Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
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).
I was driving on the highway at about 65mph and at first I noticed that it felt like my tie rod ends were going bad. And then all of a sudden I felt an explosion and my truck made a sharp right dive into the right hand lane and caused the car in that lane to swerve right. I was then able to gain back control and gradually came to a stop on the right hand berm of the highway. The right rear tire appeared just as it does in the attached photos. The tire size is p264/70R17 no authorities were notified and the tire has not been inspected by anyone.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Dodge rams 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, an abnormal sound emitted from the front driver and passenger wheels. The failure recurred constantly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10e040000 (wheels). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 253,000.
Gas pedal stuck, and caused unintended accelerating while making a left turn onto a busy street. Vehicle spun out while my husband tried to get the pedal unstuck the truck spun out more and turned a 180 facing oncoming traffic back passenger tire hit against the cement median knocking the tire in and busting the axel.
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 wheel hub bearing assembly separation / wheel separation, while traveling at a speed of 35 -40 MPH on the highway, my vehicle began to shake and pull to the right and then the wheel right front wheel hub bearing assembly failed causing my vehicle to become disabled during a snow storm.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 75 MPH, the rear wheels seized and the vehicle slid off the road without warning. There was no crash. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 107,000. The VIN was unknown.
My 2002 Dodge pick up has a cupped left front tire causing a severe vibration. The tire is a Goodyear wrangler lt275/70r17. After taking it to the dealership they found nothing wrong with the suspension and alignment. They contacted Goodyear and were told that the tire on the truck is too aggressive and that the recommended rotation interval should be 5000 miles. The service manual recommends rotation at 7500 miles normal driving. I rotated at 6000 to coincide with my oil changes. The dealership said that Goodyear offered to go 1/2 with me. The cost to me would have been $210.00 mounted and the dealership could have the tires in that afternoon. I had gone to a Goodyear establishment 2 weeks prior to this visit to complain. They told me the same story that the tire is too aggressive and needs to be rotated at between 4000 and 5000 miles. They offered me 2 new tires at the same deal. …
The vehicle is a 2002 Dodge Ram sport 4x4 with 28,000 miles with Goodyear wrangler hp 275/60/20 tires. I have had 12 tires which had to be replaced when they were ruined after going flat from puntures as well as numerous flat repairs. Complaints to both daimler Chrysler and Goodyear yielded nothing but comments of surprise on both their parts with a reminder that there is no warranty on the tires. The Dodge brochure says off road rated tires, Goodyear says excellent off road traction. The tires have no puncture resistance, the present tires have hundreds of cuts, some through to the belts. Last new tire blew with just 100 miles on it. First flat was at 250 miles on vehicle. When the tires are punctured the inner liner splits making repairs improbable. Goodyear is the only manufacturer of that size tire so there are no alternatives. …
Wheels on my 2002 Dodge Ram with 17 inch alloy (grey looking) option wheels has air ventalation openings for the rotors which is too small and doesn't allow enough air to cool off rotors. .this defect in the wheels opening causes rotors to overheat quickly and not be able to cool off. This warps the rotors causing increased stopping distances, and shimmy or shake when brakes applied. Truck vibrates harshly at highway speeds when going to slow down at off ramps. If wheels were designed to allow more air. I have brought to dealer to check brake system and it's found that brakes are fine but rotors are warped. 3000 miles later and rotors are warped again. This will keep happening unless I change rims and my Dodge Ram . At Dodge truck world.com there is a list of owners with same problem . This also could cause fire or inability to stop.
The 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 slt was bought in 2006. 2 months later, the rear end had to be replaced. No warranty. (2000.00 out of pocket). Six months later, the front end went out. (2083.00 out of pocket). No more problems until 6 months ago. Had to replace all wheel bearings and brakes ( 1500.00 out of pocket) now, my mechanic says that the brakes and front suspension has to be replaced(another 2300.00 out of pocket) this truck has never been taken off-road. It has been very well taken care of. Dodge has been notified,no response. How can they expect us to keep buying their vehicles, when they can't or won't tell us what is going on? I have not received a recall for any of the things that have happened.
At speeds above 30 MPH, vehicle demonstrates lack of control when encountering rough/uneven road surface. Vehicle experiences excessive jump/bounce in front and rear suspension. Tire pressure decreased from tire manufacturer recommended 44 psi to Dodge recommended 35 psi. This action helped to restore low speed control. Vehicle still has control loss at highway speeds of 65 MPH and greater. Dealer contacted and stated had not heard of the problem, but would look into problem. Note: vehicle is a swb standard cab version of the Ram 1500. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**768036
Related recalls
Tires
On certain 4x4 pickup trucks equipped with the snow plow preparation package, the tires supplied on some vehicles May have gross axle weight ratings that slightly exceed the maximum tire load capacity as defined in federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will provide replacement p245/75r16 tires to meet the load carrying capacity specified on the vehicle certification label and accommodate the addition of a commercially available snow plow and hardware.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2002 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, 4% of the model year's 815 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 wheel & tire problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-504 (tires, Dec 10, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 32,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to wheels & tires 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.