2003 Dodge Ram Pickup Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure320.0%
- Transmission320.0%
- Brakes213.3%
- Airbags16.7%
- Other / unspecified16.7%
- Powertrain (other)16.7%
- Steering16.7%
- Exterior lighting16.7%
- Driver assistance16.7%
- Electrical16.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRACKED DASH. *TR
PURCHASED TRUCK IN DECEMBER AND NOTICED AT THAT TIME THE SPIDER CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. I WILL TRY TO APPLY ADHESIVE AND A MOLDED DASHBOARD TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. EVENTUALLY THE DASH MAY COME INTO PIECES AND PRESENT AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD, SO I WANT TO TRY TO PREVENT THIS WITH THE DASHBOARD KIT. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGHER SPEED WITHOUT ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. WHEN IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR, AND DRIVER RELEASED THE CLUTCH, VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. WHEN PARKED, BUT IDLING THE RMPS WERE HIGH. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN IT SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, ROLLED DOWN THE STREET, AND HIT SEVERAL MAILBOXES MADE OF BRICK AND MORTAR. STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, AND TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
NORMAL BRAKE USAGE WITH NO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. A FEW PANIC STOPS WHERE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS USED. SEVERE BRAKE SHUDDER CAUSES SUSPENSION HOP - UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY IN WET - OR WINTER CONDITIONS. REPLACED FRONT PADS AND ROTORS TWICE. 1ST REPLACEMENT AT 21.5K MILES UNDER TSB. 2CD REPLACEMENT AT 29.3K MILES WAS PURCHASED BY OWNER (WARRANTY WOULD NOT BE HONORED). 2003 TRUCK HAS 29K MILES.
VEHICLE: 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD, PURCHASED WITH 6000 MILES FROM CARMAX. THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS WERE SLIGHTLY WARPED. THEY WERE PROMPTLY TURNED (CARMAX) AND NOW AT 16K MILES WITH NO EXTRAORDINARY USE HAVE WARPED AGAIN. IN MY OPINION, THIS BRINGS THE DESIGN/MATERIAL USED IN THESE COMPONENTS INTO QUESTION. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH A LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND RECEIVED NO CREDIBLE ANSWERS, MITIGATION, OR SATISFACTION, WHATSOEVER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM A BATTALION CHIEF WITH A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RECENTLY HAD A DODGE RAM WITH SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE AND NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING WITH A DODGE RAM PICK-UP I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU SOME PICTURES OF THIS MOST RECENT ACCIDENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
NORMAL BRAKE USAGE WITH NO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. A FEW PANIC STOPS WHERE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS USED. SEVERE BRAKE SHUDDER CAUSES SUSPENSION HOP - UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY IN WET - OR WINTER CONDITIONS. REPLACED FRONT PADS AND ROTORS TWICE. 1ST REPLACEMENT AT 21.5K MILES UNDER TSB. 2CD REPLACEMENT AT 29.3K MILES WAS PURCHASED BY OWNER (WARRANTY WOULD NOT BE HONORED). 2003 TRUCK HAS 29K MILES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE 2003 DODGE RAM 4X4 PICK UP THAT I BOUGHT NEW. I HAVE HAD 4 REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES: 1ST 9/18/07 WITH 83834 MILES, 2ND 6/19/08 WITH 95894 MILES, 3RD 7/17/09 WITH 117481 MILES AND 4TH 7/22/10 WITH 144125 MILES. ALL 4 WERE CAUGHT EARLY WHEN I FIRST HEARD WHINING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER. EACH REPAIR TOOK AT LEAST TWO DAYS. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES, SEVERAL I'VE DRIVEN TO OVER 200K MILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH REAL DIFFERENTIALS. SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. A TOTAL REAR DIFFERENTIAL COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS CRASH. I ENTERED THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT BELOW IN THE ?APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE? FIELD. OBVIOUSLY IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY VEHICLE VEERS TO THE RIGHT SEVERLY. IT STARTED OUT AS A MILD PULL AND NOW IT IS A CONSTANT STRUGLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE GOING STRAIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. WORK DONE BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED - BOTH U JOINTS REPLACED - ALL 4 BRAKES REPLACED ( AT MY EXPENSE VEHICLE UNDER 30,000 MILES ) - TIRES EXCHANGED WITH NEW - FRONT END ALLIGNMENT ( I PAID FOR AS WELL ) TRUCK STILL HAS PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. TOLD TO DEAL WITH IT. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLIGHTS ON MANY VEHICLES ARE MOUNTED AT A LEVEL EQUAL TO THE EYE LEVEL OF A PERSON DRIVING A STANDARD PASSENGER VEHICLE, THEREBY CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL GLARE, REDUCING ABILITY OF THE PASSENGER VEHICLE DRIVER TO SEE BEYOND THE ONCOMING VEHICLE WITH THE HIGH-MOUNTED HEADLIGHTS. THE GLARE IS EQUALLY DISTRACTING WHEN THE VEHICLE WITH THE HIGH-MOUNTED LIGHTS IS AT THE REAR OF A STANDARD PASSENGER VEHICLE. I IMPLORE CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION RESTRICTING THE HEIGHT OF HEADLIGHTS, OR OTHER LIGHTS PROJECTING A BEAM TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, TO BE LOWER THAN EYE LEVEL OF DRIVERS IN STANDARD PASSENGER TYPE VEHICLES. SUCH A RESTRICTION WILL ALSO AID DRIVERS OF THE TRUCKS AND SUV'S THAT HAVE THE HIGH-MOUNTED LIGHTS BECAUSE IN FOG OR SNOW CONDITIONS THE HIGH-MOUNTED LIGHTS REFLECT GLARE BACK INTO THE SIGHT OF THE DRIVER. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGHER SPEED WITHOUT ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. WHEN IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR, AND DRIVER RELEASED THE CLUTCH, VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. WHEN PARKED, BUT IDLING THE RMPS WERE HIGH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
LTR FM WILLIE DODDS (IL) PURCHASED A NEW DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP 2-DOOR TRUCK MODEL YEAR 2003 BURNED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL WIRE SHORTAGE SUGGEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE. REPLY DIRECTLY TO THE CONSTITUENT. *MR *SC *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .