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Vehicle safety record

2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 155 complaints about the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (41) and the fuel system (24). Those complaints describe 10 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries and 1 death. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in December 2007 for the glass, side / rear. For comparison, the 2001 has 0 and the 2003 has 661.

NHTSA data checked

CAbout as many problems as a typical Ram 2500 year, for its age

#75 most complained-about 2002 vehicle

Complaints
155
Recalls
2
Crashes
10
Fires
1
Injuries
6
Deaths
1

Most common 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 problems

Share of all 155 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2002 Dodge Ram 2500 recalls 2

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Visibility: glass, side / rear

07E1040001,657 vehicles affected

The problem
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., Identified as dot-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, "Glazing materials."
The risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(s) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
The fix
Safelite will notify its retail customers and replace the glass free of charge. Retail customers can contact safelite toll free at 1-888-843-2906. Safelite will notify its wholesale customers and reimburse wholesale customers for current inventory and at a specified rate for replacing their customer's glass. Wholesale customers can contact safelite's wholesale division, service autoglass toll free at 1-888-246-6298. The recall began on january 15, 2008.

Engine and engine cooling

06E02400044,386 vehicles affected

The problem
Certain replacement k&n fuel performance kits, p/nos. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, And 57-1530. Also, a small percentage of these kits were sold under the mopar performance parts brand name (p/nos. P5007069 and p5007070). All kits were manufactured from april 20, 1999, through september 23, 2004. These assemblies were manufactured as replacement equipment for certain dodge pickup trucks and suvs. A small piece of material from the tube wall could be sucked into the engine throttle body, which could cause the throttle to become jammed in the open position.
The risk
A jammed open throttle could cause unintended acceleration of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash or increased stoping distances when braking.
The fix
K&n will provide owners with a free repair kit along with repair instructions. The recall began on april 20, 2006.

What owners say

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155 complaints about the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 7.

SteeringSuspension

I purchased a 2003 dodge ram 2500 5.7 V8 4wd. My steering has gotten really loose over the last week. I brought it in to dealership for a previous recall. And the technician told me that my steering gear was going out and that it should not be bad.

Filed Incident Steering · SuspensionNHTSA 11407919
Acceleration & cruise controlEngine & coolingFuel system

Driving down the road wont accelate then loose power , then afew a few minutes drives great then never know when it will not accelate drange losing power like that

Filed Incident Vehicle speed control · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11340058
Other & unknown

Dashboard has started cracking and sharp pieces of plastic have become loose creating a potential for them to become projectiles in the event of an accident. Seems most of the plastic trim pieces are brittle inside the vehicles passenger cabin.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11255680
Acceleration & cruise control

Cruise control was on and used accelerator petal to accelerate, engine rpm went to max and speed increased 20 mph and continued. Tapped accerator and turned of speed control, speed continued. Put gear in neutral and worked my way to road side. Found that cable frayed and jammed at high rpm. Disconnected cable and have not found replacement cable yet. Part discontinued

Filed Incident Vehicle speed controlNHTSA 11219184
Electrical systemLightsAirbagsCrash

The plastic dashboard and related underpinnings and suport structure for everything from passenger airbag,radio, climate control and vents, headlight, mirror defroster, gauge pod, onboard diagnostic plug, etc. Began disintegrating in large sharp pieces while driving. These pieces cut wiring and fles for anything and everything and are distracting and dangerous in multiple ways worse if in an accident. I had to remove radio, and disable airbags for safety. Replacement parts alone are potentially in the thousands, not including labor and wiring harness repairs.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Air bagsNHTSA 11066927
Other & unknown

The dash has cracked into several pieces that are now a hazzard of flying shards in case of an accident. Also there are holes int the dash where the pieces have broken out that can allow debris to fall inside the dash that can cause fires or electrical shorts.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11057759
Steering

I am hearing a popping sound when turning the steering wheel, play in steering, truck is wobbling all over the place when driving on uneven roads, hissing sound coming from front end when accelerating. Play in steering gear box. The clicking popping sound I hear when turning steering wheel is when driving or not moving. I have had this truck pull far right on the road when going on uneven roads.

Filed Incident SteeringNHTSA 11051463
Suspension

Dodge ram "death wobble" or shimmy phenomenon, while in motion and encountering highway road surface changes.

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 11022886
Transmission & drivetrain1 injury1 death

Tl* the contact was a law enforcement officer. While a mother was attempting to exit a 2002 dodge ram 2500 with the engine running, the two year old passenger in the vehicle shifted the vehicle from the park position into reverse. The vehicle rolled backwards and caused the mother to fall. The child subsequently fell out of the vehicle and was run over by front driver's side wheel. The child was transported by ambulance to the nearby hospital. The child was pronounced deceased upon arrival. A police report was...

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filed. The police report number was: 2017-6489. The contact was concerned that the shift interlock function failed to operate as intended. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,013. .Updated 09/07/17 *bf *js

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 10991203
Other & unknown

Truck garage kept for 10 of its 14 years. Current mileage 2017 = 90,000. Aug 2014 dash board began to crack and fall apart - truck had only 79,950 miles! Plastic pieces fall into dash holes and get stuck under dash amongst steering wheel, electrical wires/controls, etc. Plastic pieces can fall at any time whether in motion or stationary.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10969799
Acceleration & cruise control

While traveling on i-5 in portland, oregon, I lost control of the accelerator pedal, it when into a "dead pedal mode". I was on a very busy section of this interstate and had to immediately find a local off the side of the road next to an on ramp. It was a very dangerous situation. It was an electronic problem.

Filed Incident Vehicle speed controlNHTSA 10958863
SteeringSuspension

Death wobble. Experience when hitting small/minor bumps in the road or railroad tracks. Violent shaking causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and almost impossible to keep your foot on the brake pedal to try to come to a stop. Shaking is so violent that the driver is bounced around in the seat, momentarily airborne and itesm in the truck fly around. Lawsuit was issused on 2004 and newer models but affects older models as well. We now have paid $900 in parts to fix the "death wobble" that had we known...

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was an issue, would not have purchased the truck. Completely unsafe to drive when it is our daily driver and we cannot afford to park it and purchase another vehicle to replace it with. Cannot sell in currenty condition having a "death wobble". No guarantee that the purchased parts will fix the problem.

Filed Incident Steering · SuspensionNHTSA 10958570
Other & unknown

The dashboard has literally broken into pieces and shards 3 years after we purchased the truck. It is a very dangerous situation as we have great concerns for the safety of those driving and/or riding in the vehicle. The shards are very sharp and could either puncture the airbag or cause harm to an individual in the event of an accident. There are many vehicles within a period of years made by this manufacturer that have all had this similar issue. It is obviously due to a defect in the plastic used in the...

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dashboards and the manufacturer has not offered a recall for this real safety issue. Would they settle for this with themselves or their loved ones in a vehicle with this issue. The dashboard is literally disintegrating.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10948163
Other & unknown

The dash is cracking and disintegrating and the sharp shards of the plastic dash pieces are a safety hazard.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10944412
Other & unknown

Dash started cracking in 2009 and pieces are falling off. The cracked dash and loose pieces are dangerous and could cause serious bodily harm if I was in an accident. There should have been a recall on this issue years ago.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10928510
Brakes

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 2500. When the brake pedal was depressed, the brakes locked up. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing; however, the specifics of the diagnosis could not be provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 10928213
Other & unknown

Dash cracking severely. If airbag deploys plastic shards will impale passenger and/or driver

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10882359
Body, doors & structure

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured in several areas. The failure started small, but worsened progressively. The manufacturer was not notified of this failure and no repairs were made. The failure mileage was 198,000.

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10871908
Other & unknown

The dashboard is cracking badly and crumbling. Large holes are forming and broken pieces of plastic from the dash are falling into the dash area. The dealer won't do anything about it.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 10781365
Brakes

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 2500. While approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but it took a greater amount of distance to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000. The vin was unavailable.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 10706358
Body, doors & structure

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard had a hole that was increasing in size and it was collapsing. The contact also stated that the air conditioning was malfunctioning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 167,000.

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10618660
Electrical systemAirbagsBody, doors & structure

Dash board is crumbling exposing numerous controls, gauges, wiring, and airbag components which is a huge safety concern. The a/c has seized to work anymore due to electrical problems which is spreading to other control gauges and components. The safety of the airbag system is now a concern. *Tr

Filed Incident Electrical system · Air bags · StructureNHTSA 10594829
Wheels & tires

In december,2011, I purchased 2 equalizer sport a/p tires. In august 2013 , one of them had a tread separation, which I caught and replaced it before a bigger problem. In march, 2014 the tread of the second tire came off completely without warning. It damaged my vehicle. We were fortunate that my wife and I were not hurt as we were towing a 12,000 pound 5th wheel rv. Further information will be about the second incident. *Tr

Filed Incident TiresNHTSA 10592713
Electrical systemAirbagsSeats & seat beltsFire

This diesel truck was started in order to let it warm up. Owner went into a building to retrieve a pair of gloves and returned 5 min later to find the vehicle on fire. Smoke was pouring out of the front cowl at the base of the windshield. Entry to the vehicle was attempted in order to put the fire out however the locking mechanism kept the doors shut so entry could not be attained. The truck was on fire and it had locked the doors. The drivers side window had to be busted out with a fire extinguisher in order to gain entry. Once the fire was extinguished the problem area was evident. The entire heater blower area was melted. *Tr

Filed Incident Electrical system · Air bags · SeatsNHTSA 10586722
Transmission & drivetrainEngine & cooling

Driving down the interstate going about 75 mph I needed to brake but noticed the truck was not slowing down and the rpm were not reducing, in fact they were increasing. Despite me not having my foot on the pedal the truck would not slow down. I had to use extreme pressure on the brakes and pull off the road to get the truck to slow down. Once slowed if I released pressure off the brakes the truck would start to accelerate. I put the truck into park and the rpm went up to 5000 and stayed. I turn off the truck and...

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turned it back on to find the rpms immediately go up to 5000 rpms. I turned off the truck got out and noticed smoke and heat coming out from my wheels, due to the extreme braking required to stop the truck. Knowing something of cars I decided to look at the throttle body to see if it was jammed open and removed air filter assemble. When I removed the air filter assembly I found the air filter assemble o-ring (the seal that goes between the throttle body and air filter assembly) jammed between the throttle body housing and valve, valve was about 45 degrees from the closed position. Part of the seal was still between the air filter assembly and throttle body housing and the other part was jammed in the throttle body. I reassembled the air filter assembly without to seal and continued to drive. I had to replace the rotors and front brake pads due to the extreme braking of the incident. *Tr

Filed Incident Power train · EngineNHTSA 10578904

Dodge Ram 2500: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20066709354SteeringF
20054229448SteeringF
20045829497SteeringF
20036619302SteeringF
20021552101Body, doors & structureC
20010200-A
20002102115Body, doors & structureC
19990200-A
19980200-A
All Ram 2500 years

2002 Dodge Ram 2500 vs rivals

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500

Does the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500: glass, side / rear (December 2007); engine and engine cooling (March 2006). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (41), fuel system (24), steering (20).

How many complaints has the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 had?

155 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 6, 2002 and the latest on April 13, 2021. Of these, 10 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 6 injuries and 1 death.

Is the 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Dodge Ram 2500 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Dodge Ram 2500 years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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