Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the driveshaft detached. Due to the failure, the gear oil and rear differential fluid leaked out of the vehicle. The contact was able to temporarily repair the driveshaft. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Additionally, the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V312000 (Air Bags) however, the contact was informed that due to a crack in the dashboard, he would be charged for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
The reason the owners of these Dodges is that the dealers break the already brittle dash boards and REFUSE to repair or replace the dashboard. So most wont have the recall performed. So until the dealers are forced to repair/replace the brittle dashes when they perform these recalls then people will not have it addressed. Also i have owned my Dodge since October 2022. Truck is registered with dodge on the website and yet to receive a recall notice in the mail. Now if i go and look it shows the recall on my truck but many do not register their vehicles with the manufacturers website. All in all the EXPENSIVE dashboards being broke by dealerships performing the recall is why owners wont go thru it. Many have paid thousands in getting the dashes fixed. Also id think brittle dashboards that turn sharp daggers would be a safety hazard as well but yet no recall. …
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V312000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired; however, the contact was informed that the part to do the recall repair was on back order. The contact stated that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles(DMV) had placed a hold on the registration of the vehicle, preventing the contact from being able to operate the vehicle on public roadways. The contact stated that the manufacturer had failed to provide the remedy within a reasonable amount of time. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owned a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V312000 (Air Bags) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list as she no longer owns the vehicle. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
brought my 2003 dodge ram 1500 to Romeo dodge to have a Passenger Airbag Recall Repair on [redacted] and I was called one hour later and told my airbag replacement was finished and I could pick up my truck. So i picked up my truck and drove it from Romeo dodge [redacted] to [redacted] where I live I parked the truck . We were sick for a few days after we parked the truck home it wasnt moved at all until a few days later I tried to start my truck and it would not start , so i tried again and the truck started briefly and the gauges were going crazy and truck started bogging badly and shut off and wouldn't start again so I complained to Romeo dodge about this and the service manager Jason said the truck drove home to my house fine and that whatever is wrong is not romeo dodge's responsibility . …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the doors on the front passenger and the rear passenger side failed to open. Also, the contact mentioned that the windows and the locks would not operate. The contact stated that this was a recurring failure. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the vehicle was working up to specifications. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash and the air bags failed to deploy. No further details of the crash were provided. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000. The VIN was not available.
My girlfriend used the brakes and the ABS system would allow her to slow down and regain control cause it kept kicking the pedal back with no braking control whatsoever. She hit a guard rail and as the air bag deployed a piece of metal inside the steering column caused approx a 1 1/2 inch tear in the side of the air bag causing to not inflate and causing damage to her neck severally to the point where she needs surgery now to have cervical vertebrae fused together and extreme shoulder pain and unsure of the cause for that now. If this air bag would not have tore and worked properly she would have a soar face right now and not needing surgery. Yes we fully intend to start making inquiries to lawyers starting 3/2/2015 and find a remedy because with all the air bag problems Dodge has had this should have never happened.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. During the crash, the front end sustained severe damage. The vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained facial, upper torso, and right hand injuries. Passenger number two sustained a head laceration and concussion. Passage number three sustained an upper torso injury. Passenger number four, who was seated next to the window, sustained an upper torso and left leg injury. All four passengers in the vehicle were seated in the first row and received medical attention. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40-50 MPH, the truck in front collided with another vehicle as a result the truck bounced back colliding with the front driver's side of the contact's vehicle. The contact stated the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a small facial fracture and oral lacerations which required medical attention. The contact stated that to his knowledge there were no other injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was deemed a total loss. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 174,000.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle, went off the road, and crashed into a river bed. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact blacked out briefly, but woke up. The contact sustained a bump on the head and was airlifted to the hospital for medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and later towed to the contact's residence. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V312000 (air bags). The failure mileage was approximately 35,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured August 29, 2002, to July 25, 2003 to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 458 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, 39% of the model year's 1,171 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-312 (inflator module, May 26, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 35 crashes, 1 fire and 47 injuries and 1 death to air bags 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.