2003 Dodge Ram problems & reliability
53 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Dodge Ram, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2003 Dodge Ram vehicles were involved in 247 fatal crashes with 119 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 15% |
| Structure | 8 | 15% |
| Power Train | 6 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 8% |
| Steering | 4 | 8% |
| Visibility | 4 | 8% |
| Suspension | 3 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 50,534 miles (middle 50% between 13,750 and 79,321 miles), based on 24 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The ventilation system failed as is common with these vehicles. Due to weal parts, the, "doors" that control air flow through the ventilation ducts broke. I have slowly replace each of the four doors as they failed. As they went out it affected every aspect of ventilation, including the defrost. After doing some…”
Visibility · filed Aug 27, 2012
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge ram. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph and attempting to brake, the vehicle hesitated to come to a full stop. The contact released the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated independently. The electronic throttle control warning light was also illuminated. The vehicle was…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Jul 3, 2012
“Passenger side grab handle failed while entering vehicle. Passenger lost balance and fell to the ground. *tr”
Structure · filed May 13, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FALSE PARK
Engineering Analysis EA04025 · opened Aug 26, 2004 · closed Dec 22, 2005 · led to recall 05V462000
Technical service bulletins
63 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Dodge Ram. The 10 most recent:
Dodge: electronic fuel control actuator (fca) available for service/new diagnostics available for dtc p0251. Engine surges at idle or mil illumination. Further investigation may identify dtc p0251-cp3 pump regulator…
SB-14-001-10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 2, 2010
Positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system freezes in extreme cold ambient temperatures -- involves installing revised pcv system components. *nj
2500108 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2008
Trailer towing mirror - new mirror glass locking tab - new removal procedure. *kb
2301307 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2007
5.9l turbo - diesel engine system enhancements. *kb
1802207 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 14, 2007
Front end shimmy on 4x4 vehicles when traveling over rough surfaces in the road. *kb
2200506 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 7, 2006
Powertrain control module initialization. *kb
0803006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 25, 2006
5.9l turbo-diesel engine system enhancements. *tt
1802206 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2006
Rear suspension vibration while driving at highway speeds. *tt
06003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 2, 2006
Positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system freezes in extreme cold ambient temperatures. *tt
2500106 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2006
45rfe/545rfe trans - delayed engagement due to cooler return filter replacement. *sc
2101505 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2005
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2003 Dodge Ram has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Dodge Ram?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 50,534 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.