2002 Dodge RAM 1500 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 82,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear differential” (13% of reports).
- 99power train complaints
- 82,500median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $4,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear differential: mentioned in 13 of 99 complaints (13%)
- Fell off: mentioned in 8 of 99 complaints (8%)
- Pinion nut: mentioned in 6 of 99 complaints (6%)
- Quad cab: mentioned in 6 of 99 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 at $4,300, and half of them between $3,700 and $5,600.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2013), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 80 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 99 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 5 an injury.
Dodge RAM 1500 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 92 | 13% | 65,500 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 176 | 26% | 44,000 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 229 | 47% | 60,000 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 231 | 34% | 69,000 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 73 | 13% | 84,459 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 61 | 12% | 63,500 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 100 | 13% | 89,500 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 593 | 51% | 110,967 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 181 | 16% | 120,678 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 125 | 11% | 74,000 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 99 | 12% | 82,500 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 95 | 9% | 57,570 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 45 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 59 | 10% | 70,000 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 85 | 16% | 90,000 |
| 1997 RAM 1500 | 56 | 16% | 70,001 |
| 1996 RAM 1500 | 52 | 17% | 106,000 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 30 | 14% | 86,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Pinion nut became loose. It was caught before it totally fell off, however if it did fall off the rear axle could possible seize up and cause loss of control of the vehicle. This is a 2002 Dodge Ram with the 9.25" rear axle and they appear to still have issues to this day with that axle model. The…
2002 dodge ram 1500 4x4 5.9l was driving dow hey 10 when my back tries locked up couldn't get it in gear or out almost crash when got it on to side of road and stopped when it finally was able to go in a gear it was reverses and it would just make this god awful grinding nose truck was towed back…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVESHAFT DETACHED AND CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO SEIZE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED SOUTHERN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP AT…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Dodge RAM 1500s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about power train for the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 (12% of the 815 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 82,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,300 (half paid between $3,700 and $5,600), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “rear differential”, in 13 of 99 complaints, followed by “fell off” (8).
Other 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
See all 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 problems or power train problems across all RAM 1500 years.