Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This has been a issue going on several months . I can be driving down the road on any Giving day , road conditions wet or dry .I was driving 57 mph and vehicle in front of me hit the brakes ,causing me to hit mine as of sudden , but instead of stopping the brake pedal shifts toward the gas pedal causing me to brake and hit the gas at the same time. No I didn't wreck but came close as I corrected it very quick. This could have xausd me to run into on coming traffic and seriously caused fatal injuries or death. Thank God it wasn't raining . Vehicle hasn't been inspected because I don't have the money to have it inspected . The brake pedal I checked and you can take your hand and the pedal will go side to side over the gas pedal . There was no warning light or check engine light for this issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that there was a premature failure with the cruise control feature activating or not functioning properly. There was also unintended movement while the vehicle was in gear. The contact was unable to determine if there was an electrical failure that activated the cruise control, causing the vehicle to lunge and accelerate at a high rate of speed. Force was applied to the brake pedal when the failure happened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who checked for DTC, but was unable to replicate and diagnose the failure. There was no repair recommendation from the independent mechanic. Additionally, a brake light switch was replaced by the independent mechanic. The dealer (whitten brothers of ashland, 11409 washington hwy, ashland, va 23005, [phone]) was also unable to determine the cause of the failure. …
Approx. In 2012 I filed a complaint that the rear pinion gear had snapped on my truck. The dealership recommended installing a new / used rear end. I had the used rear end installed. On 5-7-2015 while on the highway the axle on the rear end abruptly broke. This occurred at approx. 60 MPH. Almost causing a catastrophe. The wheel broke away as well as the brake caliper, thus loosing my brakes. As a result damage to the body also occurred. As I said I did file a previous complaint but was told that even though there is a recall on the rear ends on some of these models mine was not one. I paid the $2,500 or so to have that resolved. I feel this shouldn't have ever happened as this vehicle let alone twice. As of now my vehicle is awaiting a inspection from the dealership as well as insurance.
I was driving on highway 64 e near williamsburg speed limit on the highway is 70 MPH which is the speed limit at which truck turned off on its own. No hard idling, no check engine light came on just turned off on its own. Power steering was lost along with the brakes and could not control the truck. Had to let it go as it until I impacted in a ditch causing the tire to come off the wheel well, damage to the undercarriage and front driver side bumper. The truck is not safe to drive due to it shutting off and now steers to the left. After some research all Dodge rams 2006-2011 have experienced this issue but Dodge has not done anything to rectify the problem. This is highly dangerous as it could of resulted in the loss of life if it wasn't because of the amount of soft mulch that braced my impact. …
While in motion, when you apply pressure to the brake pedal, the pedal will travel towards the gas pedal. This brake pedal bushing seems to be worn out and causes the brake pedal to slightly slide from left to right (like a pendulum on a clock). The gas and brake pedals are fairly close together and if your foot is off set on the brake pedal, your shoe will catch the gas pedal when pressing down on the brake pedal. This will cause the engine to speed up while you are trying to stop the vehicle. To replace this brake pedal bushing part seems to be not in production any more and therefore no replacement is available according to the service manager at the dealership. - waterford, mi, USA
Owner of j.p. Direct auto sales in florence, ky sold me a vehicle with odometer discrepancies. The owner sold the vehicle at a little over 133,000 miles but the odometer has never rolled over since I drove the truck off the lot. Furthermore, a mechanic performed an engine light reading that indicated an issue tripped around 146,000 miles. The owner is not owning up to the odometer discrepancy and making returning the truck very difficult.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the ABS warning indicator intermittently illuminated. The contact also stated that the RPM gauge remained at zero. The vehicle was taken to autonation Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram katy (21777 katy fwy, katy, tx 77450, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,480.
Transmission makes load snapping noise when shifting into any gear from park. Front brakes caliper sticking causing brakes and rotors to over heat creating sequel and massive amount of dust and vehicle is sluggish from the brakes sticking so acceleration is basically non existent. Load humming from front wheels which leads to a shimmy and eventually a shake.
The truck is driving very poorly when you accelerate and the front wheel is making a humming noise. It also shakes a lot when you accelerate pass 50. This happened on the highway. The ABS and brake light comes on all the time. I had the part replaced that the mechanic say it was with no change. NHTSA campaign id number : 07V038000
I have had to replace brake rotors/pads 5 times in 70,000 miles. The rotors warp prematurely causing severe shaking and pulsation while braking, creating an unsafe control issue. It is particularly disturbing when slowing down from highway speed.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
On certain pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel antilock brake systems (ABS), the ABS electronic control unit (ECU) May cause a loss of front to rear brake balance, and the rear brakes could lock up prematurely during certain braking conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU. The recall is expected to begin during the week of July 17, 2006. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Brake complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, 5% of the model year's 792 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-038 (control unit/module, Feb 9, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 26,000 miles, and 48% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to brakes 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.