Dodge Ram 3500
Owners filed 3,085 complaints across 22 model years of the Dodge Ram 3500. The 2012 drew the most (366).
Model years22
Complaints3,085
Recalls96
Fires121
Deaths5
Which Dodge Ram 3500 years should you avoid?
Going by 3,085 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Dodge Ram 3500 years to avoid are 2012 and 2003.
- 2012366 complaints, 2.8× a typical Ram 3500 year, most often about the steering.
- 2003286 complaints, 2.2× a typical Ram 3500 year, most often about the airbags.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every Dodge Ram 3500 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012Avoid | 366 | 9 | 8 | 4 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2011 | 225 | 5 | 5 | 3 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2010 | 150 | 9 | 4 | 3 | Steering | Do not drive | |
| 2009 | 105 | 5 | 2 | 6 | Steering | Do not drive | |
| 2008 | 173 | 11 | 14 | 9 | Steering | Do not drive | |
| 2007 | 210 | 14 | 14 | 14 | Steering | Do not drive | |
| 2006 | 258 | 11 | 4 | 15 | Steering | Do not drive | |
| 2005 | 196 | 7 | 6 | 23 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2004 | 214 | 7 | 4 | 42 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2003Avoid | 286 | 9 | 1 | 9 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2002 | 44 | 1 | — | 2 | Steering | Routine | |
| 2001 | 130 | 1 | 3 | 12 | Structure | Routine | |
| 2000 | 58 | 1 | 5 | 4 | Structure | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 104 | 1 | 6 | 10 | Power Train › Manual Transmission | Fatalities reported | |
| 1998 | 105 | 1 | 10 | 12 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1997 | 125 | 1 | 12 | 4 | Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch | Routine | |
| 1996 | 124 | 1 | 10 | 5 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1995 | 108 | 1 | 6 | 7 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1994 | 70 | 1 | 7 | 2 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1993 | 20 | 0 | — | — | Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch | Routine | |
| 1992 | 10 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 | — | — | Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.