Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
99 Ram 1500 caught fire while running heater! Cause of the fire is the defective dash material falling apart and the insulation fell onto the resistor located on top of the blower motor causing a interior fire. This was confirmed by myself a mechanic for over 30 years and a certified paint and body shop. Truck was in mint condition and now a total loss. The truck was in a stationary position in a college parking lot! Contacted manufactuer only reply was sorry for your loss. I know of several other vehicles in a 5 mile radius same make and model that the same thing happened too.
Typical problems with cracked plastic dashboard on 1999 Dodge Ram pickups (2) combined with failure of airbags to deploy. Both seem to be epidemic in proportion, unfortunately have experienced both. Dash is not safe with cracked, jagged plastic edges waiting to impale or slice you, assuming that flying peices wouldnt do even more harm if airbag had gone off. Same problem in dash on two personal vehicles, now reluctant to go anywhere in one that wasnt wrecked because airbag probably wont work in it either if something were to happen. I know mine isnt the only one, whover has controlling interest of Dodge this month needs to step up and address these issues. Ridiculous to think of replacing dash for $800 - 1200 with a part of no better integrity than the one it already had. …
I have purchased a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 sport. The dash has had a problem in the past and cracked and split. I have replaced it but expect that it will happen again. The problem is when this occurs during an accident, there is the potential for the broken pieces of the brittle plastic to become shrapnel and puncture or become a flying projectile in the cab of the vehicle. If it is caught by the airbag, the speed can be accelerated when the airbag deploys. When will NHTSA issue a recall on the dashboard of these trucks. The bezel and the glovebox's are also splitting as well. When can the recall be expected. I have noted before that this problem exist on NHTSA's website under several categories.. It is a safety issue if the dash cracks or breaks off during an accident. …
I have a 1999 Dodge Ram with 88,000 miles on it. The truck is always kept in the garage and in perfect condition except the '!@#$% dash board. On aug 11 2009 I was driving down the block and a pc of the dash cracked of hitting me in the eye!!!!!!!! I lost control for a second and ended up on the parkway grass! Thank god no one was playing in there yard cause for a moment I was unable to see! I didn't know I needed to wear safety glasses while driving a Chrysler made product!! I took the truck to the dealer I bought it from and he said"ill give you a good deal on a new one! Why do I want another pc of '!@#$% from them? Start standing behind your product and maybe I would buy another ! I cant let anyone else drive this and im afraid to as well, fearing what other part of the dash is going to fly off next! …
I was driving down the 131 south about 9 o'clock going about 70 MPH and the hood somehow opened and flew back on my windshield and smashed it. Hit the brakes and veered off the road. Scared the crap out of me took about 20 minutes to bring the hood back down to strap it. The hinges snapped on one side and ripped and bent corners of the hood. This truck has 123K on it with no rust on the hood or mechanisms. If this will not be taken care of free of charge I will not be a happy camper.. I work on cars I know how to lube hood latches I also know how to close hoods. My VIN doesn't pull up a recall but this happened as a manufacturers error and I hope this will be professionally taken care of free of charge . Before I bought this truck I had checked for recalls. If this were to have popped up on my VIN this would have never happened. I'm just glad I could get it off the road safely.
1999 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, while driving around 35-45 MPH usually on a downhill grade the entire vehicle will begin to shake,the only word to describe it is violently and will not subside until you can get the speed below 20mph but you can not just apply the breaks or the shaking become uncontrollable,I have replace most of the suspension(control arms,ball joints ect.)nothing works.this has happened multiple times! I've talked to others and there is a name for it, Dodge death wobble. Also I am another victim of the Dodge dash cancer, in the last couple of years my dash has basically disintegrated....considering bringing a class action lawsuit
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled. After restarting the engine, the vehicle would operate as normal. The contact also indicated that the headlights would intermittently dim and the rear passenger side tail light failed causing the bulb to be replaced. In addition, the contact indicated that when applying the brakes, the vehicle would sometimes jerk forward and a section of the dashboard would detach and fall to the floor. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 168,859.
When ridding down the road, I was cut off by another car I turned the wheel to avoid hitting the car and I hit the curb that was about 3 inches high. When I hit the curb my dash board cracked. There is a big hole in the middle, a long crack straight across.I called my insurance company to claim but was denied because of a manufacture default. Dealer said it will cost me about 3,500 to fix. I was only going 7 miles per hour.
The dash in this truck has broken to pieces. This is not an issue of sun exposure or climate--it is simply defective materials. Now when the truck is driven with the window(s) open sharp pieces of dash plastic fly up hitting the driver and passenger in the face. Additionally the electronics for the passenger air bag is now exposed to sun and possible moisture.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving on the railroad track at 10 MPH, the dashboard shattered. The air bags and the wires were not exposed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 208,437.
Body complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 240 complaints about the body & structure of the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, 39% of the model year's 610 complaints. The component named most often is body (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1999 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 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 2 fires and 6 injuries to body & structure 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.