AI Damage2003 Dodge RAM Quad CAB: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Dodge RAM Quad CAB filed 122 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 122
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 37% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 6% of all complaints
- Structure: 45 complaints (37% of all).
- Service brakes: 20 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 13 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (9% of all).
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 122 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed and the vehicle was destroyed. The vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v312000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle is a total loss and my husband and I both received head and face injuries from hitting the dash and/or the steering wheel.
Brake failure had 2 accidects because of this and dodge will not take responsibility I have had this truck for only 6 months and already have a brake failure
While driving approximately 55 mph vehicle hit three cows that were in the road and the front air bags did not deploy. Driver was transported to the emergency room for treatment of back pain. Also, the driver had an appointment to check for any internal head injuries.
"dead pedal" sometimes the throttle will surge then drop off other times when slowing the trans (automatic) will start to chatter as if a manual,. I use a store purchased obd computer to reset. Get codes 2121, 2123 sometimes 0700. This sometimes takes 2-3 times to reset. Very unsafe and dangerous.
Wipers do what they want to, no- off dont seat stop in middle of windshield
While driving the valve spring broke and dropped the valve into the cylinder causing engine damage. This is a common problem on the 5.7 hemi engine . One that dodge is well aware of . There should be some sort of favor given on the matter .
I have noticed some noise and vibration coming from the steering and suspension coming from the front end. I've researched and found that chrysler/dodge has issued a recall (n49, n62 and nhtsa 13-v528) that does not include my vehicle but should be included after further inspections.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,101 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RAM Quad CAB has 149 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 122, below average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Dodge RAM Quad CAB?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, service brakes, suspension. Total complaints: 122. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (11%), jerking, harsh shifts (4%), windows, sunroof (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Dodge RAM Quad CAB?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Dodge RAM Quad CAB from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.