Total Complaints
158 filings
DODGE RAM QUAD CAB · model year
158 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003DODGERAM QUAD CAB carries 158 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 2 fires, 16 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 RAM QUAD CAB is structure with 38 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (11) and electrical system (8). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 2003 RAM QUAD CAB, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
158 filings
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 38 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 11 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 8 |
| STEERING | 7 |
| AIR BAGS | 7 |
| SUSPENSION | 6 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 6 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 5 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
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. AGAIN VERY UNSAFE!!
Mileage: 50,000
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.
Mileage: 86,725
WIPERS DO WHAT THEY WANT TO, NO- OFF DONT SEAT STOP IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD
Mileage: 140,000
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 MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. SEE ATTACHED EMAILS/PICTURES.
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.
Mileage: 38,490
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 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE 30+ YEARS OLDER THAN THIS TRUCK AND NO ROT ISSUES LIKE THIS WEAR AND TEAR IS ONE THING BODY ROT ECT IS NORMAL BUT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT GIVES NO WARNING MANY OF THESE TRUCKS DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD SUCH AS MINE HAULING EQUIPMENT ECT IMAGINE 20K LBS DRIVING DOWN THE R
Mileage: 220,000
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!
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.
Mileage: 500,000
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.
Mileage: 500,000
WHILE DRIVING THE VALVE SPRING BROKE AND DROPPED THE VALVE INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 5.7 HEMI ENGINE . ONE THAT DODGE IS WELL AWARE OF . THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF FAVOR GIVEN ON THE MATTER . OUT OF ALL THE ENGINES I HAVE OWNED AS WELL AS WORKED ON THIS IS THE ONLY THAT HAS HAD THIS AS A COMMON FAILURE AND IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
Mileage: 146
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CORN FIELD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THERE IS A ENTRY GRAB HANDLE MOUNTED TO THE INTERIOR DOOR POST NEAR THE WINDSHIELD INTENDED AS AN ASSIST HANDLE. MY TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH RUNNING BOARD TO MAKE ENTRY EASIER INTO THE TRUCK CAB. I USED THE ASSIST HANDLE WHILE GETTING INTO THE TRUCK CAB, IT PULLED LOOSE FROM THE PILLAR CAUSING ME TO NEARLY FALL FROM THE TRUCK. I WAS ABLE TO GAIN MY BALANCE AND STEP DOWN FROM THE RUNNING BOARDS WITHOUT DOING ANY INJURY. I AM OF AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT APPROPRIATE. WHEN I EXAMINED THE HANDLE I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE ONLY MOUNTING INVOLVED WAS PLASTIC WITH A BOLT THROUGH IT SCREWED TO THE DOOR FRAME. THIS IN NO WAY SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS AN APPROPRIATE ASSIST HANDLE TO AID ONE IN THE ENTRY OF THE VEHICLE.
Mileage: 130,454
THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS WEAK HAVING MANY POCK MARKS IN IT. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. THE DASH IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO RUPTURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS COMING APART).
Mileage: 100,000
THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS WEAK HAVING MANY POCK MARKS IN IT. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. THE DASH IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO RUPTURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS COMING APART).
Mileage: 100,000
THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS WEAK HAVING MANY POCK MARKS IN IT. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. THE DASH IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO RUPTURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS COMING APART).
Mileage: 100,000
I HAVE A 2003 DODGE QUAD CAB 1500 4X2 THAT I BOUGHT NEW AND HAS ONLY 71,000 ORIGINAL MILES. I HAVE NOTICED SOME NOISE AND VIBRATION COMING FROM THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I'VE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE HAS ISSUED A RECALL (N49, N62 AND NHTSA 13-V528) THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE BUT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AFTER FURTHER INSPECTIONS. THE PART IN QUESTION IS THE LEFT TIE ROD AND STEERING LINKAGE. NEW PARTS (CBUEN491AA. CBUEN492AA) APPARENTLY ARE READILY AVAILABLE PRIOR TO JANUARY 2014 BUT MY TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REPAIR. DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PART TO SNAP OFF CAUSING INJURY AND DEATH TO ANYONE ESPECIALLY MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS MODEL YEAR? WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE FOR NOW THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED BUT WHY DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS FIRST BEFORE THE MANUFACTURER TAKES HONORABLE RESPONSIBILITY? ANOTHER ISSUE AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHER TRUCK OWNERS IS THAT THE DASH BOARD
I HAVE A 2003 DODGE QUAD CAB 1500 4X2 THAT I BOUGHT NEW AND HAS ONLY 71,000 ORIGINAL MILES. I HAVE NOTICED SOME NOISE AND VIBRATION COMING FROM THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I'VE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE HAS ISSUED A RECALL (N49, N62 AND NHTSA 13-V528) THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE BUT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AFTER FURTHER INSPECTIONS. THE PART IN QUESTION IS THE LEFT TIE ROD AND STEERING LINKAGE. NEW PARTS (CBUEN491AA. CBUEN492AA) APPARENTLY ARE READILY AVAILABLE PRIOR TO JANUARY 2014 BUT MY TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REPAIR. DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PART TO SNAP OFF CAUSING INJURY AND DEATH TO ANYONE ESPECIALLY MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS MODEL YEAR? WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE FOR NOW THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED BUT WHY DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS FIRST BEFORE THE MANUFACTURER TAKES HONORABLE RESPONSIBILITY? ANOTHER ISSUE AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHER TRUCK OWNERS IS THAT THE DASH BOARD
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V354000 (AIRBAG) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
DRIVER WAS USING GRAB BAR TO PULL SELF UP INTO VEHICLE WHEN THE GRAB BAR BROKE SUDDENLY AND PULLED OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO FALL AND SUFFER A FRACTURED HAMATE BONE IN THE WRIST AND CHRONIC SHOULDER PAIN. INJURIES REQUIRE SURGERY AND ARE NOT YET HEALED. *TR
Mileage: 165,000
THE DASH IS FALLING APART. IT BEGAN LAST SUMMER AND PIECES ARE FALLING INTO THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. CHEAP MATERIAL USED FOR THE DASH BOARD. *TR
Mileage: 168,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.