2003 Dodge RAM 2500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 most often report a cracked, crumbling upper dashboard and violent front-end shaking over bumps at highway speed, usually on trucks well past warranty. Many complaints also describe a defroster or blend-door failure that leaves the windshield fogged, and a smaller group describes stalling, unintended acceleration or engines cutting out, sometimes at low mileage.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Cracked, crumbling upper dashboard

   • 153 complaints (23%)
   • median 79,500 mi at 7.7 yrs old (129 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,458 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2019

   Owners describe long cracks spreading across the top of the dash, starting as hairlines and turning into large openings with sharp, loose pieces. Several say fragments fall into the cab or into the defroster ducts, and some worry about what the plastic will do if the passenger airbag deploys. According to the complaints, dealers generally declined to cover the repair or offered no assistance after warranty. Usually reported between roughly 35,000 and 150,000 miles, often several years after purchase and frequently on trucks parked outside.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the top of the dash in daylight for cracks, loose edges or missing pieces, and check that duct outlets are not blocked by broken plastic. Ask whether the dash has been replaced or covered.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dashboard started to crack a few months ago, just hairline cracks at first. Now there are long cracks everywhere & the dashboard may fall in & disrupt whatever electric circuits are underneath. Local Dodge dealer wouldn't take action unless I paid for it. He said don't use armourall which I don't. Dodge customer assistance was no help either. There appears to be something wrong with the materials used to manufacture the dashboard. The cracks continue to expand. Afraid to drive it!”

   NHTSA complaint #10434452, filed 2011-11, 125,000 miles

   “Takata recall complaint recall number r26 / NHTSA 15v-312 I took my truck to the dealership to get the recalled passenger takata airbag inflator replaced under the recall. I was told by one of the service advisors that Dodge will replace any parts that are broken free of charge during the replacement of the inflators. Well that was a lie, as you can see that the dashboard on this same 2003 RAM 2500 model has many complaints about it cracking and literally breaking apart due it becoming brittle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10929921, filed 2016-12, 51,250 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Front-end shimmy or violent shaking over bumps

   Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the front end shaking or wobbling hard after hitting a bump or expansion joint at highway speed, sometimes strong enough that the truck changes lanes or the driver struggles to hold the wheel. Owners report replacing tie rod ends, steering dampers, track bar bushings and ball joints, with the shaking sometimes returning. Some mention a tie rod or tie rod end that broke or detached. Reported from about 12,000 miles up to 190,000 miles, typically at speeds above 45 mph and often triggered by uneven pavement.

   Recall 13V528000Recall 11V3500002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have a shop check tie rod ends, ball joints, track bar bushings and the steering damper before buying. Ask whether the left tie rod recall work was completed and whether the front-end components have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Any bump or uneven surface at highway or roadway speed caused the steering to shudder uncontrollably. I have replaced the steering dampener and tie rod ends and it still continues. This has caused many close calls and caused me to veer into on coming traffic more than once. Thankfully no wrecks or injuries so far.”

   NHTSA complaint #10485357, filed 2012-11, 181,000 miles

   “When I installed my winter tires , when I hit a pot hole the truck shook very bad. I took tires and had them balanced, no help, then replaced steering damper, no help. Then replaced track bar bushings . No help. Replaced one tierod still no help. Changed back to summer tires , problem just keeps getting worse. Next im going to have the alignment checked and see what they suggest to fix the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10444801, filed 2012-01, 37,450 miles
3. 3
   Other or unknown

   Stalling, surging or engine cutting out while driving

   • 51 complaints (8%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (45 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2023

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off or losing power at speed, erratic idle and RPM, and episodes of sudden acceleration, sometimes with the throttle control warning light on. Owners report repeated dealer visits, computer reflashes and replacement of throttle and MAP sensors without a lasting fix, and some note the problem appears more often with cruise control engaged or in hot weather. Reported from about 2,000 miles to nearly 200,000 miles, with several cases at highway speed and in hot summer conditions.

   Recall 03V033000

   What to check: During a test drive, note any hesitation, surging or idle fluctuation and check whether throttle-related warning lights come on. Ask for service records showing whether the throttle body, sensors or computer were replaced or reflashed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down the road at approximate 45mph, when I was on a bank and noticed that the truck was hard to steer, the truck had stalled. The truck started back up, thankfully I have a manual, that I did not have to pull off the road (its hard to control a 3/4 ton truck with no power steering), and could just push the clutch in to start the truck. When I got the truck started, it died on me again, started it up, and drove less than a mile, and died again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10523495, filed 2013-07, 180,200 miles

   “Truck has the same electrical issues as the recalled newer trucks. It melted the fuse box and the truck wont run. I have replaced the fuse box, computer, all coils, all plugs, all wires, throttle body over 3,000.00 and the truck still does not run. Only has 81,000 miles on it. It was towed to a chrysler dealership and towed back out of the dealership because they could not tell us what is wrong with it. After 3,000.00 of lets try this I can not afford any more lets try this or that. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10850474, filed 2016-03, 81,000 miles
4. 4
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Defroster and blend door not directing air

   • 51 complaints (8%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (47 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2025

   Owners report little or no air reaching the windshield when the defroster is selected, so the glass fogs or ices up in cold or wet weather. Several say a dealer diagnosed a failed blend or damper door inside the air box, sometimes citing a service bulletin, and quoted a repair the owner did not always have done. One complaint notes broken dash plastic jamming the air doors. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 200,000 miles and noticed in cold, snowy or rainy conditions.

   What to check: With the engine cold, switch to defrost and confirm strong airflow at the windshield, and cycle through each mode setting to check the doors move. Ask whether the blend door or air box has been repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was riding down the road in my RAM 2500 pickup on a cold snowy day in central ny when my defroster just stopped working. I was forced to pull off the road nearly driving into a ditch because I was unable to see. The windshield was completely fogged over. I made it home stopping every mile to wipe the windshield so I could see. Iwas told this is a very common problem with these trucks and an expensive fix. How is a recall not done on these trucks? If this is not a safety issue, I don't know what is!!! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10855480, filed 2016-04, 185,000 miles

   “The defroster will not activate-found TSB 24-004-03 relates to this issue. Chrysler should have recalled these vehicles for repair due to numerous number of failures and safety issue related to not having de-ice or defrost capability.”

   NHTSA complaint #10482431, filed 2012-10, 89,881 miles

Buying note. A 2003 Ram 2500 is a high-mileage truck now, so budget for front-end steering and suspension work and inspect the dashboard closely, since those are the most common complaints. Confirm any open recall work, particularly the tie rod and passenger airbag inflator campaigns, has been completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.