Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
No indicators of any issues to this - while driving between 65 and 75 MPH the truck begins to smoke not only out of the back end of the truck but underneath the body as well as under the hood of the truck, and we began to smell fuel. The CEL light then comes on. We had the whole family in the truck and a small fire extinguisher. This is really nerving since Dodge/Chrysler as well as cummins knowing this line is a problem and has not done a darn thing about it to rectify any compensation. I hate to say this but I guess it is going to take someone getting really hurt but your attitude of not wanting recall such a fire hazard! Look at all the forums and see that this is a common issue with the fuel line! Line to 4th injector now major repair because of it all the fuel lost under the hood and all over the engine and firewall!
After driving the truck to a dentist appointment, the truck would not start and there was fuel spraying out of the engine compartment when turning the engine over. A few days earlier, I had commented about the diesel engine having a "hiccup". After having the vehicle towed to a dealership, the service manager said "I bet I know what it is without even looking". As it turns out, he was absolutely correct. The #4 cylinder fuel injector line was ruptured and spaying fuel everywhere. He indicated that the '06 was vulnerable to breaking that particular injector line due to vibrations. I looked tb's up on the internet and there were none. However, I found numerous consumer complaints about the same line failure for '05 and '06 models. This condition is totally unacceptable. …
While driving on normal paved road, no excessive bumps) at around 40 MPH, the fuel tank brackets (straps) broke and the fuel tank fell to the ground. I heard it right away and only drove an additional few seconds to a safe place to pull off the road (not know what initial happened - thought something was caught in the wheel well). When I noticed the problem, I immediately turned off the vehicle and called for a tow truck. While waiting, I clearly noticed the tank straps were rusted and failed. Also while waiting for the tow truck, I searched to see if others had a similar issue. I found that Ram does have a recall for this exact issue, but it doesn't cover the year of my truck. Clearly the years affected need to be expanded as my vehicle had the exact failure that the recall addressed. …
The number 4 cyl fuel deliver line off of the common rail system cracked on my 5.9l cummins diesel. This is a very common issue if anyone simply searches on the internet. Dieseltruckresource.com for instance had one thread with over 40 pages of complaints. The issue with this fuel line is that it is held down by an inferior clamp design that vibrates, loosens, then the line fails due to engine vibration. The part that Chrysler replaces with it is completely different. When mine broke my engine was not hot yet, but if the exhaust was hot I'm sure it could have ignited. I dumped probably 2 gallons of diesel when it went. With such a high pressure in that common rail system it could seriously injure someone as well. …
#4 fuel line ruptured and spewed fuel all over engine compartment and underbody. Had truck towed to local Dodge dealer for repair. Seems like this is a common problem on Ram 2500 diesels model 2006.
While driving on interstate highway in my 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel truck the check engine light came on and the engine shut down. It appeared that a fuel line had ruptured. Fuel had sprayed on the engine and fuel was visibly leaking from the engine. The truck was towed to the Dodge dealership where I was told that the number 4 injector tube had broken. The truck was repaired and everything seems to work properly. I discovered that there are multiple instances listed on internet forums related to the number 4 injector tube and clamp holding the fuel line on 2006 Dodge Ram trucks with the cummins diesel. The fact that the number 4 injector tube (out of 6 total) is the only injector tube that appears to have this problem and the fact that fuel is sprayed on a hot engine creating a safety issue should warrant further investigation and design review. …
While driving my 2006 Ram 2500 diesel pickup at normal highway speeds the check engine light illuminated without any other abnormal instrument panel indications or change in vehicle performance. By the time I was able to safely pull the truck over to the shoulder of the highway (approx 1.5 miles) I noticed a very strong diesel smell. Upon looking the truck over I noticed an excessive amount of diesel fuel dripping all the way from the engine compartment to the rear bumper. Diagnostics reviled the high pressure fuel line from the fuel rail to the number 4 cylinder split at the engine side connector and this caused a large amount of diesel fuel to be sprayed into the engine compartment, hot exhaust components and underside vehicle parts.. …
I was driving approximately 65 MPH when I noticed a strong smell of fuel and a trail of white smoke coming from my vehicle. I pulled off the highway at the next exit and I lost all power. I was barely able to pull over and stop because I lost my power steering and power brakes. It took a lot of effort just to get stopped and I was lucky I was pulling off the highway in s straight line and I was not on a hill or a curvy road. Once I got pulled over and stopped I noticed an extreme amount of diesel fuel dripping from the engine compartment and the whole under carriage of the truck. The firewall insulation was completely saturated with fuel. The number 4 fuel line had ruptured a leak at the seam behind the coupling nut and spewed diesel fuel all over the engine compartment, probably two to three gallons worth. …
Faulty fuel filter system on Dodge diesel trucks. I have a 2006 Dodge 2500 Ram diesel truck with 19000 miles on it. I had an issue of it losing power, replaced the filter, then within 3000 miles it happened again. I replaced the filter again, but it still did not help much. I drove to the dealer, and it died within a few hundred yards. Finally got it to the dealer, they had to tow it in. The dealer said it was bad diesel that plugged the fuel injectors and ruined the injection pump. The insurance company sent a lab for tests, they say the fuel is normal. Now I'm stuck with a $10,000.00 repair bill that should have been under warranty with Dodge. If the fuel is normal, why wouldn't the filter do it's job. I've seen some reports on the internet that some dealers are adding a second filter onto their trucks to prevent this. …
While driving down the road my vehicle died. Once I pulled over the truck was engulfed in a cloud of white smoke. Popped the hood and there was diesel fuel sprayed all over the engine bay. In order to determine the issue I cranked the engine over for a moment and found that the #4 fuel line had cracked and was spraying fuel everywhere. How the vehicle did not catch fire surprises me. It turns out the bracket which isolates the fuel line had fallen off. When I purchased the new part (~$75.00), I noticed how they redesigned the line so it would not have this issue in the future. So obviously cummins/ Chrysler are aware of the issue, but have not taken any step to at least let their customers know that they have redesigned the part. …
Fuel System complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2006 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2006 Dodge Ram 2500, 3% of the model year's 670 complaints. The component named most often is fuel injection system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2006 Dodge Ram 2500, though it has 6 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 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion 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.