Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
After driving in heavy rain. During the following day started having electrical issues the parking lights would stay on even when the switch was turned off the driver's side headlight would also come on. and the parking lights would either turn off or flash when the high beams were turned on this happened with front and back parking lights the only way to fully get them to stay off was to pull the relay or disconnect the battery. The problem is with the power distribution center and front control module the poor design allows them to corrode damaging the copper tracing and causing shorts in the system this is a common problem as there are several online forums dedicated to these problems with a lot of people having the same issues so I'm not sure why there hasn't been a recall for this since it is a major safety problem when it affects lights, windshield wipers and several other things …
The mechanism (HVAC) that directs hot and cold air among the windshield, dash, and floor failed. It was a very cold day in December and I was attending a funeral 150 miles from home. It was a safety concern because the windshield kept frosting up and my feet became very cold because all the heat was coming out of the dash. The HVAC could not be fixed en route because (1) it took three weeks to get a new HVAC housing, (2) it was a Saturday afternoon and repair stations were closed, and (3) the repair takes about 8 hours because the entire dash has to be removed to replace the HVAC housing and doors. It cost $1,417.45 to fix. (I can furnish a copy of the invoice if you like.) I have learned that the failure of this hard-to-get-at plastic housing is not uncommon among Dodge trucks. …
Multiple breaks in the vent portion of the dash cover with missing pieces and the main dash component is completely cracked through on the passenger side. With the ventilation system on, pieces of plastic and deteriorated insulation blows freely in the cab of the truck. With the dash continuing to crack and break apart pieces of plastic have dropped below the dash and could potentially could expose and cause wiring problems with the electrical system. The cracked dash is a danger to the eyes of anyone riding in the vehicle with the ventilation system circulating condition air. I fear that the dash will act as shrapnel in the event of air bag deployment. ...updated 07/30/15
I was riding down the road in my Ram 2500 pickup on a cold snowy day in central ny when my defroster just stopped working. I was forced to pull off the road nearly driving into a ditch because I was unable to see. The windshield was completely fogged over. I made it home stopping every mile to wipe the windshield so I could see. Iwas told this is a very common problem with these trucks and an expensive fix. How is a recall not done on these trucks? If this is not a safety issue, I don't know what is!!! I am looking into filing charges against Dodge for the simple fact that they now about these problems and have done nothing to correct them.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 05V462000 (power train) and 15V312000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Updated 08/17/16 the consumer stated the transmission failed at 2,500 miles. The ball joints and water pump failed and the windshield leaked. Updated 10/26/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while driving over a bump at an unknown speed, the driver side sun visors fractured and obstructed the view of the contact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000. Ma 08/13/15 updated 09/10/15 the consumer stated the sun visor never fractured, but would pivot down. This would block the view of the roadway. Updated 12/1/2015
I'm a 3 time Dodge owner currently have a 2003 Ram 2500 slt Hemi, 2004 Ram 1500 short bed, 2005 durango Hemi. Each one has problems. What I don't understand is how the NHTSA and Dodge don't see the safety danger involved. The 2003 has the most serious safety issues. A dash that is cracking so bad that pieces are now starting to fall out. If an accident were to occur this is a projectile hazard . I have taken pictures of the dash. I hope know one gets injured from projectile fragments of the dash. The more serious issue with the 2003 is the flapper door on the actuator motor that changes the air flow from vent to floor or defrost. Dodge does not see this as a safety issue. I don't see the difference between the defrost to the windshield not working and a windshield wiper recall; they both affect your view. We don't drive the pickup if ice and snow are in the forecast. …
I was driving down the road and turned on the heater in my truck and the windshield immediately fogged up to the point I could not see. I had to roll down the window to see out and to pull over to the side of the road to avoid a head on collision. Once I was stopped I noticed the problem was no matter what position I set the defrost or heat on, the air only blew out the vents on the dash panel. I went to the Dodge dealer and they told me the whole dash had to come out of my truck, drain the cooling system and air conditioning system to replace some broken plastic parts, costing around 1,500.00 to 2,000.00. After researching this problem on line, I have found numerous people, all with the same problem. I feel this is a safety hazard because within 5 seconds my vision was completely obstructed and could have not only resulted in my death but that of someone else. …
The defrost door and the blend door in my 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 is inoperative. It failed during the winter of 2007. The windshield will not clear thus causing an extreme hazard when attempting to drive the vehicle in inclement weather.I took the vehicle to the dealership in May 2008 and they admitted there was a problem and that there was a technical service bulletin but would not cover the repair due to being out of warranty. I agreed to pay for the repair. Upon them repairing it they discovered that all of the inside duct doors had failed and charged me to replace all of them. It has again broken and the dealer will not cover the repairs. I asked how it could fail again and they told me Chrysler has not corrected the failed parts and are providing faulty parts for the repairs. I contacted Chrysler and they declined any assistance. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Dodge 2500. The contact stated that the wiring harness failed and was repaired under warranty. On a separate occasion, the defroster and windshield wipers failed. While utilizing the driver's side turn signal, the passenger side turn signal would illuminate instead. This failure was also repaired under warranty. In addition, the contact was experiencing very hard vibrations form the front end of the vehicle. He struck a squirrel in the road and nearly lost control of the vehicle due to the vibrations. A local service dealer replaced the steering linkages in the vehicle at the contact's expense. He later received a recall notice for the suspension and excessive vibrations (steering linkages). The NHTSA campaign id number was unknown. The current and failure mileages were less than 120,000.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500, 5% of the model year's 661 complaints. The component named most often is rearview mirrors/devices (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500, though it has 6 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 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 11% 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.