Model year record
2003 Dodge Ram Pickup recalls & problems
The 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 14 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is power train (4 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Manual transmission › Floor shift assembly | 4 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc › Rotor; Foundation components › Disc › Pads | 4 | 21,517 mi |
| Structure | 3 | — |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights | 1 | — |
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal | 1 | — |
| Electrical systemWiring | 1 | — |
| Equipment | 1 | — |
| SteeringLinkages | 1 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Structure
CRACKED DASH. *TR
- Power train
I HAVE 2003 DODGE RAM 4X4 PICK UP THAT I BOUGHT NEW. I HAVE HAD 4 REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES: 1ST 9/18/07 WITH 83834 MILES, 2ND 6/19/08 WITH 95894 MILES, 3RD 7/17/09 WITH 117481 MILES AND 4TH 7/22/10 WITH 144125 MILES. ALL 4 WERE CAUGHT EARLY WHEN I FIRST HEARD WHINING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER. EACH REPAIR TOOK AT LEAST TWO DAYS. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES, SEVERAL I'VE DRIVEN TO OVER 200K MILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH REAL DIFFERENTIALS. SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. A TOTAL REAR DIFFERENTIAL COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS CRASH. I ENTERED THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT BELOW IN THE ?APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE? FIELD. OBVIOUSLY IT DOES NOT…
- Air bags › FrontalCrash2 injuries
I AM A BATTALION CHIEF WITH A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RECENTLY HAD A DODGE RAM WITH SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE AND NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING WITH A DODGE RAM PICK-UP I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU SOME PICTURES OF THIS MOST RECENT ACCIDENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE. *TR
- Structure
PURCHASED TRUCK IN DECEMBER AND NOTICED AT THAT TIME THE SPIDER CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. I WILL TRY TO APPLY ADHESIVE AND A MOLDED DASHBOARD TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. EVENTUALLY THE DASH MAY COME INTO PIECES AND PRESENT AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD, SO I WANT TO TRY TO PREVENT THIS WITH THE DASHBOARD KIT. *TR
- Unknown or other
2003 DODGE RAM DASHBOARD IS CRACKING. CONSUMER STATES THAT DASHBOARD HAS NOT ONLY CRACKED BUT HAS COLLAPSED LEAVING THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EXPOSED. CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER DENIES ANY KIND OF HELP FOR THIS PROBLEM. *KB
- Unknown or other
UPON CHANGING THE SPARE TIRE, THE MECHANISM BROKE AND I AM NOT ABLE TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE BACK IN PLACE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE SPARE TIRE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE MECHANISM. *NM
- Steering › Linkages
MY VEHICLE VEERS TO THE RIGHT SEVERLY. IT STARTED OUT AS A MILD PULL AND NOW IT IS A CONSTANT STRUGLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE GOING STRAIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. WORK DONE BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED - BOTH U JOINTS REPLACED - ALL 4 BRAKES REPLACED ( AT MY EXPENSE VEHICLE UNDER 30,000 MILES ) - TIRES EXCHANGED WITH NEW - FRONT END ALLIGNMENT ( I PAID FOR AS WELL ) TRUCK STILL HAS PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. TOLD TO DEAL WITH IT. *NM
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Rotor
NORMAL BRAKE USAGE WITH NO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. A FEW PANIC STOPS WHERE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS USED. SEVERE BRAKE SHUDDER CAUSES SUSPENSION HOP - UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY IN WET - OR WINTER CONDITIONS. REPLACED FRONT PADS AND ROTORS TWICE. 1ST REPLACEMENT AT 21.5K MILES UNDER TSB. 2CD REPLACEMENT AT 29.3K MILES WAS PURCHASED BY OWNER (WARRANTY WOULD NOT BE HONORED). 2003 TRUCK HAS 29K MILES.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- FALSE PARKClosedLed to recall 05V462000
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE HEAVY DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS WITH DIESEL ENGINES AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS COMMONLY USED FOR COMMERCIAL AND WORK PURPOSES.A COLUMN MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER IS USED FOR GEAR SELECTION AND AN ELECTRONIC PRNDL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PROVIDES GEAR POSITION INFORMATION TO THE DRIVER.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK THAT PREVENTS THE SHIFT LEVER FROM BEING MOVED FROM THE PARK POSITION (WHEN THE ENGINE IS ON) UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AND AN IGNITION-SHIFT INTERLOCK THAT PREVENTS KEY REMOVAL UNLESS THE TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARK POSITION.COMPLAINANTS GENERALLY REPORT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN A FORWARD GEAR AND BROUGHT TO A STOP THROUGH BRAKE APPLICATION ON ALEVEL SURFACE, AT WHICH TIME THE OPERATOR MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO ENGAGE THE PARK POSITION.THE OPERATOR THEN OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND,…