAK FREE AND FLY FORWARD TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD THEN BOUNCE BACK AT THE TERRIFIED OCCUPANTS. WE NOW HAVE TO ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR TO AVOID BEING BLINDED BY A FLYING PIECE OF DEBRIS FROM THE DASH. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE HITS A SMALL BUMP ANOTHER PIECE OR TWO BREAKS OFF OR A NEW CRACK APPEARS THREATENING TO RELEASE ANOTHER SHARP FLYING OBJECT INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS IS NOT JUST COSMETIC!! THIS IS DANGEROUS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AS A COSMETIC ISSUE BUT NOW IS DIFFERENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT VIA PHONE THAT SHE NEEDED TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD REPAIRED PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
DASH IS CRACKING CREATING SHARP SECTIONS THAT WOULD BE AN EXTREME HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN I IDENTIFIED A LARGE CRACK HAD FORM IN THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD ABOVE THE RADIO FROM FRONT TO REAR. AS I DRIVE EACH DAY I HAVE MORE AND MORE CRACKS FORMING IN ALL DIRECTIONS WITH SHARP/ANGULAR PIECES UNEXPECTEDLY FALLING INTO THE DASH AND THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS ESPECIALLY WHEN I CONSIDER WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS AS DESIGNED, CAUSING THE DASH TO EXPLODE AND SEND PROJECTILES THROUGHOUT THE CAB. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER BACK IN 2013 AND WAS TOLD BY A REPRESENTATIVE THAT THIS DEFECT IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE TIME SINCE THE PURCHASE DATE. SINCE THEN THE DAMAGE HAS BECOME MORE SEVERE AND I AM CONCERNED THAT PIECES FALLING BEHIND THE DASH THEY WILL INTERFERE WITH MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE (ACCELERATION/BRAKING). THESE CONCERNS REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED TO ME WHEN I PURCHASED BACK IN 2003.
ONGOING SUBFRAME CORROSION WAS IDENTIFIED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND UNDERGOING COMPONENT REPLACEMENT. EXTENSIVE CORROSION WAS REMOVED BETWEEN THE FRONT BED MOUNTING POINT AND RIGHT SIDE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNTING POINT LEAVING A 6" X 2" HOLE. IDENTIFIED ON 11/10/2016 FURTHER ASSESSMENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON 11/12/2016 BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED, FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT *TR
COMPLETE TOP OF DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND PIECES FALLING INSIDE. CONDITION IS CONCERNING FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DASH WHICH ALSO HOUSES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OBVIOUSLY COMPROMISED, THERE ARE SHARP EDGES WHERE THE DASH HAS CRACKED AND WHERE LARGE PIECES OF PLASTIC ARE MISSING. THIS WOULD VERY LIKELY CAUSE INJURIES IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 05V462000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 08/17/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 2,500 MILES. THE BALL JOINTS AND WATER PUMP FAILED AND THE WINDSHIELD LEAKED. UPDATED 10/26/16.*JB
DASH BOARD IS CRACKED.
CRACKED DASH COULD BE DANGEROUS IN ACCIDENT FLY DEBRIS OR IF AIR BAG GOES OFF THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO ME AND MY PASSENGERS
SEVERE CRACKING OF DASH BOARD. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ALREADY MADE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT OFFERED A REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISORS FRACTURED AND OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. MA 08/13/15 UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUN VISOR NEVER FRACTURED, BUT WOULD PIVOT DOWN. THIS WOULD BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. UPDATED 12/1/2015*JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD DETERIORATED OVER TIME TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FALLING APART. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED, THERE WERE PARTICLES FLYING OUT OF THE VENTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND SOMETHING ON THE FRONT END FELT LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND STABILIZER BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE DASHBOARD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
MY TRUCK HAS BEEN BABIED IT'S ENTIRE LIFE AND HAS BEEN GARAGED. I EVEN TINTED THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE UV RATED TING SO IT WOULD HELP WITH THE DASH ISSUES ALSO. EVEN WITH ALL THIS PRECAUTION, THE DASH HAS STILL CRACKED. I NOTICED THE FIRST HAIRLINE CRACK IN SUMMER 2006 AND IT'S BEEN A DOWNHILL SPIRAL EVER SINCE. RECENTLY IT STARTED DROPPING PARTS IN THE VENTS I GUESS. THEN I WOULD HAVE PARTICLES FLYING IN MY EYE WHEN I TURN THE HEATER ON. MY KIDS ALSO HAVE THINGS FLYING IN THEIR EYES. THIS IS A DANGER OUS SITUATION AND DODGE NEEDS TO RECALL THESE DASHES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS REALLY HURT OR KILLED. *TR
DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING FOR YEARS AS MOST DO. BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE AS PIECES FLY INTO YOUR FACE EVERYTIME YOU USE HEAT OR AC. ALSO HAS JAGGED EDGES THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION. *TR
CRACKED DASH. LIKE SO MANY OTHER 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 OWNERS, MY VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS ALONG THE DASH FOR NO APPARENT REASON EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS WELL CARED FOR AND MAINTAINED IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE FIRST HAIRLINE CRACK APPEARED IN 2010 AT THE CENTER OF THE DASH BEGINNING ON THE WINDSHIELD SIDE. OVER TIME THE CRACK HAS PROGRESSED TOWARDS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO THE POINT THAT THE DASH HAS COMPLETELY SPLIT IN HALF. TO DATE, TWO ADDITIONAL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED, ONE SIX INCHES TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER CRACK AND ANOTHER OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SECTION. WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS OF CRACKED DASHES, PARTICULARLY WITH THE 2003 MODEL YEAR, IT'S APPARENT THAT A MANUFACTURING FLAW EXISTS AND CHRYSLER SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT AND EFFECT REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE DASHES. IS A CRACKED DASH A SAFETY ISSUE? ABSOLUTELY, CONSIDERING THE ADDITIONAL INJURIES THAT CAN BE INFLICTED ON VEHICLE OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. SINCE CHRYSLER HAS SET A PRECEDENT BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED WITH CRACKED DASHES ON DODGE RAM MODEL YEARS PRIOR TO 2003 (1998-2002), AND HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE CRACKED DASHES ON THE PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS, THEN WHY NOT DO THE SAME FOR THE 2003 MODEL YEAR THAT SEEMS TO HAVE THE MOST COMPLAINTS/ISSUES? SO WHAT IF THE CRACKS APPEARED AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED ON THESE VEHICLES; IT'S A MATTER OF INTEGRITY. GIVEN THAT CHRYSLER IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT, THEY SHOULD ADMIT ACCOUNTABILITY AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY RECALLING THESE VEHICLES AND PROVIDING THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE DASHES. *TR
WHILE SEARCHING FOR A FIX FOR MY DASH WHICH JUST CRACKED I FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF AFTER THE DASH CRACKED WHERE ELECTRICAL ISSUES ARISE. AS IN HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING AT ALL OR WHEN SWITCHING TO HI BEAM. I ALSO SAW A VIDEO ON THIS ISSUE FROM A NEWS BROADCAST AND WHEN CHRYSLER WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS THERE WAS NEVER ANY RESPONSE WHILE THE PUBLIC WAS REQUESTING A RECALL. FROM WHAT I CAN FIND OUT JUST IN THE HOUR I WAS LOOKING THIS UP THIS WOULD APPLY TO JUST ABOUT EVERY DODGE RAM MADE BETWEEN 1996 AND 2006. MY TRUCK IS GARAGE KEPT AND I KEEP IT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION SO FOR THIS TO HAPPEN DUE TO SITTING IN THE SUN IT'S ENTIRE LIFE I MIGHT UNDERSTAND BUT THERE IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MINE. MY FATHER WAS A MECHANIC FOR CHRYSLER FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND THIS IS JUST PLAIN CHEAP MADE PRODUCTS. WHICH FROM WHAT I CAN FIND OUT COULD AND MOST LIKELY WILL LEAD TO SOME SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. SINCE I CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING MORE OUT WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THE NHTSA IS DOING ONLY MONITORING THE ISSUE?? THE BROADCAST I SAW WAS FROM 2012, I WOULD THINK SOMETHING WOULD HAVE BECOME OF THIS BY NOW FOR SURE AFTER SEEING THAT VIDEO. YET AT THAT TIME THE NEWS CHANNEL STATED YOUR DOING NOTHING. *TR
THE DASH ON MY 03 RAM 2500 5.9 DIESEL HAS LITERALLY HAS FALLEN IN ON ITSELF. VERY LARGE SECTIONS OF THE DASH HAVE BROKEN OFF AND HAVE BECOME A SAFETY CONCERN. FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, PIECES OF PROJECTILE SHRAPNEL WOULD BE THROWN ALL OVER THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DODGE, AND NOTHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THE TRUCK IS "OUT-OF-WARRANTY" AND IS CONSIDERED "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR". THE PARTICULAR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO COPPED AN ATTITUDE WITH ME AND REFUSED TO CONNECT ME TO A SUPERVISOR, CITING THAT IT "IS NOT A SUPERVISOR ISSUE". I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. DOES AN ACCIDENT HAVE TO OCCUR IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE MAIMED BY PIECES OF THE DASH IN ORDER FOR DODGE TO DO ANYTHING? I REALLY WOULD HATE TO SEE MY WIFE WITH PIECES OF PLASTIC STICKING OUT OF HER FACE AND SKULL BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT HANDLED IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER. *TR
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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