2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Airbag Problems

375 owners have reported air bags problems with the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 to NHTSA — 32% of all 1,172 complaints for this model year. The typical failure happened around 90,000 miles. That ranks #2 of 18 Ram 1500 model years for airbag complaints (a typical year has 61). 3 related recalls have been issued.

375complaints
90ktypical miles
3related recalls
60crashes
0fires
50injuries

Which parts fail

  • Frontal
    13
  • Side/window
    2

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    1111%
  • 25k–50k
    1314%
  • 50k–75k
    1617%
  • 75k–100k
    1314%
  • 100k–150k
    2829%
  • 150k+
    1516%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V313000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was repaired by the dealer. Despite the recall repair, the contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had offered any further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

135,000 miles · Jul 2022

My vehicle was involved in a severe frontal collision where I T-boned another vehicle that failed to yield the right-of-way while I was traveling at approximately 30 mph. The impact caused significant structural front-end damage to my truck. Despite a direct frontal collision at a clear deployment speed threshold (30 mph), the airbags completely failed to deploy. This vehicle's airbag system was previously repaired under an official manufacturer safety recall. The remedy was completed by an authorized dealership several years ago. The replacement components installed during that recall service failed to function as intended during this qualifying crash event, pointing to a critical remedy failure or long-term component degradation. Prior to the collision, the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system indicated the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) was fully operational. …

Oct 2026 · crash · 2 injuries

The contact owns a 2005 DODGE RAM 1500. The contact stated while getting the vehicle's state inspection done, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V313000 (AIR BAGS), of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS), and NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V796000 (POWER TRAIN) however, the contact stated that he had reached out to a dealer, but they decline to service the vehicle due to not having the remedy available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 216,600.

May 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V352000 (Air Bag), 15V313000 (Air Bags), and 14V796000 (Power Train) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect

Sep 2023

I have three recalls on my 2005 Dodge Ram - driver air bag, passenger air bag and rear axle pinion nut. I called the Dodge dealer in my city and was told the Dodge dealer cannot work on vehicles over [redacted] years old even if it is for a recall. Pedder Chrysler Dodge Ram + Jeep of Poway, 13811 Poway Road Poway CA 92064 [redacted]

Feb 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not yet contacted.

Jun 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the dealer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experience a failure.

Jul 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that several local dealers were contacted by phone, and the contact was informed that the parts would be available within 2-3 months. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to be registered with an unrepaired recall. The message "Do not drive" was displayed.

Oct 2026

On Feb. 20, 2023 my 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 was worked to have a repair for the AirBag Recall. I spoke with someone at JT's Dodge to set up the appointment PRIOR to 2-20-23 and was NEVER verbally informed that there was a posed risk of my dash being cracked and so I set up the appointment. I tried to update my information BUT the young lady on the other end REFUSED to update it stating I've been there before in the past. MY TWO listed phone numbers are correct (over 10 years) and my address reflected was not updated to my new home address. On the day of Feb. 20, 2023 I sent my son-in-law to take my truck to have the recalled air bag repaired, which he did. He reports being told in a non urgent, very vague manner that there's a possibility of the dash cracking and per the Service Manager "it doesn't happen very often but we have to tell you". …

Feb 2023

As I was preparing to park, my truck accelerated on it's own jumping over a concrete stopper and into a large metal pole in front of a business. The entire front of my truck caved in, the hood, the grill and the bumper crumpled and the air bag (which should have) did not deploy. The dealership is refusing to fix it and filed a criminal no trespass against me so I can't go on the lot or try to talk to the salesman. The police officers who responded checked me over, said it was an 'at fault' accident but only because I was behind the wheel and gave me a 'crash bureau form' to fill out, which I did. My online research showed recalls on both the accelerator and the air bags. Please help me. My insurance is not going to pay for the repairs due to the fact it was due to defective auto parts and the dealership should take care of it, which they won't. …

98,000 miles · Apr 2015 · crash

Related recalls

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 16V-352 · May 24, 2016 · 4,648,270 vehiclesDo not drive

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab…

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 15V-313 · May 26, 2015 · 4,077,169 vehiclesDo not drive

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and…

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.

Air bags

NHTSA recall 14V-770 · Dec 3, 2014 · 250,896 vehicles

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S.

NHTSA investigations

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation PE14016 · opened Jun 11, 2014 · closed Mar 2, 2015 · led to recall 13V-172

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation EA15001 · opened Feb 24, 2015 · open · led to recall 14V-668

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…

Airbag complaints in other Ram 1500 years

’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12111024636141844645836837519316916534141380
Airbag complaints per model year, Dodge Ram 1500.

Frequently asked questions

How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500?

NHTSA has 375 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 32% of the model year's 1,172 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (13 mentions).

Is there a recall for 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 airbag problems?

Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-352 (inflator module, May 24, 2016); NHTSA recall 15V-313 (inflator module, May 26, 2015); NHTSA recall 14V-770 (air bags, Dec 3, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

At what mileage do 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 airbag problems start?

Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.

Is it dangerous?

Owners linked 60 crashes, 0 fires and 50 injuries and 4 deaths to air bags 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.