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 2001 Dodge Ram owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: on August 30, 2005 the caller's husband was involved in an accident while traveling 25 MPH. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. The caller's vehicle hit a school bus. There was no indication that the air bag would not deploy. Caller's husband was injured. A police report was taken. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. Caller said a week before the wreck she had the vehicle at the dealer for brakes, she said the brakes locked and the tires made a screeching sound. She did not know if the brakes and the accident were connected. The consumer stated there was another accident prior in which the air bags did not deploy.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram. While driving approximately 35 MPH on normal road conditions, the contact veered off the road to avoid striking a deer. Instead, the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The police and ambulance were called to the scene and a police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and the front end was completely destroyed. The manufacturer was notified and the insurance company has not yet determined the cause of the air bag failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 94,000.
During a head-on collision with another truck neither of the airbags in my 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab deployed. Combined speed at impact was around 60 MPH and the damage to my truck was such that it was considered a total loss. The dealer and my insurance company both indicated that it would be a good idea to pass this information on to you for any follow-up you might wish to conduct.
Dt: the air bags on the driver and passenger sides did not deploy. This happened on September 28, 2005. Contacted the manufacturer, there was no forewarning , and the airbag warning light was not on prior to the crash. This was a frontal impact, it totaled both vehicles involved.
While driving at 50 MPH on a raining day consumer applied the brakes and vehicle slid and hit another vehicle, rear ending it. Upon impact,air bags failed to deploy. Driver sustained chest injuries.
I had complete frontal impact and air bag did not deploy. Truck is possibly being estimated a total loss. I hit and snapped a telephone pole, 3 cement barriers and a tree. Safety belt was being used.
Bought a 2001 Dodge quad cab sport 4x4 in 2003. The dash had a small crack on the drivers side at time of purchase. The crack spread rapidly to all areas of the dashboard. I used protectants, adhesives and dashboard shades and a dash pad to prevent further spread to no avail. During one evening trip,I hit a bump in the road and the entire dash caved in causing the instrument cluster to lose lighting. I had to collect all the extremely sharp shards of plastic out of the dashboard recess to look for the problem. It was during this incident that a extremely sharp piece of plastic cut deep into my right hand. I should have gotten stitches, but used gauze and wrap until healed. What would have happened if the airbag was deployed with loose plastic parts flying all over the place? Survive the crash and then die from massive lacerations from broken dash pieces? …
In a head-on collision, the air-bag did not deploy for the driver. Dodge inspected and claimed that the collision was slightly or not perfectly straight-on (damage is across entire front and passenger had to be pried-out of the vehicle). The auto club declared the vehicle a total loss. Owner believes air-bags should have worked. A second opinion, other than by the mfg. Is desired. Wife of driver believes she heard a recall on the news for steering on Dodge trucks having to do with airbags but cannot find it in writing. Please advise.
While driving 35 MPH and without warning, a head-on collision occurred. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Consumer states that the accelerator stuck, causing vehicle to rev to 6000 rpms, vehicle hit an embankment and tore down a fence, the left rear seatbelt did not hold one of the passengers, causing injuries, dealer stated the failure was the computer, the manufacturer stated the problem was the floormat, consumer states vehicles rpms still fluctuate too much.
The brake pedal went to the floor while traveling on the highway. This caused consumer's vehicle to rear end a tractor trailer, lost control of the vehicle, and flipped twice , landing on the shoulder of the highway. Upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. Driver sustained head and back injuries, and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The vehicle was towed.
Related recalls
Air bags
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the Ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from May 16, 2000 through October 23, 2000; st.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began June 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed,…
Airbag complaints in other Ram years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2001 Dodge Ram?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the air bags of the 2001 Dodge Ram, 12% of the model year's 459 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (34 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Ram airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-153 (air bags, May 8, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Dodge Ram airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 43 crashes, 0 fires and 26 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.