2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab recalls & problems

Safety recalls

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

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Vehicle speed control

  WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS OVER 30 AND USUALLY TEMPS BELOW 50, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND WILL IMMEDIATELY LOSE THROTTLE. "DEAD PEDAL" SOMETIMES THE THROTTLE WILL SURGE THEN DROP OFF OTHER TIMES WHEN SLOWING THE TRANS (AUTOMATIC) WILL START TO CHATTER AS IF A MANUAL,. I USE A STORE PURCHASED OBD COMPUTER TO RESET. GET CODES 2121, 2123 SOMETIMES 0700. THIS SOMETIMES TAKES 2-3 TIMES TO RESET. VERY UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS, NUMEROUS TIMES, USUALLY IN WINTER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SOMETIMES AT INTERSECTION WHILE ACCELERATING. HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOLUTION FOR YEARS!! SEE MANY OTHERS ON NET WITH SAME PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T THIS FIXED BY DODGE AND OR CUMMINS.…

  Dec 6, 2019 · 50,000 miles
• Unknown or other

  THE DASHBOARD IS FALLING APART WITH SHARP PIECES FALLING INSIDE UNDER THE DASH WHICH MAY CUT WIRES OR EVEN THE AIR BAG. IT IS VERY BRITTLE. IT CAN BE MOVING OR STATIONARY.

  Mar 11, 2019 · 86,725 miles
• Visibility/wiper

  WIPERS DO WHAT THEY WANT TO, NO- OFF DONT SEAT STOP IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD

  Dec 1, 2016 · 140,000 miles
• Air bags

  TAKATA RECALL / I RECEIVED THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIRBAGS) FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG INFLATOR HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE DASHBOARD WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE EXISTING DASHBOARD WITHOUT DAMAGING THE DASHBOARD FURTHER. DODGE STATED THEY WILL NOT COVER THE PARTS NOR LABOR TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER CONTACTED WAS NATIONAL DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM LOCATED AT 2223 N MARINE BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, NC 28546. I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE CAUSED IN THE COMPLETE OF THE RECALL. THE…

  Apr 20, 2017
• Unknown or other

  CRACKED DASHBOARD FOR NO REASON. CAR WAS PARKED. OPENED VEHICLE TO FIND CRACKED DASH. TOLD BY DEALERSHIP NOT THEIR PROBLEM. NEVER HAD ANY VEHICLE EVER DO THIS BEFORE. HAVE PURCHASED DODGES FOR YEARS, BUT NOW WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER IF THEY DON'T OWN UP TO THEIR OBLIGATIONS.

  Jul 15, 2009 · 38,490 miles
• Structure › Body

  2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB 4X4 HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND WHEN TOW TRUCK DRIVER HOOKED CHAINS TO FRAME RAILS TO WINCH VEHICLE ON TO TOW TRUCK THE CHAINS RIPPED THE STEEL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME DO TO THE FRAME BEING ROTTED I HAVE UPLOADED PHOTOS. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN DO TO THE FACT THE FRAME IS ENCLOSED AND THERE IS NO REAL WARNING OR SIGNS OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE REMAINING STRUCTURE OF THE FRAME. IT IS IN MY OPINION THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FRAME SHOULD BE RECALLED THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TRUCKS EVEN A LOT NEWER THAN THIS ONE BUT SAME FRAME AS MINE AND THE SAME PROBLEM THERE IS NO REASON OTHER THAN POOR ENGINEERING AND PREP OF THIS FRAME I OWN MANY OLD…

  Apr 21, 2016 · 220,000 miles
• Air bags

  SO MANY OF THESE TRUCKS HAVE DASHBOARDS THAT ARE LITERALLY FALLING APART AND THE RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT THE DASHBOARDS BEING REPLACED WHICH IS ABOVE $1400.00! MY 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER DASHBOARD DID THE SAME THING, ONLY NOT AS EXTREME AS FALLING APART LIKE MY DODGE RAM 1500. TOYOTA DID THE RIGHT THING AND RECALLED THE DASHBOARD! THIS TRUCK WAS JUST PURCHASED FOR MY SON AND NOW THEY CAN'T AND WON'T REPLACE THE AIRBAG UNLESS WE PAY TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD REPLACED? IF THE MANUFACTURER OF DODGE DOESN'T DO THE SAME AND I OR ONE OF MY PASSENGERS IS HURT BECAUSE OF THE RECALL AIRBAG, YOU BEST BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A HUGE LAWSUIT COMING THEIR WAY!

  Jul 12, 2017
• Structure › Body

  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.

  Jan 10, 2005 · 500,000 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,…

  EA04025 · opened Aug 26, 2004 · closed Dec 22, 2005