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 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When wet or in heavy rain, the battery will shut off and the truck will lose power steering. The truck speedometer will still work and the engine will run, but the battery voltage gauge drops to 0 and the radio and power steering turn off, dangerously, leaving you to have to steer without power steering for the truck.
There is a class action law suit for newer rams mine has always done same thing since i have owned it occasionaly during slow speed turns it will shut off it will restart imediatly i have owned vehicle 4 years bought with 127000 miles now have 205000 miles on it
Had taken my vehicle in for the recall they said it was fine , after wards two months later my front right break locked up. But now my rear end that was supposed to been fixed from recall vut now it is making loud noise
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. While the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to roll down the front passenger side window and noticed a smoke odor coming from the window. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V313000 (air bags) and 14V796000 (power train); however, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000. Ma 10/15/2015 updated 11/27/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving, it was noticed that the charging gage on instrument panel was not functioning. The contact opened the hood to find that the wiring pigtails on the alternator and the bottom of the air intake resonator plenum melted. The vehicle was not taken to a mechanic but was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
An electrical fire started under hood of vehicle. No signs of anything being wrong before the fire and vehicle had been parked and sitting in driveway for at least 24 hours before fire was seen and reported to police and fire dept. Nobody was home when this happened.
Four times in two years driving the Dodge Ram vehicle suddenly died, loosing power steering and breaking. The first time it caused me to run through a stop sign when the vehicle was less than three months old. The second time, I was going slow and straight. The third time I was on a curve and barely maintained control while stopping. The final time in 2007 was on a curve and my vehicle stalled and ran off the road crashing/bumping into a curb. Each time was at speeds less than 30 MPH. I was concerned it would occur at higher speeds. I had taken it to the dealer twice and they could not identify a problem. They claimed to have downloaded the black box and reported it did not indicate a stall. After fearing for my daughter that was with me, I immediately traded the vehicle in for a Ford. The dealer's service technicians treated it as though I was imagining the problem. …
I found out that my Dodge had only the rear passenger side tail light working, no turn signals, the passenger headlight only worked on low beam, and the drivers headlight only work on high beam. I replaced every bulb in the truck and still the same problem. I did some research and found that the integrated distribution center ( fuse box) has been a problem with corrosion inside the box. I looked everywhere for a new one, no luck. I then called Chrysler corporation and they searched the entire U.S. And not one dealer had a fuse box. I was told that Chrysler used this fuse box only in 2005 and they have discontinued the part. I was actually told by Chrysler to try ebay. With all the 2005 Dodge rams and several other makes and models still on the road, how is it possible that they can just stop making a part vital to the vehicle. …
Turn signals work sporadically. This is a daily issue. Signal left and the right signal comes on. Signal right and maybe the left turn signal comes on, or maybe not at all. Sometimes turn signals randomly switch back and forth between left and right on their own. Many times turn signals don't work at all. Once the wipers did not work. Hazard lights sometimes do not work. I have had the multi-function switch replaced twice under warranty and twice again since. Still have the issue. I believe this is a safety concern as the turn signals are telegraphing the wrong information to other drivers. Also possibly related the oil pressure gauge in my instrument panel will not work 3-4 times a year. Next time I start the truck it works fine. All this happens when the vehicle is in motion, and when stationary, forwards, backwards, straight, or turning.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V313000 (air bags) and 14V796000 (power train); however, the parts needed to perform the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure related to the recalls. In addition, the steering wheel vibrated when making a left turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. While driving at low speeds, the vehicle stalled. Once restarted, the vehicle would resume normal operation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.....updated 10-27-15 .
Electrical complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 63 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 5% of the model year's 1,172 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500, though it has 4 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 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 6 fires and 0 injuries 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.