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 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle suddenly crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The front passenger sustained bruises and cuts that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000. The VIN was not available.
Safety issue 1..interior dash board first cracked, then cracked all over, then finally fell apart. The safety issue is pieces of the dash made up of plastic is breaking up in large sharp chunks when a bump in the road is encountered or jarring occurs. When going over a rr track a 5" jagged piece broke off and a small shard hit me in the eye. This issue is way more than cosmetic. I am the original owner and the dealer will not take any responsibility for this defective product. Safety issue 2.. Air bag light has been on for several years and intermittent. I received an air bag recall and I took the truck to the dealer for corrective action. After so called fix, the warning light was off for 1 day then came back on. The dealer states the recall has nothing to do with the warning lights. Now I have a current 2nd air bag recall. …
"Takata recall" my vehicle has been recalled twice over this issue, each time the repair has been completed. The current problem with my vehicle relates to the air bag module. My air bag warning light came on about a month ago at which time I took it to my local Dodge dealership thinking the airbags had gone bad again. I was advised the airbags were fine but the control module had failed. Then I was told that Chrysler Dodge no longer makes the replacement module and they would have to seek one from a salvage company they do business with. My question is simple, how can a manufacture decide to stop making a crucial component to the air bag system. I was advised that in the event of a crash the air bags would not inflate. It has been over a month now and the dealership still hasn't located a module but are continuing to search for one. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 15V286000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was 250,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V770000 (air bags) however, the dealer refused to honor the recall because the dashboard was damaged. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Takata recall - FCA claims it continues to have no parts available to replace the defective passenger side airbag inflator in the vehicle!!! This issue has been outstanding for over 6 months! We cannot operate a vehicle with safety equipment known to be defective. We need immediate resolution.
Safety recall notice p78 / NHTSA 14v-770 I have received several notices about this safety issue over the past year. Called dealer for service each time and every few months and they always tell me no parts are available yet. At what point is the manufacturer required to resolve this issue?
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle rear ended another vehicle while traveling 45 MPH and the airbags did not deploy. The driver hit the steering wheel causing a bloody lip. The non-service dealer expressed that the airbags should have deployed. There was a police report taken.
The dashboard on my 2003 Dodge 3500 quad cab had developed cracks which has split the dash into pieces directly in front of the passenger seat and directly over the passenger side airbag. The cracks and broken dash pieces will not allow the passenger side airbag to deploy properly in the event of a crash and not only will the airbag harm the passenger, the broken pieces of dash will be dangerous as well. This vehicle has been properly maintained, and is in good condition. The dash cracked and broke as a result of normal driving; the vehicle has never been in an accident. The dealer said that the vehicle is out of warranty and will not pay to replace the dash. Not only will the airbag not deploy properly due to the cracked and broken dash and threaten the passenger, it could also deploy in a manner hazardous to the driver. …
"Takata recall" none repair from over a year ago on 3/12/2015 I first took my vehicle, 2003 Dodge Ram 3500, to sunland park Dodge dealership on 950 crocket st el paso, tx 799222 [phone] for the safety recall #p78 /NHTSA 14v-770, the passenger airbag inflator housing May rupture and was given a service #cbdzp403aa. I was advised that part needs to be ordered and I would be called for the repair. Throughout the year of 2015, I called the dealership and the part did not come in. On 3/08/2016 I took in my vehicle for the same recall, of the passenger airbag inflator May rupture, but it now had a different recall #r26 /NHTSA 15v-312. This new recall number still indicated it was for the same problem of the passenger airbag inflator housing May rupture. I was advised by the service receptionist, catalina, that Chrysler still has not made these parts. …
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 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 80 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 Dodge Ram 3500, 28% of the model year's 286 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 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 3500 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries 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.