Equipment complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 0% | 60,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 1% | 4,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% | 29,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 1% | 11,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 1% | 95,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 0% | 137,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 1% | 120,000 miles |
| 2002 | 2 | 1% | 129,000 miles |
| 2001 | 9 | 2% | 103,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 2% | 147,000 miles |
| 1999 | 7 | 2% | 36,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 2% | 150,000 miles |
| 1997 | 6 | 3% | 70,000 miles |
| 1996 | 8 | 3% | 135,000 miles |
| 1995 | 8 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
1)the ac / heater motor starting making a loud vibrating sound and very little air was coming from the vents. 2). The recirculation door which is located above the fan (in the duct) broke and fell on top of the blower fan. This door controls weather outside air is used or the air is recirculated throughout the vehicle. As a result the ac/heater and most importantly the defroster would not work. An internet search of this problem reveals many different Dodge years and models having the same problem. The part can be replaced by the dealership for a cost of approximately $700. The dash must be removed to replace the part. Most people (along with me) are removing the fan motor and simple removing the recirculation door altogether which is a cheap semi-fix. …
I was driving a Dodge sprinter, and I stopped on a light to wait for a green to came, and when I stared moving, and all of the sudden I had to make stop, because a car on front of me, stopped, I pushed a brakes a few times, and it didn't work, and after I made an accident, someone tried a car, and it did work! I found this material on the web site, that I will give you a link to it. It will help you! Http://www.automotix.net/autorepair/recalls/9149-recall/.
Front left tire wore very unevenly w/ 85K miles. Truck vibrates and bounces. Replaced all tires. Truck still vibrates with new tires and seems to have a self perpetuated bounce - most often occurs at 45 to 65 MPH, under light acceleration, while making a long swooping right curve - but happens elsewhere less frequently. Certified Dodge shop followed TSB and replaced original tie rod (no longer available by itself) with multiple arm damper / tie/ pitman arm parts # 68039930-aa, 52106909-ae, 52122362-ae, 52122370-ab. Truck still vibrates and bounces - very unsettling! You definitely feel like you don't have complete control of the truck while it's bouncing. Add ice or snow and ????also new damper parts now squeak when body leans - like when I take a hard right at low speeds in a parking lot. Returned to shop. They suggested I change differential fluid (never done to date), so we did. …
Every once in awhile my 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 front end will shake violently and just about cause me to crash while driving a various speeds. I've taken it back to the dealership and they have replaced the steering dampener several times yet it still has the problem. I started researching it on the internet and there is a lot of people complaining about the same exact thing. It is described as the shake of death or death wobble. There is no factory recall for this problem but are options for replacing front end parts for about $500-800 dollars. Someone should look into this as people May have died because of it. Especially if it happens at a high rate of speed. [redacted]
I was driving down the road and turned on the heater in my truck and the windshield immediately fogged up to the point I could not see. I had to roll down the window to see out and to pull over to the side of the road to avoid a head on collision. Once I was stopped I noticed the problem was no matter what position I set the defrost or heat on, the air only blew out the vents on the dash panel. I went to the Dodge dealer and they told me the whole dash had to come out of my truck, drain the cooling system and air conditioning system to replace some broken plastic parts, costing around 1,500.00 to 2,000.00. After researching this problem on line, I have found numerous people, all with the same problem. I feel this is a safety hazard because within 5 seconds my vision was completely obstructed and could have not only resulted in my death but that of someone else. …
Death wobble, on many, many occasions exceeding over a dozen. I have replaced numerous front end parts to no avail, including tires and rims. It always occurred at hi-way speeds of 65 MPH and above, the best way to describe it is a crash happening with out the bent metal. I am sure this is going to get someone killed if they are an inexperienced driver if it hasn't already, the dead don't talk so to speak, you cant see death wobble after the truck has crashed, you May want to look into the single vehicle fatalities of this make and model of truck I am sure it is high ratio for the amount of vehicles sold, one is unacceptable in my opinion. I could be next. It can happen at any time crossing a bridge, pavement patches, especially dangerous passing slower vehicles like semi-trailers and rv's where you have no where to go but the said vehicles and or bridge wall. …
While driving my 2001 Dodge 2500 4wd pickup, the cable part of the spare tire lift assembly failed and allowed the spare wheel/tire to become free from it's holding and fell to the payment. Luckily no one was following me for if they were they would have definitely hit the wheel and an accident would have occurred possibly causing injury (ies) to the occupants of the oncoming vehicle. This occurred on sept1 in rockwell, texas. I reported this to rockwall Dodge service dept and told them it was a definite safety issue. They acknowledged this but did not attempt to notify the Dodge headquarters to my knowledge. They ordered the replacement parts and gave me a date you come in to have the assembly replaced. In the mean time I called the Dodge corporation and reported this incident stressing again the safety issue and possibility of a design defect. …
1. The first incident, May 11,2000 was a recall for the replacement of the transfer pump due to premature internal armature shaft bushing wear. This was a recall by Dodge. The second incident occurred August 24,2004. 2. The failure causes the vehicle to run extremely rough, and makes the vehicle was not drivable. Failure at highway speeds would cause a sudden slowdown of the vehicle. 3. In both instances, the transfer pump had to be replaced. Currently, this vehicle only has 31,000 miles on it. The cost to replace these pumps can be extremely expensive to the vehicle owner. This appears to be a significant problems with Dodge trucks which have the cummins diesel engine.
Related recalls (2)
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain 4x4 trucks with diesel engines fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, certain 4x4 trucks with diesel engines fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will install the correct certification label overlay free of charge. The recall began on March 12, 2007. Owners May contact daimlerchryler at 1-800-853-1403.
Equipment › Other › Labels
The vehicle certification label on some pickup trucks lists incorrect tire, wheel, and recommended inflation pressure information which does not conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for vehicles other than passenger cars.'
Remedy: Owners will be provided with vehicle certification label overlays containing the corrected information relative to vehicle tire and rim size, and recommended inflation pressure. This recall began on May 5, 2004.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Ram 2500 years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (9), 1995 (8), 1996 (8), 1999 (7) and 2003 (7) model years. Equipment complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Dodge Ram 2500 equipment problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 07V-093 (labels, Mar 12, 2007); 04V-221 (labels, May 6, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram 2500 equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (9 mentions), followed by the recreational vehicle/trailer (2).
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.