2002 Dodge RAM Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAM years
- Far more complaints than other years 8th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Dodge RAM. That ranks 8th out of 17 RAM model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (17 complaints, 15%), typically at around 60,000 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 3 fires, 15 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 116owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Dodge RAM problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 17 | 15% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 16 | 14% | 20,264 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 13% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 13% | 82,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 12% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 11% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 11 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 7% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 4% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 4% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 3% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Dodge RAM recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
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.
Risk: This may allow development of a short circuit in the connector, which could eventually lead to a fire.
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.
Power train:axle assembly
Problem: On certain 4x4 pickup trucks, the rear axle flange weld to the axle tube could fatigue and allow the brake caliper assembly to rotate.
Risk: During rotation, the brake line could separate from the caliper resulting in a brake fluid loss in the rear brake hydraulic system.
Fix: Dealers will install rear brake caliper reinforcements on the rear axle assemblies. Owner notification began december 9, 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear axle failure (PE02096) — opened Dec 26, 2002, closed May 15, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at various speeds, the ABS warning light illuminated and the vehicle seized. The contact managed to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the road and place the vehicle in park. The contact exit the vehicle…
The dashboard started cracking around 60,000 miles. It has continued to crack and all of the plastic vent covers have fallen apart into the vents. I have now found out that the insulation in the dash is dry rotting and falling into the a/c vents and causing problems with the a/c motor. This could…
1) electrical problems. Lights kept going in and out 2) dash cracking and crumbling. Pieces falling into air vents and preventing windshield from defrosting! Dangerous! Could cause an accident. Dash is in such bad shape that if passenger air bag were to be deployed it could kill someone due to…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge ram model r35. The contact was driving 5 mph when smoke emitted inside of the vehicle and flames were visible from the hood. The failure caused the contact to drive into a ditch but there was no crash. The doors failed to open during the failure so the contact…
The dash in my 2002 dodge ram quad cab pickup began to crack and has now completely shattered. There are pieces that have broken off and are now effecting my heating and cooling system. I am concerned that if i hit a bump to hard that a piece might actually dislodge and harm someone. Or cause even…
Other Dodge RAM years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 RAM | 0 | 4 |
| 2010 RAM | 27 | 5 |
| 2009 RAM | 9 | 5 |
| 2008 RAM | 25 | 2 |
| 2007 RAM | 17 | 1 |
| 2006 RAM | 25 | 0 |
| 2005 RAM | 40 | 0 |
| 2004 RAM | 58 | 1 |
| 2003 RAM | 53 | 2 |
| 2002 | 116 | 2 |
| 2001 RAM | 318 | 9 |
| 2000 RAM | 147 | 6 |
| 1999 RAM | 366 | 9 |
| 1998 RAM | 483 | 13 |
| 1997 RAM | 398 | 7 |
| 1996 RAM | 625 | 10 |
| 1995 RAM | 611 | 12 |
See all Dodge RAM problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Dodge RAM?
Owners most often report power train, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Dodge RAM?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Dodge RAM a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAM model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.