Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Truck has left me stranded multiple times by completely losing power electrical and engine. Dealer claims to have "replaced" computer but Chrysler corp confirms dealer just "reflashed" computer. Multiple recalls have occurred and truck was brought into dealer but I know the old parts remain in place! I cannot trust this dealer to do anything they claim to do, proven by comparing the written work order with the records at chysler corporate. We are afraid to drive this vehicle, my wife will not step foot on it and as I am an amputee every time I get stranded(3 times so far) I cannot walk to get help. So I am at the mercy of available cell phone signal or just pray. The dealer had continually stalled us on repairing these problems up until the warranty ran out and then all of a sudden they figured out the "actual" problem and could now fix it for a few thousand!! Dollars. …
At 12K -13K miles I experienced an engine stall in the early morning. The instrument cluster remained lit and I was able to engage the emergency flasher. I was on a back road and luckily I was able to coast into a driveway. After numerous turns of the key fob, the engine started. This incident was reported to the dealership, but they seemed to shrug it off. Fast forward to 10/9/15. I had trouble again starting the truck. I proceeded to the store and was on a main thoroughfare when I started to turn across traffic into a parking lot.the engine died and luckily my momentum carried me off the street out of traffic and into the lot. Cars had to go around me as I tried to get the vehicle started. The next Monday 10/12/15 I had trouble starting again and I was able to proceed to work. …
On March 5, while driving to work, I heard a knocking sound from the engine. Later in the day when driving, the truck would lose power when I accelerated. I called a doge dealership and made an appointment with the service department early the next morning. The next morning, the sound was louder and had less power through acceleration when driving to the dealership. I agreed to have a diagnostic and was later called and told my fuel pump needed to be replaced. I was charged $1,045. When I drove home, the truck stalled out once but I managed to make it home. I had several mechanics including one that worked at a different Dodge dealership listen to the knocking and each mechanic immediately suspected a problem with the lifters. Also, according to each mechanic, this was a common problem with doge Ram truck. …
While driving my truck it just shut off, died and would not start back up. This was very dangerous! Going 65 miles an hour, in the center lane trying to get over to the side of the road...safely! I tried to start the truck...everything came on as normal, but would not crank. I had to have the truck towed $$. The alternator was replaced $$. Truck still would not start. It would not crank, you could hear clicking under the hood and you could hear the fuel pump come on. I was told it was the win module which cost me $870.00!! (win module and programming) evidently this is a common problem with Dodge trucks. What does it take to have a recall on this part?!! Does it take a certain number of crashes or deaths? All in all it cost me about $1500, but it could have cost me my life, my girlfriends life, and possibly people in other vehicles that were driving around me. …
2009 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.7 Hemi, 74000 miles. Developed ticking in the engine at idle and acceleration. Within a couple days engine light came on with shuddering under small load (up hill highway). Took to the local dealership that day. They discovered that the roller lifter failed (seized) and ground the cam lobe flat causing the misfire in one of the cylinders. $4300 repair bill! This is very common in the 5.7 Hemi and not just the Ram, so common in fact that the dealership called and said the repair is on hold because the lifters are on backorder! Google "failed 5.7 Hemi lifters"... Some vehicles don't make it 25000 miles before this happens. Chrysler has since changed the part number of the lifter because they know there was a defect or design flaw. But when you ask for assistance with the repairs they don't acknowledge there is a problem. …
When slowly accelerating from a stop I could hear a rattling/vibration sound coming from the passenger side of vehicle. This progressively got worse until I found the heat shield on the passenger side exhaust manifold was loose due to broken stud bolts. I did not repair immediately as I thought the break was superficial (outside the manifold). Over the next month a slight exhaust leak could be heard, which has gotten very loud now. There is clearly at least one broken exhaust manifold bolt on passenger side. I am second owner (purchased at 19,000 miles), so lifetime warranty is no longer valid. I fear this leak could cause poisonous carbon monoxide gas to fill the cabin of my truck while driving with my wife and children. With the number of complaints regarding this exact same issue that I have heard, I cannot believe this has not reached recall status.
For the past month now my 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi has stalled out on me 4 times. It has happened both while shifting from reverse to drive, slowing down to stop at a stop sign, and just sitting in drive in a parking garage lot. Truck has 142000 miles on it but this stalling issue has happened before around 30K. I can put the truck back in neutral or park and start it back up but there's a knock every time now. It is starting to worry me that the truck May stall out on the freeway. I do notice that it occurs whenever the RPM get low around 500-700 RPM. The truck then bogs down and stalls whenever I shift from reverse to drive on the few occasions that it happened. When I was pulling into a parking spot or slowing down to stop at a stop sign I also noticed the RPM drop to stall the truck.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart while holding the key fob but, when released, the vehicle lost all power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the wireless ignition switch needed repalcement. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact found NHTSA campaign number: 10v2400000 (electrical system) online for the 2010 Ram quad cab regarding the same failure. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified, but offered no further assistance. The contact was referred to contact NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 99,900.
4th generation Ram 1500 pickups with the 5.7l Hemi are becoming notorious for premature lifter failure resulting in damage to the camshaft lobe. These repairs are often occuring just after expiry of cchrysler's powertrain warranty. There are hundreds of cases on online owner forums that present similarly. Chrysler has not sought to remedy the problem with owners. See the following link for dozens of examples from the last few years: https://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=188978 major power loss occured at highway speeds and put the vehicle in "limp" mode. The result was a near accident with a large truck as power loss occured while passing on the highway.
2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Hemi, my issue is concerning "the Hemi tick" which is actually broken exhaust manifold head bolts. Seems like everybody that has this year model has the exact same problem. I have 2 broke bolts on the passenger side. The bolts happen to be the same bolts holding on the exhaust manifold shield in the rear of the motor. The cost to fix the issue is moderately expensive and if not addressed could easily cause more serious issues. The exhaust leak can be identified by the ticking sound (usually at start up until motor warms up and seals the leak) and should be replaced with stronger bolts that allow for the temperature changes.
Engine complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, 9% of the model year's 670 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, though it has 2 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 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
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.