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 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The dash on this truck has cracked and fallen in, exposing the wiring inside the dash to the sun. The wiring insulation is not rated for exposure to direct sunlight (uv exposure) and is decomposing, putting the truck at risk of a fire initiating inside the cab at highway speeds, due to exposed wiring shorting to ground. Dodge refuses to remedy it, despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue with them. It is my understanding that this is a widespread issue, yet the nhtsb has not forced Chrysler/Fiat into a recall, claiming that it isn't a safety issue. Do you need to see death before you act?
I have a 2001 3500 Dodge Ram truck, about a month ago I took my truck in to the front aligned and they found that the frame where the steering box is the frame has cracked in it on both side of the frame, causing the steering box to have play it. They said they could not realigned the front end, that the frame needs to be welded and it was going to cost me 2,500.00 . So I park the truck because it is unsafe to drive. The other day I went to move the truck and the steering box fell off the frame, and the crack in the frame on the truck got bigger. I have to strap the steering box to the frame to get it moved we I called Dodge about if there was any recalls on the frame they said no, they ask me how many miles were on the truck and I said what does that have any thing do with it. At this point the truck is unsafe to drive and I 'm still paying the load on it. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the dashboard deteriorated to the point that the plastic was warped and caved into the electrical wiring and components intermittently, causing the instrument panel to fail sporadically. The headlights were also low and the contact had attempt to use the dimmer to no avail. Also, the service engine and air bag sensor illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who diagnosed that the oxygen sensor was defective and that the dashboard could be replaced at the owners expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000
2001 Dodge Ram 3500 dashboard failure!! Dash started getting large cracks in it several years ago, now I removed it to replace the heater core and the dash fell apart into, literally 22 pieces. After trying to find one I go to realize this is a common and major safety problem for this year and after phone calls to the Dodge dealer and to Dodge themselves they do not care nor do they want to help and good luck affording a new one. Only thing I can find that is reasonably priced is a dash `cover` but I do not even have enough large pieces of dash to reinstall to even cover it.
2001 Dodge 3500 pickup, bought used 2 years ago with one small crack in the dash cover. Now the cover has disintegrated over the steering wheel leaving a large hole in the cover. There has been no accident yet but there is the potential if left as it is for damage to wiring/components behind the dash that were not meant to be exposed. An internet search reveals many others with the same complaint.
The dash in my truck is falling apart, there is a large hole in my dash that is a huge distraction while I'm driving, the rest of my dash is going to fall apart at any time now. I have contacted Dodge about this, they will not repair it, I believe it is a manufacturer defect. And thus should be repaired by the manufacturer. I do not know of any other manufacturer that has this kind of problem.
2001 Dodge Ram 3500, dash board has completely cracked apart with large section cracked out. It began with a crack extending from the defroster vent and encompassed the whole dash in a matter of weeks. Dodge has refused to acknowledged the problem even though it is wide spread. This is a safety issue particularly if an air bag deployment happened the shards from this dash are like a razor.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 3500.the contact stated that the dashboard had slowly disintegrated over the last two years. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified, but no repair was perfoemed and the contact was advised to keep the dashboard covered. The failure mileage was 99,000 and the current mileage was 182,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I have an 2001 Dodge Ram 3500. The dash is broken in many places and falling into the dash compartment. I am worried that this May cause problems with wiring or airbag components if not fixed. There is no reason Dodge should not have issued a recall for this problem. It seams to be a very common problems with Dodge trucks.
I have a 2001 Dodge 3500 and a 2002 Dodge 1500 both of them have extremely bad cracks in the dash. The 3500's dash is the worst of the two it is starting to cave in my fuel level gauge and A/C doesn't work because of the pressure on the connectors. It continues to get worst and Dodge should be held accountable for this.
Body complaints in other Ram 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Dodge Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Dodge Ram 3500, 24% of the model year's 130 complaints. The component named most often is body (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 Dodge Ram 3500, 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 3500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 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.