2002 Dodge RAM 1500 Structure Problems
Owners have filed 278 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 75,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “falling apart” (11% of reports).
- 278structure complaints
- 75,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 11mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 37%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.
- Falling apart: mentioned in 30 of 278 complaints (11%)
- Dash cracking: mentioned in 24 of 278 complaints (9%)
- Dashboard cracked: mentioned in 23 of 278 complaints (8%)
- Sharp edges: mentioned in 19 of 278 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 at $1,550, and half of them between $1,200 and $1,950.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2012), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 201 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 278 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 11 an injury.
Dodge RAM 1500 structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 24 | 3% | 75,500 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 23 | 3% | 60,500 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 26 | 5% | 70,000 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 41 | 6% | 69,000 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 11 | 2% | 92,556 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 10 | 2% | 58,000 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 17 | 2% | 78,000 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 24 | 2% | 87,250 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 50 | 5% | 68,000 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 237 | 20% | 75,000 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 278 | 34% | 75,000 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 548 | 49% | 75,965 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 248 | 48% | 78,000 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 240 | 39% | 86,308 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 102 | 20% | 96,000 |
| 1997 RAM 1500 | 70 | 19% | 100,000 |
| 1996 RAM 1500 | 35 | 12% | 136,000 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 36 | 17% | 93,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists structure 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.
The beam under the bed of the truck is breaking apart. No other part under the truck had this prob. No corrosion any other place but the beam of the truck
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram 1500. While driving approximately 35 mph, the frame around the steering box disconnected from the steering due to excessive rust. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was not called. The…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Dodge RAM 1500s have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 278 owner complaints about structure for the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 (34% 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 structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 75,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,200 and $1,950), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2002 Dodge RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “falling apart”, in 30 of 278 complaints, followed by “dash cracking” (24).
Other 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
See all 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 problems or structure problems across all RAM 1500 years.