Problems · by component

2003 Dodge Ram 2500 structure problems

146 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 cite structure, 22% of all 661 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
146
22% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TAKATA ?- ON 7/15/2017 MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AS HE DROVE HOME ON THE FREEWAY. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE SPINNING AND IMPACTING A GUARD RAIL POST , EJECTING HIM FROM THE VEHICLE ON TO THE FREEWAY WHERE HE DIED. UPON EXAMINATION OF VEHICLE NO AIRBAGS IN THE CABIN DEPLOYED. *BF * *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2018Air bags, Structure, Latches/locks/linkagesCrash reportedODI 11061233
“THE DASH BOARD ON ALMOST ALL OF THESE TRUCKS ARE SEVERELY CRASHING AND IF THE AIRBAGS GO OFF PARTS OF THE DASH CAN INJURY OR KILL SOMEONE FROM FLYING PARTS OF THE DASH BOARD”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2018StructureODI 11061231
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT CALLED FREEHOLD DODGE RAM AT 732-462-1600 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE PART WAS NOT REPLACEABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2018StructureODI 11060768
“DASHBOARD DISINTEGRATED INTO PLASTIC KNIVES THAT FLY OFF AND CAUSE INJURY. ALSO COMPROMISING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND OR CREATING ADDITIONAL DEBRIS TO BE THROWN AT THE OCCUPANTS DURING A CRASH.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2017StructureODI 11039500
“DASH IS CRACKED COMPLETELY. PIECES OF THE DASH HAS FALLEN IN THE AIR VENTS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO A PIECE MIGHT HIT ME OR MY PASSENGER. HAVE A 2002 FORD FOCUS ZTS, I HAVE TAKEN CARE MY DODGE BETTER THAN MY FORD AND THE DASH IS IN PERFECT CONDITION”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2017StructureODI 10991589
“DASHBOARD DISINTEGRATING INTO HUNDREDS OF EXTREMELY POINTED AND SHARP SHARDS OF HEAVY GAUGE PLASTIC SOME OF CONSIDERABLE MASS THAT POSE A SEVERE RISK IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. DAILY REMOVE PIECES OF DASH AS THEY BREAK FREE. MANY ARE HEAVY ENOUGH AND POINTED ENOUGH TO SEVERELY INJURE DRIVER OR OCCUPANTS EVEN UNDER SEVERE BRAKING LET ALONE A CRASH WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS. UNDER SEVERE BRAKING THESE SHARDS BREAK FREE AND FLY FORWARD TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD THEN BOUNCE BACK AT THE TERRIFIED OCCUPANTS. WE NOW HAVE TO ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR TO AVOID BEING BLINDED BY A FLYING PIECE OF DEBRIS FROM THE DASH. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE HITS A SMALL BUMP ANOTHER PIECE OR TWO BREAKS OFF OR A NEW CRACK APPEARS THREATENING TO RELEASE ANOTHER SHARP FLYING OBJECT INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS IS NOT JUST COSMETIC!! THIS IS DANGEROUS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AS A COSMETIC ISSUE BUT NOW IS DIFFERENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2017StructureODI 10983919

Showing 6 of 146 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.