Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Sigma tires stampede tires -265 75 16 at splitting tread and coming apart -told recall only last ten* years**-nothing to do and no replacement-tire kingdom* truck vibrates and shakes, loud thud,thud, noise(in motion) affects steering as wobbles always issues as rough**riding over the years and never knew why*
My ball joints, tie rods, steering box, all that has to do with those areas have serious issues and Dodge needs to fox them for free put them under the recall dept so they can be. Steering wheel very loose tons of play very dangerous.
I own a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.2 liter engine. The engine oil light would flicker when stopped at a stop sign in drive. I took it to the Dodge dealership and they said that the engine would have to be replaced due to the wear. I have used mobile 1 synthetic oil since the breakin oil and never let the oil in the vehicle over 4,000 miles. Each time the oil filter was also changed. The vehicle has 106,000 miles on it and the engine replacement is costing me $4.700. I've been told that the 5.2 liter engine does not handle synthetic oil well. The oil does not return to the oil pan fast enough to keep the bottom of the engine lubricated. I find this hard to believe but I've never wore out an engine before. My question is how can an engine wear out when it was taken such good care of? …
S,bar link ,replaced twice within 3 weeks ,no good.transmission failure took to transmission shop ,replaced pressure sol,governor,gov switch,switchand seleriond,still acting the same.left controlarmandboltkit , also say needs right side .will not alligne .light under hood comes on when driving ,and horn does not work no one can fig out why ..?Dodge should cover all tranny and frount sup on these trucks ,found out after purchaced all the things that go wrong with this yr of tk.96 Dodge Ram 4x4 1500 also the 4x4 is hard to shift into and take out and sometimes doesn not come out ,even when light indcates it is out of four wheel.never again Dodge!! Numerous dates of work to this vehicle.
When I drive my 96 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 pickup on highway at miles between 60 and 70 it starts shaking and I am not able to control the steering wheel, I sometimes have to stop or speed up to over 75 miles for it to decrease as I am afraid this will cause an accident. Also when I cross a small bump in the road it does the same thing but this happens at any speed. One mechanic told me the stabilizer bar needed to be replaced $400.00 did not fix the problem. I have taken to three different mechanics and they are not able to find the exact problem.
Was driving on highway at 65 MPH, I crossed a small bump in the road and lost all control of the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 pickup. It shook all the stuff off of my seat as well as my cd holder. This is the second time this has happened. I am at a loss as to how to look for the problem. I love this truck but I have gone through two wheel bearings and a tie rod end and I have only had it for a year.... I want to know how to fix this problem before someone gets killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized and the front wheel became unresponsive. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Vehicle was purchased in July of 96. In July of 97 a popping noise started coming out of the steering column.. The vehicle had 21,500 miles on it. My dealer replaced the steering column with a new one under warranty. July of 99 the steering column started making the same noise. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer again and I was told that the clock spring was bad. I had a new clock spring installed but this didnot correct the problem. The dealer refunded my money for the clock spring and the cost of the labor to install it. Front end of vehicle was disassembled to find out where the noise was coming from. I was told that the steering column had gone bad again. At this time the vehicle had 55984 miles on it and it is out of warranty. The new steering column lasted just a few days shy of two years and a little over 30,000 miles. …
On April 19, 2001 while traveling on rt 495 in wareham ma the fan on my l996 Dodge 1500 2 wheel drive sport pickup truck suddenly became unattached from the water pump shaft causing the fan to fly into the radiator and puncturing same.at the same time due to the loss of the belt that drives the power steering pump,and water pump causing difficult steering and engine overheating I immediately stopped in the breakdown lane. When this occurred the vehicle had 57159 miles.
The passenger's windshield wiper arm motor broke, which May cause visual difficulty. Also, the steering system is very loose, and dealer had to replace the steering shaft. Problem is still occurring. Presently, dealer wants to replace the steering column and other parts. In addition, there are problems with transmission and transfer case which has been replace 3 times. Please provide further information.
Steering complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the steering of the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500, 8% of the model year's 298 complaints. The component named most often is steering wheel/handle bar (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 129,000 miles.
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.