Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Two issues: 1: knocking sound when turning at parking lot speeds. I've replaced bushings, linkages, ball joints, and nothing helped. I replaced wheel hub assemblies and the knocking is reduced, but not fixed. Shop owners that drive the same truck say they've spent thousands of dollars on their own vehicles and can't pinpoint the front end noises either. 2:vibration under the vehicle, from the transfer case, through the drive shaft, to the rear differential. Diesel shop says it's a common issue for the seals to get worn out due to imbalanced drive shaft. However, the drive shaft didn't lose any weights and was fine for the fist 90,000 miles. This is a very common issue with Dodge adam 2500 and 3500, according to the shop. At first I thought it was the tires, so I had them replaced and kept going to different shops, thinking that some May be better at balancing than others. …
My 2011 mega cab 3500 was purchased in nov of 2018 with only approx. 110K miles on odometer. After a short while of driving, a vibration started getting worse up until I took to a dealer at approx. 114K for a check on toe & alignment. It ended up being a total repair of upper & lower u-joints & ball joints. Also had to replace driver's mirror-had short, wiring harness on passenger headlight-had short, transmission shifter seal leaked, new pinion gear & seal, & few other items also. It seems like a diesel that has just started breaking in was falling apart on me before it's time. Needless to say, about 4 months or so after I made the purchase, I had to fork out a !!heap!! Of $$$$$ for repairs that I couldn't recover. Funny thing is, before I bought the truck, another gentleman told me these years of Dodge trucks he had heard they were having a lot of front end trouble. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the tires prematurely had been worn out. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an alignment was performed and the tie rod assembly was replaced. Months after the repairs, there was premature deterioration of the ball joints and tires. The tires were replaced by the contact due to the failure. The dealer later stated that the ball joints had been worn and they replaced the shocks and ball joints as well they provided an alignment. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and it was unable to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the TIPM and the fuse box box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 13V529000 (steering), 11V350000 (steering) and 09V005000 (steering). The approximate failure mileage was 103,600.
8-7-2010, traveling e/b hwy 26 at 55 MPH near manning, or. Just passing roadside fruit stand heard pop, truck pulled to right jumped the curb and veered directly toward steel guardrail. To avoid head on t.c. With guardrail, I pulled hard to the right toward what appeared to be clear ravine. Had to steer between two trees at bottom and struck pile of 4 foot logs left by dot. Vehicle came to rest about another 50 feet. Right front tire shredded, rim damaged, steering damaged as well as major front end damage. Have digital of same. Noted that witnesses at the fruit stand said they heard the pop and observed my vehicle pull to the right and jump the curb. Roseburg lithia Dodge body shop did all repairs. Note that left front tie rod fell off while on blm road. Had to be towed in and repairs again made by same shop.
Driving on highway 101 in a northern direction driving in my lane and upon hitting a pot hole my truck went into a violent shuttering and shaking to the point of losing control of my vehicle pulling to the side of the road and coming to a complete stop in the emergency lane,then starting back up to drive until the next bump to send my truck into a front end shake athon, and violent shaking to the point of no ability to stear truck, this truck has been brought in to dealer 5 times and still it does the same thing after replacing stableizer shock absorber tie rod ends and new front shocks. The violent shaking is still continued on vehicle to this day and any bump on the road can set it off and the shaking will not stop unless I come to a complete stop!!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500. While driving 65 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle and drove into a ditch. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver side tie rod ball stud fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V529000 (steering). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact had the vehicle repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 13V529000 (steering); however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for other repairs, and the mechanic noticed that the driver side tie rod fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 252,000. Ma 10/8
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the tie rod fractured. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle was driven into a ditch. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the tie rod was replaced. The failure recurred and the vehicle again was driven into a ditch. The manufacturer was notified and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 80,000.
Dodge 3500 recall #09v00500 steering linkages/tie rod assembly. Swift Dodge, 4318 chile road, davis ca informed me in August 09 that my truck was subject to this recall. In December 09 they purported to have completed the recall work as specified in invoice #25289. This was verbally described as necessitating complete disassembly/reassembly of the front end/steering. In June 2010 the steering track bar bolt failed and lodged between the drag link and tie rod end causing partial loss of steering. The upper and lower control arms and spring blocks were also found to be loose. Vehicle was taken to stead Chrysler in walnut creek. They attributed the failure to the installation of aftermarket leveling kit (installed June 09.) when I insisted that swift Dodge had the front end apart in December 09, they researched the invoice and stated that it showed only an inspection was done. …
We were on the freeway going approximately 75 MPH and hit a pothole in the road and the truck began to shake violently. My husband was able to gain control of the vehicle. I thought we were going to wreck. The tie rod had previously been replaced about a month before this initial incident. This is very dangerous because you are traveling at a high rate of speed. We then replaced the stabilizer shock and thought we fixed the problem only to have it do it again. We then went to big o tires and talked to them about replacing the shocks. We took the manager out to show him what it does and once again, when we got up to about 75 MPH it hit a hole in the road and began to shake violently, almost causing us to go off the road. This is very dangerous!!! …
Related recalls
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Remedy: Chrysler notified owners on January 16, 2014 that dealers would inspect vehicles and replace the steering linkage assembly, if necessary.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 4x4, manufactured from February 14, 2008, through March 28, 2011; model year 2008-2011 Dodge Ram 3500 cab chassis 4x2, manufactured from February 14, 2008, through March 28, 2011; and model year 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 mega cab 4x4, manufactured from February…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tie rod ends for relative orientation and replace the left outer tie rod as required and perform a front end toe alignment as needed. This service will be performed free of charge.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Chrysler is recalling 32,782 my 2008-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 3500 and 3500 cab chassis pickup trucks equipped with powers and sons steering linkage. The steering linkage drag link inner tie rod to pitman arm ball stud May fracture. Also the steering linkage damper attaching the bracket May yield and shift on the linkage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering linkage drag link inner tie rod end assembly, and inspect the steering linkage damper bracket free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before February 16, 2009.
NHTSA investigations
Outer Tie Rod Failure
ODI received complaints regarding failing tie rod ball studs on Model Year 2008-2011 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 vehicles resulting in loss of steering control.Chrysler concluded that misalignment of the left (driver side) ball stud on vehicles built with the Cross Car steering linkage system could allow contact between the bull stud and the ball housing which could weaken the stud and result in fracture.Chrysler…
Chrysler's execution of 13V-528 & 529
RMD opened this audit query (AQ) investigation in order to better understand and evaluate Chrysler's process(es) for timely and efficient execution of its safety recall campaigns, including its oversight and management of its parts division Mopar.Prior to opening this investigation, RMD had raised concerns with the company related to its execution of two safety recalls, 13V-528 and 13V-529, both of which involved…
Steering complaints in other Ram 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2009 Dodge Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the steering of the 2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 66% of the model year's 105 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › tie rod assembly (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 13V-529 (tie rod assembly, Nov 6, 2013); NHTSA recall 11V-350 (tie rod assembly, Jul 6, 2011); NHTSA recall 09V-005 (tie rod assembly, Jan 9, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.