What breaks most · 2001 to 2003 model years
Dodge Ram Quad Cab problems by year
Owners have filed 446 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Dodge Ram Quad Cab across model years 2001 to 2003. Three years stand out: 2002 for body and structure complaints, 2003 for body and structure complaints and 2001 for body and structure complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2002, 2003, 2001
- Complaints on file
- 4462001 to 2003, all trims
- Worst year
- 2002206 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 236 fires · 37 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 58kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 6 | 0 | Body and structure (56) | |
| 206 | 9 | 0 | Body and structure (68) | |
| 122 | 8 | 0 | Body and structure (45) |
What fails on the 2002 Dodge Ram Quad Cab
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 33% |
68 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 12% |
25 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
23 | 1 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 11% |
22 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 9% |
18 | 2 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
17 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 8% |
17 | 3 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 5% |
11 | 0 | — |
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.
-
Craked dash, sharp metal and sharp broken chunks of plastic that used to be a dashboard. Not safe to drive this way! The parts if available are exspensive, why is this not recalled replacing using better safer products.
-
The dashboard and hvac system has cracked to pieces causing the defrosters to be inoperable most of the time and constantly blows pieces of plastic and foam out of the vents occasionally getting in the driver's eyes and nose causing sneezing and distracting irritation.
-
Driving on public streets his a small pot hole, the dashboard broke and the bezel fell off causing a driving hazard.
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 Quad Cab years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2002, 2003, 2001 carry the most filings on the Dodge Ram Quad Cab. The 2002 alone has 206 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Dodge Ram Quad Cab problem?
On the 2002 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 68 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram Quad Cab problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Dodge Ram Quad Cab complaints that include mileage is about 58,000 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.