Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving and operating the heater, unbeknowst to me leaves/pine needles had come in through the fresh air cowl vent and built up on the heater blower resistor resulting in a fire. This design in dangerous as the default for the air intake is open and allows debris to enter and drop directly into the fan and blower motor resistor. I've searched online and seen multiple reports of this issue. I have a video I can provide if contacted.
The headlights no matter what bulbs I buy are extremely dim making it unsafe to drive at night. Now truck will not start for some unknown reason. It tries to turn over but will not crank. The mileage flashes NO BUS. I was literally only getting at best 8 miles per gallon.
I turned the key to start the engine and as it started cranking smoke started coming out of the defroster and then fire started coming out the engine hood. Luckily I had a fire extinguisher handy and opened the hood and put out the fire. Wondered where the fire started so tried starting again and fire started immediately at the rear of the engine or on top of the bell housing. I also smelled fuel. The truck was next to my garage and had been driven a few days earlier. If I had not put out the fire my whole house could have burned down. I donated the truck to wheels 4 vets.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the dash assembly for the instrument panel failed and caused the controls to collapse inward into the dashboard. In addition, the air bag on/off switch was attached to the panel, the headlamp switch, instrument cluster, and other controls. The contact was concerned that the failure could cause electrical issues and prevent the air bags from deploying or operating correctly. The dealer was no longer in business. The contact stated that the failure has been occurring since 2009 and was initially informed that it was a cosmetic issue with the vehicle. The manufacturer was informed again of the failure and stated that since the vehicle was sixteen years old with 240,000 miles, it could not be serviced by them. The failure mileage was 110,000. The consumer stated the failure had been ongoing since 2005. …
1998-2001 b-van (Dodge full size). The ABS control module is protected with a 40 amp fuse. A 10 ga. Wire comes out of the control module, then this 10 ga. Wire "y's" out to two 14 ga. Wires. It appears as though the ABS pump or the relay sticks on these vans. Then one of the 14 ga. Wires overheats and catches the wiring harness on fire. The 40 amp fuse does not blow. The fire then continues until the van is fully engulfed in flames. This van was bought back from us by Chrysler corp. In 2002. The official fire investigation reports conducted by Chrysler were never disclosed to us at verizon.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle caught on fire without warning. The fire department extinguished the fire and a police report was filed. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic stated that the cause for the fire was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 227,000. The vehicle was destroyed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 30 MPH, the power steering failed. The vehicle had a past failure with the brakes, corrosion of the frame, a cracked dashboard, and warning indicators illuminating since 26,000 miles. The vehicle was repaired for these failures, but not for the steering failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.....updated 01/04/2016
I have a Dodge Ram 1500 truck. My entire dash is coming apart. A piece flew off and hit me in the face while driving I slammed on the brakes and my wife hit the windshield cracking it. My lights on my ceiling went out don't work
Truck was running just fine. When truck was parked for less than 10 minutes, with engine off it suddenly ignited in the engine compartment. The truck was a complete loss. There was no warning before the event took place.
Dashboard falling apart; sharp/jagged pieces of dash cutting into electrical wiring causing shorts, failure of electrical equipment on board truck; while driving on street, highways in motion straight-line and turning.
Electrical complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, 7% of the model year's 1,112 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 13 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.