Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 | 1% | 102,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 0% | 5,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% | 127,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 1% | 121,000 miles |
| 2007 | 5 | 2% | 46,000 miles |
| 2006 | 2 | 1% | 129,000 miles |
| 2005 | 5 | 3% | 86,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2003 | 8 | 3% | 68,000 miles |
| 2002 | 1 | 2% | 160,000 miles |
| 2001 | 4 | 3% | 99,000 miles |
| 2000 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 1999 | 4 | 4% | 147,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 5% | — |
| 1997 | 6 | 5% | — |
| 1996 | 11 | 9% | 139,000 miles |
| 1995 | 7 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that after shifting into drive, the vehicle accelerated without manual force. As a result, the contact crashed into the right side of the contact's residence. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis but they were unable to duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 32.
Parked in my driveway overnight not running. All interior lighting including dash lighting went out along with exhaust break, tow haul, cargo light. Cruise control. And horn. Upon taking to dealer they said the TIPM has failed and needed replaced at a installed cost of $1156.90
Fobik key ignition vibrates causing switching from (RUN) position to (ACC) position, shutting off the engine and making it almost impossible to steer a 3000kg machine without power steering increasing the risk for accidents.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH with the cruise control activated, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted and an abnormal noise was heard from the engine. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the engine and caught on fire. A police/fire report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Dodge 3500. The contact stated he started the vehicle and placed the gears in drive, depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle abnormally accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. The contact stated he had experienced the failure previously and had an exhaust flush performed on the vehicle to correct the failure but to no avail. The dealer advised the contact not to allow the vehicle to idle to prevent the failure. On a separate occasion, the vehicle abnormally accelerated causing the contact to crash into a barbed wire fence and into a ditch. The vehicle was left in possession of the dealer for repairs. The contact confirmed the failure would occur intermittently. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000 and the approximate current mileage was 86,000.the VIN was not available
Tl contact owns a 2007 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the cruise control would not turn off while she was driving 65 MPH. She lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the front frame was bent and that the air bags should have deployed. The VIN, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 7,000.
A massive amount of people in forums have encountered the same problem. When you start the vehicle it will idle pretty rough with black smoke. If and when you press the accelerator pedal it will continue to throttle up on its own. In park or driving! FORUM POST: #1. While driving my 04 Dodge 3500 Cummins down the street, at a speed of around 45mph, all of a sudden it went to wide-open throttle. It completely caught me off guard and the first thing I did was hit the brake. It had very little effect on what was happening. In less than 1 block I was well over 70mph with the brake on in a 45mph zone. #2. I had the same exact thing happen, I was at 90 mph on a 40 mph road when I finally had to put it in neutral, the pedal had no effect on rpm as I coasted to a stop the engine sat pegged at the rev limiter, and stayed there until I shut the motor down. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact also stated that the ability to steer and brake seized. The contact crashed into the center divider before coming to a stop. The frontal air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a dislocated right arm, which required medical attention. The contact did not specify if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
Certain pickup trucks, equipped with cummins diesel engines and manual transmissions, May experience an elevated idle speed after extended cruise control use.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the software in the cummins engine controller. Owner notification began on March 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
NHTSA investigations
Loss of throttle control
Alleged that the throttle cable can fray or sever during normal use resulting in the throttle not returning to idle or an inability to accelerate.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Ram 3500 years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (11), 2003 (8), 1995 (7), 1997 (6) and 1998 (5) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Dodge Ram 3500 acceleration problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 03V-033 (vehicle speed control, Feb 5, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram 3500 acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (5 mentions), followed by the cruise control (5).
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.