What breaks most · 1992 to 2003 model years
Dodge Ram Pickup problems by year
Owners have filed 150 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Dodge Ram Pickup across model years 1992 to 2003. Three years stand out: 1999 for body and structure complaints, 2002 for body and structure complaints and 2001 for body and structure complaints. The quietest years are 1994, 1992 and 1996.
- Years to check closely: 1999, 2002, 2001
- Fewest complaints: 1994, 1992, 1996
- Complaints on file
- 1501992 to 2003, all trims
- Worst year
- 199933 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 146 fires · 14 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 57kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (2) | |
| 17 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (5) | |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (4) | |
| 33 | 2 | 0 | Body and structure (10) | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | Body and structure (2) | |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | Body and structure (9) | |
| 22 | 5 | 1 | Body and structure (8) | |
| 14 | 2 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (4) |
What fails on the 1999 Dodge Ram Pickup
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 30% |
10 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 12% |
4 | 0 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 12% |
4 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 9% |
3 | 2 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 9% |
3 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 6% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seat belts | 6% |
2 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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1999 dodge ram 1500 dashboard cracking and falling apart like thousands of others all over the states. Will you please do something to pressure a recall. Please?
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Cracking of dashboard, after reading the complaints on here and numerous other sites it appears to be a trend that needs to be looked at. I have cut my hand once already on mine and there is no telling how many other people have also.
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My 2001 dodge ram pick-up dashboard is completely falling apart. That increases the odds of possible shock or equipment failure or fire hazard, if it gets wet or damaged due to exposure. This is a widespread problem and a recall is necessary.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Dodge Ram Pickup years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1999, 2002, 2001 carry the most filings on the Dodge Ram Pickup. The 1999 alone has 33 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Dodge Ram Pickup problem?
On the 1999 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 10 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram Pickup problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Dodge Ram Pickup complaints that include mileage is about 57,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.