2002 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COVER FAILED AND THE PANEL BROKE INTO PIECES, CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE HEAT WAS CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PLASTIC COVERING TO DETERIORATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 8/29/11 *CN UPDATED 09/21/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS CRACKED APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH STARTING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAVED IN AND THE INDICATORS WERE NO LONGER CONCEALED BY THE PANEL. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT UNEXPECTEDLY RECLINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,999. UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF UPDATED 09/26/11

2002 DODGE RAM 1500. DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED AND IS CONTINUING TO NOT ONLY CRACK BUT TO DISINTEGRATE. IT HAS LARGE HOLES IN IT WHERE THE PLASTIC HAS FALLEN OFF LEAVING VERY SHARP IRREGULAR SECTIONS. SOME PIECES HAVE FALLEN OFF, AND SOME HAVE FALLEN IN,... INTO THE DUCTS AND CAVITIES UNDER THE DASHBOARD COVERING. I BELIEVE IT IS A DANGER TO DRIVER AND ESPECIALLY TO PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, CRASH OR EVEN A SUDDEN STOP. IT AFFECTS THE WORKING OF THE FRONT WINDOW DEFROSTER AS SOME OF THE PIECES HAVE FALLEN INTO THE DUCTWORK. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. REPLACEMENT OF THE DASHBOARD IS OVER $1000. I THINK THAT DODGE SHOULD HELD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHODDY MATERIALS USED IN THE MAKING OF THIS DASHBOARD. *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 IS CRACKED INTO MANY SHARP, LOOSE PIECES. AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT HELD TOGETHER BY ANYTHING. MY CONCERN IS THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE PIECES COULD CAUSE INJURY TO ANY VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. IT'S BEEN CRACKED SINCE 2008 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 YEARS OLD. A FRIEND HAS THE SAME MAKE/MODEL AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN THE TRUCK WAS A STOP AND I WOULD BEGIN TO DRIVE I WOULD HEAR A CLANKING NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THIS WENT ON FOR A MONTH I FIGURED IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE BED MOVING AROUND. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ONE NIGHT, I HEARD A CRUNCH NOISE THAT THEN RESULTED IN THE REAR TIRES LOCKING UP AND CAUSING ME TO START SKIDDING, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND STOP IT SAFELY. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE TRUCK HOME THIS TIME, AT 15 TO 20 MPH. IF I WENT ANY FASTER IT WOULD LOCK AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE REAR IN THIS TRUCK HAS FAILED ME, THE FIRST TIME I WAS CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE REAR LOCKED AND THE DRIVE SHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK AS WELL AS THE SHAFT. THE FIRST REPAIR COST ME $2500.00 AND I'M BEING QUOTED $1500.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS IS A COMMON AND KNOWN PROBLEM ON THESE TRUCKS, CHRYSLER WON'T STEP UP AND TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY THEY JUST TELL ME THAT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DESPITE THE FACT THAT I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE TRUCK! *TR

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 AND MY DASHBOARD IS CRACKED FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. THERE IS ALSO A HOLE WHICH MEASURES 9" LONG AND 3 1/2" WIDE. I BELIEVE UNDER THE RIGHT SITUATION THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY HARM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUP POP AS SMOKE BEGAN ESCAPING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD EXPLODED, CAUSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

UPPER RADIATOR HOSE BLEW-OUT,@42,000 MILES , AFTER REPLACING INCREASE IN ENGINE TEMP. REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR, TEMP REMAINED ELEVATED. VEHICLE NEVER OVERHEATED. ENGINE VALVES STARTED TAPPING, ANTIFREEZE ACCUMULATION ON THE INSIDE OF ENGINE OIL CAP. BAD HEADGASKETS. ENGINE OIL & FILTER CHANGED EVERY 2500 MILES. NOW WITH THE WARM WEATHER, ONLY OCCASIONAL ENGINE TAPPING AND NO ANTIFREEZE ON THE INSIDE OF ENGINE OIL CAP. HEAD GASKETS MUST BE LEAKING OR SHRINKAGE OF THE GASKETS WITH THE COLD WEATHER. CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS! CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND MULTIPLE DODGE VEHICLE OWNERS WITH THE 4.7 LITRE ENGINE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. POOR ENGINE DESIGN, THIN WALLED ENGINE BLOCK, LUBRICATION HOLES IN ROCKER ARMS NOT DRILLED IN CORRECT LOCATION= CHECK REPLACEMENT ROCKER ARMS AS OPPOSED TO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THIS IS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP 4.7 ENG 43,000 MILES. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE A ENGINE RECALL AND REPLACED THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AS THEY WERE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A FEW YEARS AND THEN DISCONTINUED, I WONDER WHY!! *TR

CRACKED DASHBOARD, WHEN I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IT HAD A SMALL CRACK IN THE BOARD NOW A YEAR LATER IT HAVE ABOUT 8 CRACKS, I GOT A COVER FOR THE DASHBOARD, WAITING TO SEE IF THE MANUFACTURER WILL ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR