Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Dodge Ram owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup. The front passenger side suspension front upper control arm: lower ball joint has begun to crack. The failure was noticed while the vehicle was being serviced for routine maintenance. The dealer stated that there were no recalls available and the vehicle could not be repaired for free. The failure and current mileages were 110,000.
While applying brakes at any speed and without warning vehicle will pull to left until release of brake pedal. Consumer states vehicle will pull to the left when braking and will drift to the right on freeway and brakes are squeaky when braking on stop, dealer replaced calipers, turned rotors and changed brakes, dealer found steering wheel off center, dealer has replaced upper and lower control arms, dealer has adjusted the front end and replaced the rims and tires, vehicle experiences lack of power and engine light has illuminated, vehicle idles high and is experiencing poor fuel economy, when driving on freeway it gets max of 14.5 mpg, smoke also comes out of the exhaust, left side electric mirror glass had fogged, left seat bottom loose, one missing bolt found, left seat trim bezel keeps miming loose won?t stay in seat for seat belt on seat back. …
I leased this vehicle new , and for the last three years, every 10,000 miles approximately, I have had to take it into the dealer to have the tracker bar replaced, tie rod ends have also been replaced. The front end still shimmies terrible, and it is difficult to control at times. I also have had transmission trouble, and engine skipping constantly. I am very upset with the way I am treated at the dealer also. They were very nice to me when they wanted to sell the vehicle but every time I bring it in to them and ask why they can't fix it, they get huffy and try to put the blame on me. Now I could see if the vehicle were old, but it has had problems since I got it! I waited along time to be able to afford a Dodge pickup, and I am very disappointed, I should have gotten a Chevy. I tried to talk to the dealership about lemon lawing it but they won't talk to me .
When driving 55mph on freeway truck vibrates so badly you get a headache. Two different dealer's service depts. Say it is a problem with 99's and there is no fix. An outside expert got headache, and said truck is not driveable. Apparently, 1 in 5 customers came back with this same complaint. The dealers just told them thats the way it is. Do a test on concrete freeway on these trucks and you'll see for yourself. Apparently, Chrysler is not admitting there is a problem because they don't want a recall. The people who do come back and complain, the dealer send a guy to drive with the customer to convince them that it is normal and that's the way it is. I know all this because my husband is a mechanic (25 years) and he knows a couple of mechanics at Chrysler.
My 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 club cab 2-wheel drive automatic with a 318. 48,000 miles already had the trans go out, the catalytic converter went bad, the third brake light leaked when it rained, spot welds came through the paint on the drivers door skin,drivers side license plate light went out and changing the bulb doesnt fix it, the thermostat gasket went bad,the rear brakes somehow came out of adjustment and trashed the drums,passenger side front wheel bearings went bad, passenger side upper and lower ball joints went bad, front sway bar bushings went bad,when cold the trans slips, inner welds on the drivers side door have popped causing vibration,and knock on wood that is all for now I think.
Truck shook for no real reason replaced tracking bar than shock stabliser . It would shake and I would have to pull over and stop to make it go away .replaced tires front and it went away for 10,000 miles than intermittently would return it showed up one day on a road I traveled all the time pulled over stopped than started up again next day went over the same spot no shake very odd truck ill never own a Dodge truck again sold truck for the bank pay off . Took a loss on this truck told the gentleman who bought it of the problem hope he has better luck than I did with it .
Under normal braking vehicle pulled to the left. When braking there was vibration coming from the front end, causing poor steering control. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealer noted that passenger's side right calipers were sticking, also, rear brake drums were replaced due to the brakes being out of round. Consumer still having problems after visting the dealer on several occasions. An engineer from Chrysler indicated the brakes were too powerful for vehicle's weight, causing the suspension to twist upon braking. Please provide any further details.
While driving vehicle at 65 MPH, consumer had to make a sudden / emergency stop. The brakes failed to grab. Stopping distance was extended. Took vehicle to dealer & the mechanic had the rear shoes/ rotors and pads replaced. The pads were glazed over. Brakes had faded out at 35 MPH. The vehicle would drift from left to right. Had steering gear box replaced & wheels realigned. The computer systems failed to register correct gas mileage per gallon. Brakes still do not function properly.
While driving at any speed vehicle wanders to the left or right. Driver is constantly fighting with the steering wheel to keep the truck on the road. Truck was taken to four or five dealerships, and dealers were not able to correct this problem. Also, steering box was changed, a chime was put in the right front wheel, and some wheel aliginment was done. But none of this corrected the problem.
When driving over 15 MPH vehicle sways all over the road. Vehicle is very difficult to handle, causing consumer to lose control. Consumer has contacted manufacturer regarding the problem, manufacturer is planning to release a TSB regarding this problem. Please provide further details. Vehicle was converted to a road trek, but is on a Dodge chassis. Please provide further details.
Suspension complaints in other Ram years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1999 Dodge Ram?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the suspension of the 1999 Dodge Ram, 10% of the model year's 412 complaints. The component named most often is front (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Dodge Ram suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 1999 Dodge Ram, though it has 9 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 1999 Dodge Ram suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
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.