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 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I purchased this truck this past summer. I found recently that several safety recalls had not been performed on the truck. I took the truck to the dealer. They refused to complete the ignition switch wiring recall until I paid them to trace all of the wiring that could be affected because one of the wires on the ignition switch harness had melted. They did not know how much this might cost me. The dealer contacted FCA to see if the factory would "contribute" to the cost. FCA declined. I contacted FCA and they told me on a vehicle of this age they were no longer responsible for anything beyond the extent of the recall repair. I said that was fine - just do the recall. They refused to authorize the recall repair unless I agreed to allow the dealership to trace all of the wiring they suspected could be damaged. I'm at a loss here. Who can I contact for help? …
Tl contact owns a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact noticed that the ignition switch below the steering column burned. Therewas a closed investigation , ea99027 and recall # 00V135000 relating to this failure. The dealer and manufacturer have not been notified. The current and failure mileages were 120,000.
Light switch circuitry burned inside dash and caused heat damage to dash and wiring inside. Vehicle was recalled for wiring and when recall was complete, fuel guage and temperature guage failed to operate normally. Light switch failure and ignition system malfunctions believed to be related.
Shortly after turning on headlamps, odor and smoke came from the dash. This occurred while pulling a trailer. Headlamps were turned off, but had difficulty getting dash lights and trailer lights to turn off also. Kept having to turn the knob left/right numerous times to get all lighting to turn off. Also, when the door is opened with the ignition/headlamps off, the buzzer sounds indicating that headlamps were left on, but no headlamps were on. I am driving a 95 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel 4 x 4 and pulling a 23ft sundowner gooseneck horse trailer.
NHTSA # ea198010 headlight switch recall excluded the b1500 and b2500 series stating that the power draw is not as great as the b3500 series. This is in error. My 1995 b2500 burned out this same light switch and left me with no headlights. (I have not added any additional lighting). I request that ea98010 be reopened to include the b1500 and b2500 series trucks as this is a safety hazard which is the same problem as the b3500 series. I replaced the switch at my expense and can send you the old one if you need it.
The ignition switch failed prior to recall notice 00v-135 and as a result the steering wheel started smoldering and burn a hole in steering wheel cover, the manufacturer stated that the consumer had installed additional lights which caused the fire and reimbursed the consumer only for the parts.
Driving at approximately 15 MPH about 100 yards when consumer started to smell smoke, noticed that wiring was burning, causing a fire ,flames were coming from underneath dash board. Fire department said the electrial wiring started the fire.
The engine started with the transmission in gear and no one in the vehicle, starter would not disengage and the heating element on the intake exploded and caught fire. This is unbelievable with all the safety equipment today.
Diesel fuel heater sensor shorted out and caused an under hood fire. Dealer notified, and informed consumer to call insurance agency. Please feel free to provide any further details on this matter.
I took the truck in for an engine warning light check. The dealer performed the fix and worked the 3 factory recall issues, including the electrical system ignition switch. The technician noticed that the ignition switch did overheat and melted the steering column plastic shroud. He also noticed a 2-3" section of the main wiring harness behind the fuse box with 2 wires that were burnt with the insulation completely burnt off. He was hesitant to drive the vehicle for fear of it starting a fire. The dealer notified me that the repair May cost $2000.00, and was not covered under warranty. Maybe a related issue, but the radio shorted out 2 days before the service call and the technician said there was no power to the fuse block. …
Electrical complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1995 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the electrical system of the 1995 Dodge Ram 2500, 9% of the model year's 267 complaints. The component named most often is ignition › switch (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1995 Dodge Ram 2500. 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 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 202,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 9 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.