Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving from Colorado to Indiana and all the sudden I heard a noise so I pulled over to the right side of the road. When a man came across the median and got a fire extinguisher from his truck and stated for me and my 3 dogs to get out because my truck was on fire. He stated that the driver shaft was on fire with flames by my gas tank.
Severe rust and corrosion on body and suspension parts. Started at around 10 years of age. Support for bed to frame shows severe corrosion making hauling unsafe. Water is able to enter the cab through corroded rocker panels causing mold. Also, electrical system malfunction in throttle body can cause no response from accelerator at intermittent times.
Mechanic said TIPM went bad. All gages guit working, check engine light stays on wind shield whipers turn on & off, engine stalls,all lights randomly turn on and off head lights turn signals exc. Transmission and 4 wheel drive say repair. Anti lock breaks acting up. Mechanic said this is happening alot for 2004 Dodge Ram trucks.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. While the vehicle was parked in the driveway for over twenty-four hours, without being started or driven, it caught on fire. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The contact stated that a special investigator was dispatched from FCA to inspect the vehicle. Due to the age of the vehicle and no determination of what caused the fire, the contact was informed that the manufacturer was not responsible for providing additional assistance. The contact was provided case number: 30972693 by the investigator. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The vehicle was destroyed.
A malfunction in the under hood engine compartment caused a fire which destroyed the engine, front of the vehicle and severely damaged the interior. The vehicle was parked on my driveway and had not been started nor driven in over 24 hours up to the time the incident occurred.
Today I went to the Dodge dealership so they could diagnose an electrical problem I was having in my truck. They told me that part # 56045112ae, 56051949ad need to be replaced. Which are the ignition switch and the ignition wire harness. Problems I was having were the power windows would not go up or down without the steering wheel all the way in the up position. The motor blowers for my A/C and heat would sometimes not work. And my air bag light was on in the cluster panel. They told me that the wires were burnt, but could not tell me the source of the problem. I told them that there must be completely too much current going through those wires to cause a problem like that and they agreed. I was then told that because of the wires being in that condition the airbag could possibly go off at any time and/or cause a fire. Why is there not a recall on this issue. …
I have a 2004, Dodge 1500 slt Ram, Hemi sport, with 5422 miles on it, and on feb 21, 2005, I watched as my truck burned to the ground ( literally ), I smelled something like plastic or burnt wire while driving, just prior to discovering my ( now ) parked truck, smoldering in my back yard. I went to investigate the smoldering, and open the truck door after not seeing any flame; however, once I opened the door it was as if someone had lite a flame thrower, and pointed it in my direction. The fire consumed the vehicle so rapidly, I am sure I would not have had time to remove a infant from it's car seat, had my son been in the truck. I allowed daimler Chrysler to send an engineer named bob whipple out here to my home. He took just a few pictures, jerked on a few wires, then returned to where ever he came from. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 quadcab. On June 2, 2007, the vehicle caught fire after being parked for ten minutes. The vehicle had previously been driven for approximately twenty-five minutes. The fire department inspected the damage and stated that the fire originated from the dashboard. The vehicle was destroyed with the exception of the engine. There was mild property damage, including burned grass and trees. There were no physical injuries or deaths. The contact notified Dodge and they offered to inspect the vehicle. The manufacturer issued a reference number because the VIN was not associated with any recalls. The manufacturer wanted to seize the vehicle, but the contact's insurance agency advised otherwise due to possible contamination. …
About 1 month ago the dash board lights and gauges started to act up so we carried it into the local dealership where we purchased the vehicle. They stated that there was condensation in the fuses. They said it was repaired and charged us about $100. Then a few days ago it started to do it again. Before we could take it back to be looked at it burst into flames in our driveway at 2 am on 3/2/09. Fire dept. States that the fire started under the hood. I've been searching on the internet for an explanation and I've found that there was a recall on 2004 Dodge Ram's, a short circuit in the generator harness can cause "under the hood fires"! I've contacted the dealership and Dodge customer service. They say that my VIN # is not included in this recall. It seems like it should... Our vehicle was purchased brand new, it had 5 miles on odometer when we left the lot. …
Dt: the vehicle caught on fire on September 21, 2005. The consumer was driving at 65 MPH when it caught on fire. The consumer heard a pop sound coming from under the hood area. The engine started making a clanking noise and surging. When the consumer pulled over there was smoke coming from the side of the hood. And when he lifted the hood it burst into flames. The consumer was not injured. A highway patrol report was taken, chp log number 1217. And fire report engine number 74 incident number 390. When the consumer contacted the insurance agency, they found that there was a recall for the wiring harness. This recall said that there was a possibility of engine fire. When he contacted the manufacturer, they told him that there was no recall on this vehicle.
Electrical complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 99 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, 9% of the model year's 1,099 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, though it has 5 recalls for other components. 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 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 27% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 17 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.