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 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while attempting to turn on the heat in the vehicle, the HVAC system failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the instrument panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall for the failure. There was no additional assistance provided. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The heat stopped working so i replaced the blower motor and blower relay the heater switch and still have no heat. The wire gets hot to the touch. The heater only use to work on high then all of a sudden it just stopped all the way around
The fcm and pdc are extremely bad on the 2002 Dodge. They corrode causing your brake lights, blinkers, headlights and emergency flasher not to work. Dodge should have been mandated to recall and replace both parts on every truck. The corrosion is do to the poor design of the pdc "fuse box" with holes in the bottom allowing water and moisture to enter the pdc and start to corrode. This in turn causing the fcm " front control module" to short out. This is a severe danger to the truck owner as well as other motorists and pedestrians on the road. This is a very serious matter and needs to be looked in to and fixed. I have personally experience this and have almost been hit several times by motorists behind me do to the fact my taillights quit working and my blinkers did as well. I have replaced my fcm and pdc 4 times already and each one shorts out after a year. That's $600-$1200 each time. …
Since December of 2001 verizon has had (6) Dodge full size vans involving 1998-2001 b vans. All (6) fires appear to have started under the hood. All (6) vans are equipped with the kelsey hayes ebc 325 anti-lock brake systems. Three of the fires occurred in the ABS controller area of the engine compartment without the entire truck going up in flames because the drivers were able to have the fires extinguished before the fires got a real good start. Three of the fires happened while the vehicles were unattended and the vehicles were totally destroyed. On sept. 4th, 2003 a 2002 Dodge van was reported by the driver to have the ABS pump running continualy for over 2 hours. The ABS pump was extremely hot. Had to disconnect the battery to shut the pump off. …
A few years after the vehicle was purchased, the dash began to develop cracks and holes. This has gotten worse and worse to the point where a dash cover had to be purchased to avoid things falling down behind the instrument cluster. Currently, there is more missing than still in place in the vehicle. This is a common problem in this generation, and Dodge has not addressed it, other than to claim it is strictly cosmetic. The plastic pieces are extremely sharp, and have resulted in a number of superficial cuts when working on the defrost vents, or when adjusting the carpeted dash cover. Other pieces have fallen into the vents and then been ejected into both driver and passenger's faces when the air conditioner/heater are turned on. …
On July 8, 2012, the mother carried her 2 year-old daughter to her husband's parked 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup equipped with a manual transmission. The mother opened the passenger door, inserted the ignition key into the ignition switch, turned the key as the mother was trying to activate the air conditioner and cool the vehicle down before her husband came out to drive them home from church.the vehicle was in 1st gear and lurched forward when the key was turned.the speed of 2 MPH at time of incident is an approximation only. The mother was struck by the moving vehicle which knocked her child from her arms to the pavement. The child suffered severe head trauma and was removed to the hospital by ambulance. The child later died in the emergency room. The accidental death was caused by failure of the clutch ignition interlock safety switch, compression spring, and attendant parts. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact experienced numerous electrical failures ranging from the fuse box and power lock:windows to the interior lighting. She took the vehicle to the dealer on several occasions and a technician repeatedly rewired the electrical system, replaced the fuses, and the motor for the power window devices. Immediately after the repair, the electrical failures recurred. She returned to the dealer and a technician stated that the wiring harness melted, which caused the alarm system to fail and have to be replaced. The parts are on back order and neither the manufacturer nor the dealer can provide an estimate of when the parts will be available. She has copies of documents pertaining to the repair history of the electrical system. The manufacturer did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 28,000 and current mileage was 49,369.
Have had a cracked dashboard for quite some time now, I have filed a complaint before and could not get a resolution from Chrysler/Dodge. My dashboard has cracked to pieces causing a safety hazard. Finally my electrical systems have started to malfunction due to the pieces of my fallen dashboard falling on electrical components, there was a small short/fire that caused my cruise control to stop working and my dash lights also. I feel it has been long enough and something needs to be done before, someone not as lucky as me, gets really hurt from this safety hazard issue that has haunted us Dodge Ram owners for a long time. We need to get our dashboard replaced asap.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. An independent towing company towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle back to the independent mechanic who informed the contact that the wire harness convertible box had a lot of corrosion around it and needed to be replaced. A collision shop was contacted. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
I was on my way home from picking up my paycheck driving on the highway in the fast lane doing around 70 MPH when all of a sudden my truck shut down with no warning and then restarted. I immediately got off of the highway and took back roads. About 1.5 miles from my home at a red light the truck once again shut down completely, no engine, no electric, nothing, it was completely dead on a fairly busy road. I had to have the truck towed home and have not been able to get it started at all. I went online to see what might be the cause and have found many related cases to what I am dealing with.
Electrical complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2002 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 93 complaints about the electrical system of the 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, 11% of the model year's 815 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › front underhood (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, though it has 3 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 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 83,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 7 fires and 0 injuries and 1 death 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.