- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Vehicle safety record
2001 Dodge Ram Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1,430 complaints about the 2001 Dodge Ram with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (602) and the transmission & drivetrain (144). Those complaints describe 118 crashes, 44 fires, 101 injuries and 3 deaths. It is covered by 14 recalls, the latest in May 2009 for the headlights. For comparison, the 2000 has 659 and the 2002 has 942.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Ram year, for its age
#1 most complained-about 2001 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1,430
- Recalls
- 14
- Crashes
- 118
- Fires
- 44
- Injuries
- 101
- Deaths
- 3
Most common 2001 Dodge Ram problems
Share of all 1,430 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2001 Dodge Ram recalls 14
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
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
- The problem
- K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact k2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.
- The problem
- Certain cequent 90 degree 7-way right angle adaptors sold by distributors in tow packages for aftermarket sales to tow 5th wheel rv travel trailers. Due to incorrect wiring of the harness, the trailer lights may not operate properly.
- The risk
- If the trailer lights are not working properly, a vehicle crash can occur.
- The fix
- All of the defective tow packages are still at the distributor level and have not been sold to any consumers.
- The problem
- Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
- The fix
- Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
- The problem
- On certain van and wagon vehicles equipped with 4-wheel antilock brake systems (abs), aftermarket batteries may leak electrolyte onto the abs control module connector, which can compromise sealing integrity of the connector.
- The risk
- This may allow development of a short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the abs control module connector for electrolyte damage and replace the connector as necessary. The recall will begin on september 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- On certain pickup trucks, the alternator wire connection to the power distribution center (pdc) can loosen.
- The risk
- THIS COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the installation of the alternator wire connection to the pdc and if necessary, reposition the wire so that the crimp connection will face upward and tighten the fastener to the correct torque setting. Owner notification began may 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: certain 2500 wagons were equipped with incorrect load range tires.
- The risk
- This could cause a tire to blow out if the vehicle is operated at the maximum gross vehicle weight. .
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the load range 'd' tires with correct load range 'e' tires. Owner notification began september 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: vans and wagons not equipped with power front seats. In the presence of road salt, water, and possibly other debris, the power seat connector located beneath the driver's seat could develop a high resistive short circuit that cycles the circuit breaker.
- The risk
- If the circuit breaker cycles for an extended period of time, heat could build up in the connector, possibly resulting in a fire.
- The fix
- Owners will receive instructions for removing the circuit breaker from the fuse panel. If an owner desires, their dealer can perform the repair. Owner notification began august 27, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: vans. A substitute wheel lug nut tightening process may not have been sufficient to assure proper torque of the lug nuts.
- The risk
- Improper wheel lug nut torque could allow a wheel to loosen and cause a crash without warning.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the wheel lug nuts for proper torque and correct if necessary. Owner notification began june 4, 2001. All owners have been contacted.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th vin position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11th vin position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11th vin position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11th vin position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000. Important: vehicles that have already had the proper clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been excluded from this recall. In addition, 1997-2000 model year vehicles that have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been added to this recall.
- The risk
- When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began june 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, will also be included in this campaign. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: quad cab pickup trucks equipped with a camper package and overload springs. The rear axle spacer plate could lead to deformation of the upper spring plate during assembly of the axle to the vehicle resulting a soft joint.
- The risk
- The soft joint could cause the rear axle u-bolts to lose clamp load, resulting in displacement of the rear axle and a loss of vehicle control. This could increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the spacer plates and the spring plates will be replaced. Owner notification began february 5, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems." Some of the owner's manuals for these vehicles are missing instructions that provide a step-by-step procedure, including diagrams, for properly attaching a child restraint system's tether strap to the tether anchorage.
- The risk
- In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
- The fix
- Owners will be provided with an addendum to the owner's manuals.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: quad cab pickup trucks. The upper control arms attached with cadmium coated nuts can cause the bolts to stretch due to the application of a higher than specified clamp load. Breakage of the upper control arm fasteners could cause the axle to rotate forward under braking conditions.
- The risk
- This rotation could twist the steering linkage and possibly separate the brake lines, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the upper control arm bolts and nuts.
What owners say
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1,430 complaints about the 2001 Dodge Ram
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 58.
The contact owned a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while exiting a parking lot and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brake pedal floored, causing the contact to roll to a stop on the side of the road. The ABS and Brake Warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to drive at 2 MPH to their home. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the brake line had blown and replaced it where it had failed. Approximately 6 months later, the ABS and brake warning lights illuminated...
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again. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed no leaks. When restarting the vehicle, the warning lights were no longer illuminated. While driving at an unknown speed, the ABS and brake lights illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to Meineke Car Care Center to a certified mechanic. The following morning, the lights were not illuminated. The vehicle was returned to Meineke Car Care Center, who stated that it may have been a computer glitch causing the lights to illuminate, then turn off when the vehicle was restarted. The contact had the brakes replaced as routine maintenance; however, after doing so, while driving in the rain at approximately 25 mph and attempting to apply the brakes, the brakes failed, causing the vehicle to rear-end the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain injuries or require medical attention. The contact assumed the other driver had injuries, but could not confirm. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive at a slow speed to their home. The ABS and Brake lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to Meineke Car Care Center, where it was diagnosed that the other brake line had blown. The front end and brake line, which had blown was repaired. After the vehicle had been repaired, when coming to a stoplight, the failure occurred again, causing the vehicle to crash a second time. There were no injuries, air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact drove the vehicle to Meineke Car Care Center, who was not able to duplicate the failure. The damage was repaired; however, no failure was found with the brakes. After the second incident, while coming to a red light and applying the brakes, the vehicle continued to roll forward. The contact had to apply excessive pressure to the brakes, and the engine began to rev up. The contact had to immediately turn off the vehicle to come to a stop. The vehicle was returned to Meineke Car Care Center; however, the failure could not be duplicated. After the incident, the contact had the rotors' brake pads for the front brakes; however, while driving 60 MPH, the ABS and Brake lights illuminated. The contact pulled over at the next exit and inspected the vehicle, and found no issues, after restarting the lights were no longer illuminated. A certified mechanic inspected and informed the contact that there may have been an issue with the computer, causing the lights to illuminate. The contact noticed that when applying the brakes, the back wheel would sound as if it were locking, and when driving, during the winter, at approximately 10-15 MPH, the failure occurred again, causing them to rear-end another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that a previous back injury had been irritated, but no medical attention was needed. The vehicle was totaled. The contact learned of NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V185000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which made mention of the experienced failure however, they were unsure if their VIN had previously been included. and filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure mileage was unknown.
While driving and operating the heater, unbeknowst to me leaves/pine needles had come in through the fresh air cowl vent and built up on the heater blower resistor resulting in a fire. This design in dangerous as the default for the air intake is open and allows debris to enter and drop directly into the fan and blower motor resistor. I've searched online and seen multiple reports of this issue. I have a video I can provide if contacted.
Passenger side airbag exploded while sitting in my yard.
The headlights no matter what bulbs I buy are extremely dim making it unsafe to drive at night. Now truck will not start for some unknown reason. It tries to turn over but will not crank. The mileage flashes NO BUS. I was literally only getting at best 8 miles per gallon.
2001 Dodge ram. Consumer stated that their vehicle exploded while driving on the highway. The consumer is requesting to swap out the old vehicle with a new comparable vehicle.
2001 Dodge Ram Dashboard is an extreme safety hazard due to the cracking. I have owned this vehicle for 12 years and it's been garaged kept for 8 years. The dash started with a crack and then a hole was created when hitting a bump. Then I had a mechanic work on the heater, and the dash basically disintegrated when moving it. The holes on this dashboard are absurd. A review of safety information identified others who reported this problem to NHTSA and many more complaints on online message boards. This...
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dashboard creates a safety issue for all personnel in the vehicle in case of an accident since projectiles (pieces of the dash that crumble) will fly. Also, there are other components under the dash that could create additional problems (ie-heater core spraying hot antifreeze after an accident). This is completely absurd. Keep in mind, my vehicle has less than 80K miles and the dash is getting worse.
unknown, Is all I know that I was checking the code on my truck and left truck on all night went out to start truck and battery was dead I got a jump from a friend and it started fine. I let it run for @20-30 minutes then I and my wife went to Realo drug store about 3/4 of a mile from home to get her meds. We pulled up and waiting and got the meds payed for and my wife said there is smoke coming from under the hood. The truck stopped running and I tried to start it back and it did not start. Started smoking more...
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and more I told my wife to get out of the truck and she did the pharmacist came out and help push the truck away from the store. Started flaming up and I drove it to a safe place and finally got out of the truck wife was ok but I had smoke halation and had to go on rescue squad to ER they said along with smoke halation I had a burnt nose ,forehead and burnt throat. Please check about this. Thank you
Where the sway bar is bolted to the chassis has completely deteriorated causing sway bar to completely detach from both sides of the frame. This has caused it very difficult to steer and nearly impossible the more MPH the vehicle goes. I own another vehicle nearly exactly the same but a 1998 dodge ram 1500 vin number [[redacted]]. It to has the same exact problem. I believe that the quality of steel used in manufacturing the frame of these vehicles was not up to standards. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Shavent had funds to take to a shop but was told that the wrong fuel lines are on the truck
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact was making a turn and heard a loud grinding noise coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and took the vehicle out of gear and heard the grinding sound again. The contact was able to continue to drive to the residence. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the pinion nut was loosened and grinding into the rear axle. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact the vehicle was not safe to drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
The dash has been cracking for years. It has now disintegrated into very small pieces. It has clogged up the air ducts. The small pieces have blown in my eyes, creating a driving safety hazard. Ample history and reporting of this matter has been filed. It is an extreme safety hazard. The responsibility is clearly a manufacturing defect.
2001 Dodge RAM has a severely deteriorated dashboard. It has been this way since 2004. I am concerned that pieces of the cracked and damaged dashboard could become dangerous projectiles in the event of a crash with airbag deployment. The damaged pieces on the truck's dashboard are very sharp, so they could cause serious injury if they broke loose and became a projectile in a crash. It is simply amazing that a recall has not been issued up to this date. We've waited so long for this to be resolved. A dangerous manufacturing flaw!
There have been three times now in the last two years, six-eight months of which I never drove the vehicle due to being repaired. I was driving at about 60-70mph. At which time there were no odd or sudden noises, no warning at all when the trucks acceleration goes way up till I let of the gas pedal, go to pull over while two of the three times, my drive shaft is bouncing between the road and underneath the truck which could have bounced up into another vehicle's windshield, radiator or whatever and could have...
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actually hurt or even killed someone. Thank God nothing like that ever happened. After inspecting the problem, in which all three cases, the transfer case has broken off part of the tailshaft of the transmission and once, even broke part of the transfer case to. After trying to look up the problem on line, the exact same problem seems to have happened to several people from several different states and even one same instance from the same small town that I'm in. All the same instances that I've seen have been from the same type of vehicle from the years of 1995-2001. It just seems like a wide spread problem to me
The dash in my 2001 dodge ram has cracked and pieces and some break off and fly around the cab of my truck while in motion.. I have 13 grand children and some pieces fly in the back seat. Can anyone do anything about this at all before anyone gets hurt? Its not my fault that dodge bought cheap effective dash boards, please look in to this it would help a lot to get a replacment. Thank you
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the engine control unit needing to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired twice however, the failure still recurred. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.
Several times while I have been driving on a highway or busy road and the engine gets to normal operating temperature, the engine stalls and shuts off. Then I have to maneuver it to the side of the road and let it cool off approximately 15 minutes and then it cranks back up and I can drive 5 minutes and it does the same thing again, very dangerous.
I turned the key to start the engine and as it started cranking smoke started coming out of the defroster and then fire started coming out the engine hood. Luckily I had a fire extinguisher handy and opened the hood and put out the fire. Wondered where the fire started so tried starting again and fire started immediately at the rear of the engine or on top of the bell housing. I also smelled fuel. The truck was next to my garage and had been driven a few days earlier. If I had not put out the fire my whole house could have burned down. I donated the truck to wheels 4 vets.
My 2001 dodge ran has a broken and cracked dash board parts of the dash will fly off and hit things,people ect and I think it will hurt the people I love like my grandkids,wife ect. I think it should be recalled because someone (driver) might get hit in the face and lose control of the vehicle and someone gets hurt or even killed from this cracked dashboard that is not the owners fault. Thank you and please can you recall this dashboard?
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that the gear shifter was very loose and moved a lot when the vehicle was in motion. Also, the gear indicator displayed different gears even though the vehicle was in the drive position. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 400,000. The vin was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that the dash board was disintegrating. Pieces of the dashboard were penetrating through the heater vacuum system, which caused the heater not to work. The manufacturer was contacted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 163,000.
Dash panel has cracked badly to the point pieces have fallen out exposing wires, connectors, ducts and other under-dash components. I am concerned this may affect inflation of air bags and potential for pieces of cracked dash to cause severe injury in the event of air bag deployment. Dash panel cracking on these models is well known to chrysler, and has drawn national media attention (eg new york times, 2013). Chrysler has apparently refused to acknowledge its liability to repair this problem.
Dashboard falling apart; sharp/jagged pieces of dash cutting into electrical wiring causing shorts, failure of electrical equipment on board truck; while driving on street, highways in motion straight-line and turning.
I'm worried that the air bag on passenger side is defective as the strangest noise is coming from behind the dash like a rubber band is tightening and then clicking on and off. Doesn't happen all the time. I've also had my truck in for the steering before and it has never been right. Now the hood will not shut right. It's always been a lemon. I fight to keep it on the road. It doesn't even have 36,000 miles on it. I'm wondering what recalls I've missed so I'm checking. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge ram 1500. While accelerating from a stop, the accelerator pedal suddenly became stuck and caused the vehicle to keep accelerating. The vehicle was immediately shut off, but the failure continued once it was restarted. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (victory dodge, 64 greensburg st, delmont, pa) was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Disintegration of dashboard plastics. This is a known problem for dodge trucks in this timeframe. If this vehicle were to be in an accident sufficient to deploy the airbags, sharp plastic shards would be propelled everywhere, including the face and eyes.
Dodge Ram: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 0 | 5 | C |
| 2004 | 1,157 | 7 | F |
| 2003 | 1,359 | 7 | F |
| 2002 | 942 | 6 | F |
| 2001 | 1,430 | 14 | F |
| 2000 | 659 | 11 | F |
| 1999 | 0 | 13 | F |
| 1998 | 0 | 17 | F |
| 1997 | 0 | 11 | D |
2001 Dodge Ram vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Dodge Ram | 1,430 | 14 | F | |
| 2001 Ford F-150 | 0 | 19 | C | Compare |
| 2001 Chevrolet Silverado | 0 | 15 | D | Compare |
| 2001 GMC Sierra | 0 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 | 0 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 | 0 | 3 | B | Compare |
| 2001 Toyota Tundra | 0 | 5 | B | Compare |
| 2001 Dodge Dakota | 678 | 14 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Dodge Durango | 665 | 7 | F | Compare |
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.
Questions about the 2001 Dodge Ram
Does the 2001 Dodge Ram have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2001 Dodge Ram: headlights (May 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009); headlights (August 2008); electrical (August 2007) and more. 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 2001 Dodge Ram?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (602), transmission & drivetrain (144), airbags (130).
How many complaints has the 2001 Dodge Ram had?
1,430 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on May 2, 2000 and the latest on February 13, 2026. Of these, 118 describe a crash and 44 a fire, and together they report 101 injuries and 3 deaths.
Is the 2001 Dodge Ram a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 0 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Dodge Ram 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 years have the most complaints?
2001 (1,430), 2003 (1,359), 2004 (1,157). See every Dodge Ram year compared.
What should I do if my 2001 Dodge Ram 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