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:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
12 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,451 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 body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments (Page 8 of 13)

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problem #101

Nov 232008

Ram 1500

  • 85,000 miles

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

2002 Dodge Ram 1500 dashboard cracking at 85,000 miles and it will not stop looks like it will continue to crack till it is completely gone.

- Bethany, MO, USA

problem #100

Aug 252007

Ram 1500

  • 75,000 miles
Dash has started cracking and falling apart in places. Im afraid that if I get into an accident the airbag deployment is going to send plastic shards throughout my truck doing more harm that good. Dodge should fix this problem before something comes from it. Is it going to take a lawsuit to get this noticed. Hypothetically speaking if I get into a wreck and my son dies from a piece of plastic thrown across the car, no amount of money will ever fix that problem. Have already asked Dodge about this and they are aware of the problems and blame it on the owners lack of care. Nothing has been done in an attempt to fix this problem.

- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

problem #99

Feb 272007

Ram 1500

  • 65,790 miles
Dash board completely cracked to pieces and I am concerned it will not be safe to drive any more. All it was caused by was heating and cooling through out the year. There is like no insulation in the dash. I know of trucks that were one year old and there dash cracked. The entire dash needs to be replaced, which will be a nation wide campaign.

- Graham, NC, USA

problem #98

Mar 012008

Ram 1500

  • 40,000 miles

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

My Dodge Ram 1500 truck is a 2002 model. The entire dashboard is cracking so badly that large pieces are falling down into the electrical section. It gets worse daily and I'm afraid of a fire.

- Finger, TN, USA

problem #97

Apr 012009

Ram 1500

  • 50,000 miles
The dash has begun cracking. Little pieces are falling down into the dash the lower dash and into air vents. These are not small minor crack, they are large cracks that cover the entire dashboard. This has been a problem with Dodge Ram dashboards for years.

- Washington, UT, USA

problem #96

Apr 192009

Ram 1500

  • 117,850 miles
Dash is cracking, one defroster vent screen has broken off and fallen into defrost vent due to becoming brittle, additional cracks are becoming more evident as the days go by.

- Bethlehem, GA, USA

problem #95

Jan 012009

Ram 1500

  • 100,000 miles

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

My 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 has cracked dash and it is very brittle. While researching online I found hundreds more with same problem. I believe this could cause an airbag malfunction or if the airbag does work it would throw pieces of the dash into the person causing major injures to that person. I believe that Dodge should look in to this. They should recall and fix the problem before someone gets hurt.

- Gonzales, LA, USA

problem #94

Jun 152008

Ram 1500

  • 53,000 miles
Purchased vehicle used in 2006 with 34,000 miles. In June of 2008 I noticed a crack approx. 2" long in the dashboard on the passenger side starting in the tray, vehicle had approx. 53,000 miles on it. By September of 2008 the one crack developed into 3 cracks with 1 spanning the entire width of the dash along the centerline of the vehicle. Now in March of 2009 with 69,000 mile, there are 5 cracks total and the dashboard is sagging and the defroster vents are starting to crack apart. The vehicle has never been in a accident, the only protectant used on the dash was recommended and purchased at the Dodge dealership where I bought the truck.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #93

Oct 162008

Ram 1500

  • miles
The dashboard has cracked in many places on my 2002 Dodge 1500 4X4. Full length cracks from windshield to driver, about 4 large ones and a few small ones starting. May be more cosmetic but if continues, it my affect driving.

- Gilroy, CA, USA

problem #92

Nov 182008

Ram 1500

  • 125,978 miles
Dashboard is starting to crack in various places.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #91

Jun 152008

Ram 1500

  • 117,000 miles

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

The dashboard of my truck just started cracking and pieces are falling off. I'm afraid its going to short something out.

- Pheba, MS, USA

problem #90

May 012007

Ram 1500

  • miles
The dash on my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 has cracked in multiple places due to defective plastics. I understand I am not the only person with this issue. Where this has become a safety issue is the sharpness of the parts. My son and I have both sliced our hands open when cleaning the dash, even trying to be careful. This is a safety issue and should be addressed by Chrysler. See the following website as I am not the only person with this issue. www.dodgeproblems.com/cracked-dashboard.shtml.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #89

Feb 102008

Ram 1500

  • 50,400 miles
For no apparent reason my dashboard has several cracks which appeared suddenly running the length of the dashboard from front to back. There is no other damage to the vehicle that would have caused this and the vehicle is well maintained. The cracks are primarily over the passenger side of the dash but there are also a few on the drivers side. I would hate to see what would happen if the passenger airbag deployed, it would probably turn the dash into a plastic grenade sending shrapnel around the cab and into the occupants.

- Scott Afb, IL, USA

problem #88

May 142007

Ram 1500

  • 70,000 miles
My 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 slt 4X4S dashboard is cracked and is getting worse. Truck is very well taken care of and can think of nothing that would cause this as a fault of mine.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #87

Mar 012006

Ram 1500

  • 77,000 miles
I purchased 2002 Dodge 1500 truck new. Now the dash board is cracked 3 different places, and the Dodge dealer will mot replace or fix the problem without charging me 1000$. this seems to be a big problem facing Dodge truck owners from 1998 to 2006. Please help. Thanks michael

- Lafayette, GA, USA

problem #86

Dec 122008

Ram 1500

  • 60,000 miles
The dashboard on my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 truck is cracking. What will happen in an accident" what happens when the passenger air bag deploys? will plastic fragments act like projectiles and hurt occupants? contacted my dealer and Chrysler Corp. With no help except for an option to replace for $1,100. Why should the consumer pay for a defective product" I don't have $1,100 to fix this problem and then have no guarantee if I'm not just buying the same type of product (junk). If it has been revised, then Chrysler knows it defective.

- Suffolk, VA, USA

problem #85

Nov 232008

Ram 1500

  • 78,000 miles
The plastic dash for my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 has cracks. While it is not a safety issue currently, it could lead to sharp edges in the plastic that can cut someone or cause serious injury.

- Nacogdoches, TX, USA

problem #84

Jan 042004

Ram 1500

  • 36,000 miles
I have a 2002 Dodge Ram, I have had it since 2004 and ever since I've had it, the dash continues to crack. More and more. I spoke with Dodge and the damage, for just the dash where the defroster is located, would be more than $500. That is ridiculous and any problem of this caliber that occurs this quick should be taken care of or at a reasonable price.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #83

Jul 012005

Ram 1500

  • 887,502 miles
Dash board cracking on my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9.

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #82

Nov 092002

Ram 1500

  • 100,500 miles
My truck is 6 years old I bought in 2002 with 2 miles on it. It now has 100,000 miles on it and I was driving to work the other day and part of dash collapsed in above the driver side steering wheel. I almost wrecked when that happened. I checked online and noticed a lot of complaints about the dash cracking and Dodge was not doing anything about it.

- Mooresville , NC, USA

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