CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 has the well-known and documented problem with their dashboards falling to pieces, but it also has engine failure from oil sludge. That's a doube shot of awful in your morning coffee.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 1
Average Mileage:
87,452 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #66

Jun 012019

Ram 1500

  • 194,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving all of the gauges have quit working headlights stay on will not turn off.

- Seale, AL, USA

problem #65

May 092019

Ram 1500

  • 200,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. An independent towing company towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle back to the independent mechanic who informed the contact that the wire harness convertible box had a lot of corrosion around it and needed to be replaced. A collision shop was contacted. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #64

May 162019

Ram 1500

  • 110,000 miles
Tried to get the truck started and could not get it to work. Took the keys out and throw them up on the dash and the truck started and all electronical stuff in truck came on. Then when driving home it would rev up and down and would try to shut off when I had to stop

- Vero Beach, FL, USA

problem #63

Jun 132007

Ram 1500

  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A few years after the vehicle was purchased, the dash began to develop cracks and holes. This has gotten worse and worse to the point where a dash cover had to be purchased to avoid things falling down behind the instrument cluster. Currently, there is more missing than still in place in the vehicle. This is a common problem in this generation, and Dodge has not addressed it, other than to claim it is strictly cosmetic. The plastic pieces are extremely sharp, and have resulted in a number of superficial cuts when working on the defrost vents, or when adjusting the carpeted dash cover. Other pieces have fallen into the vents and then been ejected into both driver and passenger's faces when the air conditioner/heater are turned on. Pieces of plastic rattle behind the dash, and have fallen into the air conditioner controls and radio harness, possibly being the cause of the failure of the front speakers (but not verified) if they have cut the wires. If the airbag deploys, the perdon in the seat is likely to be blinded or disfigured from the amount of dangerously sharp shrapnel, assuming it has not already been cut and rendered useless. Replacement dashes from Dodge are priced at nearly $1,000, which is a ridiculously exorbitant amount to expect customers to pay in order to fix a defective product installed by the company. Overlays of decent quality cost nearly a third of that.

- Andalusia, AL, USA

problem #62

Oct 062018

Ram 1500

  • 98,000 miles
Intermittent turn signal failure. Turn left signal on, and flash then right signal will occasionally flash. Sometimes left and right will alternate. This is not the same as emergency flashers where both lights are on at the same time. This is dangerous, I'm in a left turn lane with my left blinker on but my truck is telling other drivers that I want to turn right. The failure, erratic behavior is random and intermittent.

- Powhatan, VA, USA

problem #61

Apr 122018

Ram 1500

  • 161,000 miles
The FCM and pdc are extremely bad on the 2002 Dodge. They corrode causing your brake lights, blinkers, headlights and emergency flasher not to work. Dodge should have been mandated to recall and replace both parts on every truck. The corrosion is do to the poor design of the pdc "fuse box" with holes in the bottom allowing water and moisture to enter the pdc and start to corrode. This in turn causing the FCM " front control module" to short out. This is a severe danger to the truck owner as well as other motorists and pedestrians on the road. This is a very serious matter and needs to be looked in to and fixed. I have personally experience this and have almost been hit several times by motorists behind me do to the fact my taillights quit working and my blinkers did as well. I have replaced my FCM and pdc 4 times already and each one shorts out after a year. That's $600-$1200 each time. Dodge is responsible for this problem.

- Corsicana, TX, USA

problem #60

Aug 082016

Ram 1500

  • 222,750 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving over railroad tracks last week, the key slid out of the ignition. When I attempted to pull to the right shoulder, my steering colomn locked and the motor finally died and coasted to a stop.

- Gatesville, TX, USA

problem #59

Sep 132015

Ram 1500

  • 190,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 75 mph, the HVAC blower motor failed to operate without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 03V078000 (steering). The failure mileage was 190,000.

- Farwell, TX, USA

problem #58

Jan 082016

Ram 1500

  • 208,000 miles
When I turn on the heater the blend door and actuator make a popping sound when turned heat on, blend doors broken and actuator not working properly. It occurs while vehicle stationary and in motion when heat is turned on.

- Anniston, AL, USA

problem #57

Aug 202015

Ram 1500

  • 141,216 miles
I was on my way home from picking up my paycheck driving on the highway in the fast lane doing around 70 mph when all of a sudden my truck shut down with no warning and then restarted. I immediately got off of the highway and took back roads. About 1.5 miles from my home at a red light the truck once again shut down completely, no engine, no electric, nothing, it was completely dead on a fairly busy road. I had to have the truck towed home and have not been able to get it started at all. I went online to see what might be the cause and have found many related cases to what I am dealing with.

- Catonsville, MD, USA

problem #56

Jul 302015

Ram 1500

  • 157,523 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard cracked, lamp light is on and alarm keeps dinging. Checked all lights and they are all working.

- Annandale, MN, USA

problem #55

Jul 082012

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 99,502 miles
On July 8, 2012, the mother carried her 2 year-old daughter to her husband's parked 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup equipped with a manual transmission. The mother opened the passenger door, inserted the ignition key into the ignition switch, turned the key as the mother was trying to activate the air conditioner and cool the vehicle down before her husband came out to drive them home from church.the vehicle was in 1st gear and lurched forward when the key was turned.the speed of 2 mph at time of incident is an approximation only. The mother was struck by the moving vehicle which knocked her child from her arms to the pavement. The child suffered severe head trauma and was removed to the hospital by ambulance. The child later died in the emergency room. The accidental death was caused by failure of the clutch ignition interlock safety switch, compression spring, and attendant parts. This is the same defect involved in recall no.14V795000 and is at least the second death caused by this same defect. The only difference is that recall no. 14V795000 covers vehicles back to only 2004, and this vehicle is a 2002 model year.

- Lynnfield, MA, USA

problem #54

Dec 012014

Ram 1500

  • 201,000 miles
Dash board has shattered and the air condition/heater does not blow.

- Ramer, AL, USA

problem #53

Mar 152006

Ram 1500

  • 35,000 miles
Dashboard begin cracking and finally in a couple days of weeks broke apart completely as I had been in a crash.I called the company they said the warranty had expired.I told them I have 1992 Ford aerostar whose dashboard was completely.intact and that it was much older it had to be a structural defect. They offer to pay half which meant I had to pay $500 dollars, which I didn't have. I felt they should pay all of it. Also the airbag light is on and the RPM accelerate without me pushing the gas pedal.I took many times to the dealership and they said they would fix it but they never did.

- Brownsville Tx., TX, USA

problem #52

Jan 012014

Ram 1500

  • 102,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The contact replaced the terminal battery, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

- La Marque, TX, USA

problem #51

Apr 012013

Ram 1500

  • miles
I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab and have had to replace all the heating and cooling components in this truck in the past few years. Last year I started having an issue with the heat/ac not working unless the steering wheel was in the up position. I had all the parts to the control board behind the dash replaced, all new knobs, etc. Still didn't work. Then we started diving into these sites that talk about all/any issues that people are having with this model truck. So we see that we need to replace the register in the steering column. Well that worked for about a week and now, again, if I want ac/heat I have to raise the steering up and drive. Not very safe!! are dealerships honoring recalls for this part still" what about all the wiring? does that need to be replaced to stop the constant blowing up of the register" this is a great looking truck but the money dumped into it to keep it on the road is outrageous. I could have purchased two trucks by now.

- Milwaukie, OR, USA

problem #50

Jun 112014

Ram 1500

  • 169,000 miles
Vehicle problem first started when turning steering wheel to the right entirely. Currently vehicle airbag light comes on and of through all ranges of steering.

- Felton, PA, USA

problem #49

Jun 022014

Ram 1500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 93,000 miles
The speedometer stopped working, ABS light on, ebrake light on, airbag light on, no controls for defroster, found no power to fuses on 32-38 several people online in forums have the same problem.

- Freeport, PA, USA

problem #48

May 012014

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • miles
Hello, I have just bought a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 truck from my father in-law. Before he sold it to me he mentioned that the air blower for the air conditioning and heater doesn't work. He said it was a recall that he never took in to get serviced. So I looked the truck up on the website www.recalls.gov. and sure enough there it was. A recall on the steering column electrical connect. Now I remember riding with my father in law and he would be constantly moving the steering wheel up and down using the tilt when the air conditioning would cut off and that made it turn back on. The problem is is when I get on the Dodge site and search for recalls using the VIN number this recall doesn't show up. I called a dealership and they said it didn't show up either. I find it a little odd that my truck doesn't show this recall is needed when it is very obvious that this steering column electrical connect is the very issue I'm having. And I recall that my father in law has had this issue for a long time maybe not long after he bought the truck new. I think my truck should be honored this recall service beings it is a safety hazard. Thanks for your time.

- Collinsville, IL, USA

problem #47

Jan 012010

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
Dashboard started cracking in 2010 and has progressively gotten worse. It now has open holes and completely cracked. And since the last few months it is causing electrical failure and dangerous to drive. This situation I have now found out to be very common for my truck and now realize that this is not common wear for this or any other vehicle. Chrysler has told me they are not excepting any responsibility for the product failure and that it's up to me to pay for the costly repairs. This is unacceptable as this problem is clearly a product defect that they are aware of and should at no cost to the consumer be fixed.

- Santa Ana , CA, USA

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