Dodge RAM 3500 complaints by model year
3,084 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 366 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| 2011 | 225 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 2010 | 150 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 2009 | 105 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| 2008 | 173 | 9 | 14 | 9 |
| 2007 | 210 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
| 2006 | 257 | 15 | 4 | 8 |
| 2005 | 196 | 23 | 6 | 4 |
| 2004 | 214 | 42 | 4 | 4 |
| 2003 | 286 | 9 | 1 | 6 |
| 2002 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 130 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000 | 58 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1999 | 104 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 | 105 | 12 | 10 | 0 |
| 1997 | 125 | 4 | 12 | 1 |
| 1996 | 124 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| 1995 | 108 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 1994 | 70 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| 1993 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2003–2012. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 37 | 41 | 61 | 75 | 88 | 94 | 69 | 92 | 164 | 222 |
| Air bags | 80 | 43 | 33 | 33 | 36 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| Suspension | 32 | 25 | 17 | 20 | 31 | 22 | 12 | 23 | 28 | 36 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 15 | 15 | 52 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 45 |
| Power train | 26 | 64 | 32 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 28 |
| Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 17 | 21 | 35 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 7 | 7 | 44 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Structure | 53 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Dodge RAM 3500 recalls (32)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one RAM 3500 model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21V398000 | May 27, 2021 | Wheel Studs May Break | 2012 | 59.4% |
| 19V018000 | Jan 15, 2019 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2010 | 63.9% |
| 18V021000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2010 | 53.7% |
| 17V824000 | Dec 21, 2017 | Fire Extinguisher May Be Clogged or Inoperable | 2012 | 48.3% |
| 17V821000 | Dec 20, 2017 | Vehicle May Rollaway | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 59.5% |
| 16V947000 | Dec 22, 2016 | Do Not Drive - Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture | 2010 | 59.2% |
| 16V739000 | Oct 13, 2016 | Alternator may Fail Resulting in Engine Stall/Fire | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 66.7% |
| 16V352000 | May 24, 2016 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture | 2006–2010 | 43.5% |
| 15V459000 | Jul 22, 2015 | Inadvertent Driver Air Bag Deployment | 2012 | 74.6% |
| 15V312000 | May 26, 2015 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture | 2003 | 25.6% |
| 15V313000 | May 26, 2015 | Do Not Drive - Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture | 2006–2009 | 47.1% |
| 14V795000 | Dec 16, 2014 | Clutch Ignition Interlock Switch | 2006, 2007 | 31.7% |
| 14V770000 | Dec 3, 2014 | Passenger Air Bag Inflator May Rupture | 2004, 2005 | 23% |
| 14V635000 | Oct 8, 2014 | Fuel Heater may Leak and could Increase Fire Risk | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 71% |
| 13V528000 | Nov 6, 2013 | Failure of the Left Tie Rod Assembly | 2003–2008 | 32% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Where to next
Dodge RAM 3500 FAQ
How many recalls has the Dodge RAM 3500 had?
NHTSA lists 32 recall campaigns that cover at least one Dodge RAM 3500 model year from 1991 to 2012. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Dodge RAM 3500 year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2012 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (366) and the 2002 the fewest (44). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Dodge RAM 3500 problems?
Across the 2003–2012 model years, owners most often name the steering, air bags, suspension in complaints filed with NHTSA.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.