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 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The dashboard in this truck has been crumbling to pieces. It is to the point now the gauge cluster and passenger air bag are barely in place. This is a common occurrence on all of these dodge rams and it is definitely a safety hazard
Broken dash parts are falling inside the dash and my headlights have developed an intermittent while driving at night they simply turn off for a brief period of time I recycle the switch and a few seconds they come back on at highway speeds this is a serious safety issue additionally the broken dash cap is distracting this creating an issue and distracted driving in ohio is illegal. I have researched this issue and amazed to find out it covers multiple years and there are hundreds of complaints o n line related to this issue. Additionally there are wires exposed to the occupants and I am not sure they are safe they can easily become work and shorted out thus creating a fire hazard/ please help by recalling this issue to Dodge..
1.) after opening the hood the rubber strip running across the top edge of the firewall (where back of hood meets) May become dislodged and fall onto the turbocharger housing. 2.) this occurs almost every time hood is opened. The last time I had to open the hood it was dark and I did not notice that it had become detached again when I closed the hood. 3.) since the rubber had caught on fire I removed it and allowed it to burn itself out on my driveway. The last time it came in contact with the turbo I was able to notice it before it actually had caught on fire, this time I was not so lucky.
Brakes failed when applied. ABS and brake warning lights came on with very little braking. After hard braking application the tires locked and slid about 5 inches in damp backtop and hit a car stopped at a light. Had plenty of time to brake but no or very little braking action. Later inspection showed that one of the brake lines rusted through and lost pressure. This is the second time this has happened. These trucks are prone to brake line rusting. Driver seemed to be fine and drove away after exchanging info. He later claimed injury.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked to the point that it fractured into pieces. The contact was concerned that the failure could affect other components. The contact did not know if the dashboard was uv coated. Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of great falls (4025 10th ave s, great falls, mt 59405, [phone]) was notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard cracked and fractured in the vehicle. The manufacturer stated that the dashboard was not under warranty and the vehicle would have the same defective dashboard installed. The cracks were six to eight inches wide and started to appear on July 22, 2006. The manufacturer never attempted to repair the dashboard. The failure mileage was 103,000. Ma 09/25 updated 10/19/2017
Driving down the highway hood flew open at 65 MPH. I had been driving the truck for several hours previously never touched the hood latch release arm in the truck in fact the hood had not been open in several weeks. I think there are still faulty hood latches out there on some of these trucks and the owners need to be notified.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the dashboard was defective and exhibited fractures on the driver's side. The dashboard was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 105,000.
I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500, and my dash is falling in. My dash started cracking several months ago and has recently started falling to pieces which are being lost inside the dash. When I googled a replacement dash I found countless others who are having the exact same problem. Local 6 news out of florida did a story on this problem and even has a report of the falling debris cutting into the wiring causing the headlights to turn off while driving at night. I have not contacted Dodge directly. I did go to the dealership and all they offered was to sell me a new dash at appx. $500. When I googled this problem, several of the people who had complained to Dodge were given the same form letter telling them in short that this was not a common problem resulting in a recall and that there was nothing that they could do. …
I own a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 that I bought new. It has 115,753 miles to this date. The truck is kept under a shed 90% of the time and still looks great on the outside. I recently noticed a crack in the dash bezel and now have large cracks all over the top of the dash. I have read and seen many Dodge trucks with this same problem. The cracks turn into large holes with sharp edges. As many complaints as I have seen just on the internet, this has got to be a manufacturing defect. I have only been searching on the computer for less than an hour and have found hundreds of complaints. I know that this is a 7 year old truck, but it has been taken care of. I have had many small problems with my truck since it was new, but nothing that I thought was a widespread problem. I usually just have fixed what is broke, but from what I have read this problem will just come back again. …
Body complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 181 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500, 39% of the model year's 469 complaints. The component named most often is body (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 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 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 1% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 7 injuries to body & structure 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.