Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The dashboard around the instrument cluster, radio, and heat/ac controls is breaking into pieces. I am concerned that this will be a safety issue in the event of an accident. This is because of the sharp and jagged edges and loose material all throughout the dash area. Currently I have zip ties holding my heat/ac controls in place and 2 remaining factory screws holding my radio in place. The top portion of the dash also has failed and fallen apart over the years and due to safety concerns, I have already replaced it. I have been unsuccessful in finding a suitable replacement lower dash assembly to replace mine with.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured. The dashboard was previously replaced twice for the same failure. The contact was afraid that the air bags would deploy without warning. The dealer was not notified of the failure and no repairs were made. The failure mileage was 90,000.
The metal surrounding the door latch has ripped in half leaving a gaping seam and the door latch will not keep the driver's side door safely closed. Therefor, because this is a daily driver for me, I have to use a 1,000 lb cargo strap to keep the door shut until I can find a way to get it fixed.
The dash just started to crack and fall apart into small and large very sharp pieces. What would happen in an accident? These sharp plastic parts could fly right into the driver and passengers faces.
I am the owner of a 2000 model Dodge Ram 2500. The truck is an extra vehicle that is seldom used with only 43,000 miles and is very well taken care of. Two years ago the dash began cracking just in front of the driver. I was concerned, but thought it was just sun damage to my specific vehicle. Within only months the problem had grown and there were many other cracks from end to end on the dash. A local body shop looked at the problem and gave me an estimate of nearly $1000 to replace the dash. Still assuming this was an isolated problem with only my vehicle, I decided to purchase a dash cover to hide the unsightly cracks and possibly protect it from further damage in lieu of the expensive dash replacement. The dash cover did hide the cracks, but did nothing slow down the continual cracking. …
I am a owner of a 2000 Dodge Ram truck (2500, 4x4, ext cab 104,000K miles). My complaint is about the dash board cracking or better yet becoming brittle. Right now I have countless cracks and a softball size hole on the passenger side of the dash. I don?t dare touch the dash as I fear of it collapsing. While owning the truck I lived in buffalo ny and now south carolina. Throughout my ownership of the vehicle I have used sun shades to protect the interior of my vehicle. I have own countless vehicles and live in az for 9 years and have never seen a dash break down like mine has. I will have to go to the dealership and have them replace it at my expense as it is a serious safety issue. One could spend hours even days reading about all the complaints about Dodge dash boards cracking and shattering. …
After the purchase of a 2000 Dodge Ram 4x4 in 2003 I noticed cracks in the dash. Within two weeks the cracks quickly spread and evolved into huge holes until there was very little of the dash left. After the dash fell apart the lights periodically began to fail, the cruise control quit working then began working with a mind of its own,,, speeding up and slowing down and total shut off. Heater quit working immediately,,, Dodge refused to do any repairs what so ever, stating it was not under warranty nor was it a recall item, therefore they have no responsibility in the matter. I know of at least 6 friends that owe the same vehicle and have the same problem and were told the same by Dodge. I never intend on purchasing another Dodge product again. Please help ...........
First of all, does anyone at the NHTSA even read these complaints? Much less, do they even act on these complaints? And what does it take for them to act? I too have a 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 truck that has a dashboard that's been falling apart for the last five years. I have a football size hole in mine. It too, is so brittle I dare not touch it. I have read dozens of complaints on this problem from multiple sources, yet nothing is being done by the NHTSA to force Dodge/Chrysler to correct it. Why is that? Do they need to wait until a serious injury or death occurs before acting.......or do you need to have multiple serious injuries or deaths?
I cleaned the dust off the dash board and noticed a crack forming from one of the vents, on the passenger side, at the windshield moving toward the interior. Today, 4/20/2012, I noticed another crack, on the driver's side, coming from the vent up over the top. It is 10-12" long already. I did an internet search and it seems that there are many others with the same problem. It appears that once this starts, the entire dash begins to self-destruct. This is very dangerous as pieces can go flying in the event of an accident and air-bag deployment.
The dash is badly cracked, from the heating duct in several directions including over the speedometer and toward the passenger side. A piece has fallen in. It appears more will, too. I understand from others with this problem the whole dash will eventually fall in and that Dodge takes no responsibility for what appears to be a very common manufacturing defect in this make of truck. The cracking is not crazed as would be expected from uv damage. This is an ongoing problem that has slowly worsened over the course of several years.
Body complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Dodge Ram 2500, 27% of the model year's 211 complaints. The component named most often is body (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2000 Dodge Ram 2500, though it has 1 recall 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 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
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.