Fuel System complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 7% | 32,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 22% | 180,000 miles |
| 2007 | 1 | 6% | 3,000 miles |
| 2006 | 2 | 8% | 143,000 miles |
| 2005 | 1 | 3% | 119,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 2% | 190,000 miles |
| 2003 | 8 | 4% | 33,000 miles |
| 2002 | 8 | 2% | 74,000 miles |
| 2001 | 15 | 3% | 62,000 miles |
| 2000 | 8 | 5% | 67,000 miles |
| 1999 | 15 | 4% | 103,000 miles |
| 1998 | 28 | 5% | 107,000 miles |
| 1997 | 26 | 6% | 104,000 miles |
| 1996 | 37 | 6% | 85,000 miles |
| 1995 | 39 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I own a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 quad cab slt VIN 1d7-hu18n53s-188168 assembly point, warren, michigan. The truck stalled while in traffic making a 10-15 MPH right turn. The second occurence was july15, 2004. Very close call here. I was in the smokey mountains camping. The six hour drive home towing my popup was nerve racking to say the least. Especially, since my 13, 6 and 3 year old were in the truck. I mentioned that the truck runs extremely rough intermittently to the dealer morgan Dodge durham north carolina on at least two occasions. I am also experiencing an intermittent shudder that seems to be coming from the transmission, also mentioned to the dealer on at least two occasions. The dealer simply said that they could not reproduce the shudder or stall. I also had a severe brake pulsation. They did replace front pads and calipers and cut rotors. …
When going from reverse to drive, at times engine idles rough and RPM's drop to about 350-400 RPM. Approximately 75% of the time it happens the engine quits. The other 25% of the time it happens the RPM's increase after a short period of time (20seconds to 1 minute) and if still in gear the truck will lurch forward when rpms increase. Pressing the accelerator to increase RPM's does not affect RPM's when engine is stumbling and truck will not move. Dealer has been notified, known problem with engine programming. Problem has existed since truck was new.
At 65 MPH using cruise control, daytime, dry pavement, good weather, brake warning light and ABS warning light illuminated with warning chime. At next exit, operator took vehicle to repair shop. Technician found right front wheel bearing assembly worn, allowing tire/wheel assembly to be moved 1-2'' from vertical. Vehicle had been checked during state inspection less than 400 miles previously and passed. A total failure in traffic at speed might have resulted in a loss of handling/braking that might have caused or worsened an accident. Failed part is available. Vehicle has also suffered numerous premature failures including: failure of driver heated seat, failure of electric fuel pump, nearly causing accident due to engine stoppage and loss of power steering, failure of instrument cluster, failure of front suspension components, and damage to spare tire due to mis-routed tail pipe. …
(1( return lines to fuel pump cracked and leaking fuel down and under truck which is a 2002 3500 Dodge Ram with a 5.9 liter high output turbo diesel. (2)the metal fuel lines cracked and was leaking fuel out on the block , frame ,and under carriage this is and was a fire hazard under the hood of this truck if fuel heated sufficiently to combust into flames . (#) the metal tubes were replaced and show not signs of being struck or hit and signs of corrosion. The old parts were kept from the local Dodge repair . This shows not sign except fatigue as the part came from the factory and someone else could not be in a position to shut the motor off and not drive it except to the dealer for repair without a fire .
The Dodge 2500 and 3500 pickups equipped with the cummins 24 valve diesel has a defective fuel pump that can cause problems with the vehicle without notice. The trucks involved are '98.5 through '02 models. These pumps last as short as 30,000 miles. Dodge knows of this problem and has refused to acknowledge it. This can cause a loss of power un-expectedly and create safety issues. It also leads to a much more consumer costly fix in that if it isn't replaced in time, the injection pump will fail due to lack of fuel flow. The excess fuel flow that the lift pump normally supplies is responsible for cooling and lubricating the fuel injection pump. The replacement of the injection pump can run $3,000. I had to replace mine at 40,000 mi as Dodge won't replace it until it fails or has so low of pressure. …
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel truck. There have been a large number of problems with the fuel systems on these trucks. Dodge has not done anything to correct the bad design of the fuel pumps. My truck like others has run very well, but the fuel pump has gone out, the truck began to act up when I would get to 1/4 of tank left in diesel. The fuel gauges have become a major problem on these trucks as it begins to malfunction and display incorrect fuel amounts. Which in a diesel if your run out of fuel you begin to have major problems. The fuel pump design on the 2000-2002 diesels was changed to a electronic system. This new design of pump system which consits of the lift pump and the injector pump, has not been very relieble. The mechanic which has worked on my truck has stated that thier is a major problem with this system on these trucks and a recall is needed to remedy the problem. …
Dt: I was driving my diesel truck off of my farm about to go on a state highway with my children and the truck just stopped running. The fuel injector pump went out. If I had went another 50 ft. I would have been killed. The truck just locked up.
Reporting a rental vehicle from express way Dodge experienced a fire underneath vehicle while driving at highway speed of 55-60 MPH. Consumer feels the fire was caused by either the fuel pump or a transmission leak.
Related recalls (4)
Fuel system, other › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: passenger vans and wagons equipped with compressed natural gas (cng). The fuel hose that connects the left and right fuel rails May shrink and leak fuel if exposed to high engine operating temperatures.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel rail assembly.
Fuel system, other › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: vans equipped with compressed natural gas (cng) fuel tanks. Incorrect fuel tank straps were installed on the small fuel tank. As a result, the fuel tank May not be securely attached to the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the mounting straps for the small fuel tank.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty trucks equipped with either a 8.0l v-10 engine or a 5.9l v-8 heavy duty gasoline engine. An exhaust system heat shield attaching screw is too close to the underbody fuel line. The line can rub against the screw, possibly causing fuel leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the underbody heat shield attaching screw and replace it with rubber adhesive. The chassis fuel line will be inspected for signs of wear and any tubes indicating wear will be replaced.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with gasoline engines. The fuel tank mounted rollover valve can allow liquid fuel to leak onto the ground under certain vehicle operating conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank rollover valve with a float type rollover valve.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Ram years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (39), 1996 (37), 1998 (28), 1997 (26) and 1999 (15) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Dodge Ram fuel system problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 99V-044 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Mar 11, 1999); 99V-034 (tank assembly, Feb 24, 1999); 98V-182 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Aug 6, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles; 30% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the delivery › fuel pump (33 mentions), followed by the storage › tank assembly (32).
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.