644 of the 8,415 complaints filed about the Dodge RAM 2500 are about the braking system — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1996.
644
Complaints
8%
Share of all complaints
64
Crashes
4
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
Abs engages the truck rolls forward 10 to 20 ft. Before it stops. There was a recall that was done on the truck but the issue still continues. Nobody will help me. It's still a problem?
NHTSA complaint #11711760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The frame has rusted completely through on both driver and passenger sides. The integrity of the frame is severely compromised and may collapse at anytime. This type of failure could be absolutely catastrophic to everyone who may be involved. It has not been confirmed by a dealer, nor has it been inspected by any others yet. It but was inspected by a ASE-certified mechanic and confirmed. I am a disabled veteran, and I am not even sure how to move the truck with its condition for further inspection. The truck is currently available for inspection at my residence. I purchased the truck in July, 2019. I was unaware of the extent of the rust until this past year. I noticed a small hole in the frame, and currently, the frame looks to be missing 20% of its circumference.
NHTSA complaint #11526910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
Good Morning! On April 9, 2023 I was going to pickup my Son in his 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 at LAX. He was returning from a 3 week trip to Chile. After taking the transmission out of gear I attempted to start the truck, but the battery was dead. I got out of the cab and released what I thought was the hood release but released the emergency brake instead. The front wheel was turned at about a 40 deg. angle to the right in my driveway which is on about a 15 deg slope to the street. The truck rolled back pinning my left leg under the left front tire, while the open drivers side door pushed me towards the now moving wheel. the left front wheel continued to roll over my left hand and my right chest grazing my left side of my head. The truck continued to roll down the street and into a neighbors truck. I suffered 13 broken ribs, a collapsed right lung, a partially collapsed left lung, a broken shoulder, and a broken left eye socket bone, deep vein thrombosis in both lower legs, 2 weeks in the ICU, 1 week in the hospital and 1 week in rehab. I am presently in home rehab. The man across the street from me at one time worked as a service manager / mechanic for a local automotive shop, and told me that he has made the same mistake many times of mistaken the emergency brake release for the hood release. I would recommend relocating the brake release to the right of the steering wheel on all vehicles that have a foot actuated emergency brake.
NHTSA complaint #11523316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
In Muskogee County.By the grace of God, I finally gain control of my vehicle, after applying the brakes that failed on me, to avoid an accident, I pulled over to inspect my vehicle. I did a walk around inspection and noticed left rear side a puddle of oil on the ground, a oil leaks right next to the fuel tank inside the frame. After getting into my vehicle I noticed, my ABS light come on. So, I had it tow home. Prior to this I did not have an inspection to see it was safe to drive and I did not report this to the police.
NHTSA complaint #11465307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
when car is cold and just started to drive ,and brakes used ,the front brake does not apply and vehicle is slow to stop when abs is disabled all brakes operate normal. I have hit 3 cars because brake did not work. this is a euro brake system installed on vehicles with frt disc and rear drum dodge would not fix after several instances reported to them I have been driving since new and many years with abs disconnected and no accidents since I disconnected the control unit
NHTSA complaint #11441385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN. ADDITIONALLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND OCCURRED WHILE THE RPM WAS BELOW 700 RPM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.*DT FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER BRAKING AND GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AFTER THE RPM'S DROP TO ABOUT 700.
NHTSA complaint #11387896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
PLEASE LOOK INTO ABS MODULE AND HCU FAILURES REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. I SPOKE WITH DODGE AND THEY STATED IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF PARTS. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAVE BEEN FAILING ON RAM 2500 AND 3500 SINCE 2006. MY TRUCK IS A 2012 WITH JUST 35972, (NOT A DAILY DRIVEN TRUCK SO YES LOW MILES) MILES ON IT AND IS FAILING. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STOP FUNCTIONING. PLEASE LOOK INTO RAM FORUMS AND READ ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND LOOK AT THE VARIATIONS IN YEARS, IF THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE ABS TO FAIL HOW ARE THEY NOT REPAIRING THIS. THIS TRUCKNIS STILL ON THE FACTORY INSTALLED BRAKES
NHTSA complaint #11377433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL MOVES SIDE TO SIDE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAS POWER ADJUSTABLE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS. FIRST NOTICED SLIGHT MOVEMENT WHILE DRIVING AND IS NOW ABOUT HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH PLAY.
NHTSA complaint #11326626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE BEARING CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO DETACH. THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND THE SERPENTINE BELT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP TO ALBANY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 2315 SANTIAM HWY SE, ALBANY, OR 97322, (541) 967-9105). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE DESIGN WAS DIFFERENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,426. *AS CONSUMER STATED THE NARRATIVE ON THIS FORM DESCRIBES THE 2ND FAILED WATER PUMP AT 87K MILES. THE FIRST WATER PUMP FAILED AT 25K . AT THIS LOW OF MILES, THIS VEHICLE IS ON THE 3RD WATER PUMP. IS THERE A DESIGN FLAW? THREE WATER PUMPS IN 87K MILES IS JUST NOT NORMAL. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #11209779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I LOST MY POWER STEERING, CAUSING ME TO ALMOST HAVE A REAR END COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, THEY FOUND MY BRAKE SYSTEM TO BE CONTAMINATED AND TOLD ME THAT ALL PARTS OF THE SYSTEM WITH RUBBER IN THEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD FIND ALL THE PARTS EXCEPT ONE, THE COMBINATION OR PROPORTIONING VALVE. I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO ANOTHER LOCAL DEALER-I NEEDED A SECOND OPINION, NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY A DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX MY TRUCK. I TOLD THE SECOND DEALERSHIP MY STORY, THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF THEIR OWN AND CAME UP WITH THE SAME EXACT CONCLUSION, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE COMBINATION VALVE. I BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR AND WAS PLANNING ON SELLING THE TRUCK, BUT NOW AM UNABLE TO DO THAT, AS IT HAS NO BRAKES AND THEY CAN'T BE FIXED. I'M WRITING THIS IN HOPES THAT SOMEONE ELSE THAT IS LOOKING TO BUY A TRUCK LIKE THIS UNDERSTANDS THE SITUATION IF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS TO THEM.
NHTSA complaint #11208414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRACKET THAT HOLD THE BREAK LINE TO THE REAR END (AXLE) HAD RUBBED THE METAL BREAK LINE UNTIL IT WORE THROUGH THE LINE AND THEN SPLIT CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT (FAST). I NOTICED MY BREAK PEDDLE START GOING TO THE FLOOR, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I PUSHED THE BREAK PEDDLE TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A SPEED ZONE AHEAD, THE BREAK PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. THAT'S WHEN THE E BREAK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON NOTIFYING ME THAT MY BREAK FLUID WAS LOW OR EMPTY. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION SO I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT DOWN TO SLOW DOWN, EVEN THOUGH I WAS STILL TRYING TO USE MY BRAKES THE PEDDLE WOULD TO THE FLOOR, STOPPING WAS 90% GONE, I HAD TO USE MY E BRAKE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP.. WHEN I STOP THE VEHICLE THAT'S WHEN I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK AND NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF BREAK FLUID, I COULD ALSO SEE A STREAM OF FLUID WHERE I PULLED IN AT. SO IT WAS SPRAYING OUT WHEN I WAS USING THE BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED WHERE TRUCK IS ALWAYS PARKED THERE NO FLUID HAD BEEN LEAKED THERE. BETWEEN MY HOME AND THE 36 MILES TO TOWN IT HAD THE BRACKET HAD RUBBED THROUGH AND SPLIT THE BREAK LINE. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRACKET HAD BEEN RUBBING THE BRAKE LINE FOR A WHILE TO SPLIT OPEN LIKE THAT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE METAL BRAKE LINE THAT WENT TO THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE. NOW I'M WORRIED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPENED TO MY OTHER BRAKE LINES. IT NEVER STATES THAT I'M TO CHECK FOR WEARING ON METAL LINES. NOTHING AFTER MARKET HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS VEHICLE IT'S 100% STOCK AS IT WAS WHEN BOUGHT FROM THE DEALERSHIP. TO ME THIS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT WHICH COULD KILL OR HURT A PERSON/PEOPLE. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFAULT AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY! A SIMPLE RUBBER PROTECT PIECE NEEDS TO BE PLACE ON THE BRACKET AND/OR LINE TO PROTECT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN!!
NHTSA complaint #11184699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
FACTORY INSTALLED TRAILER BREAKS DO NOT WORK, I TOW A 10,000# TRAILER THAT I CANT TOW WITHOUT TRAILER BREAKS. CALLED DODGE @1-866-726-4636, THAY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BUT CANT FIX IT. THIS WILL EVENTULY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.I WAS ON THE C.A. 101 NORTH AND HAD NO TRAILER BREAKS THIS IS DANGEROUS
NHTSA complaint #11173406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
MY TRUCK IS ONLY USED FOR TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL, THUS THE LOW MILEAGE. ON A TRIP, THE TRUCK STALLED WITH NO WARNING ON THE FREEWAY, LOST POWER, POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING IN THE 2ND FROM RIGHT LANE. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL IT OVER AND STOP, IN AN UNSAFE AREA. 4 HRS LATER A TOW FOR TRUCK AND 5TH WHEEL WAS ARRANGED. THE TACOMA DODGE DEALER REPLACED THE LIFT FUEL PUMP WITH AN IN TANK LIFT FUEL PUMP. APPARENTLY THE BLOCK MOUNTED PUMP "ALWAYS FAILS AROUND 70K MILES", WHICH IS WHAT MY TRUCK HAS LOGGED. THE HEAT KILLS THE PUMP. I PAID $2106.47 FOR THE REPAIR. THE NEW PUMP FAILED IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OR 2K MILES. THE EVERETT DWAYNE LANE DEALER HAS THE TRUCK NOW FOR TWO WEEKS, AND CANNOT GET THE WARRANTED PUMP REPLACED FOR ANOTHER 2 WEEKS DUE TO BACK ORDER FROM MOPAR. I BELIEVE THE PUMP TO BE A DEFECT CAUSING EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD, AS NO WARNING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ARE AFFECTED. SENIORS OFTEN DRIVE RV'S, MANY WOULD NOT BE ABLE PHYSICALLY TO HANDLE THE RIG WITH THIS FAILURE. EVENTUALLY A DEATH WILL OCCUR, AND PROBABLY MANY ALREADY HAVE THAT I AM UNWARE OF. RECALL SHOULD BE IMMEDIATE. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CW
NHTSA complaint #11170035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND WILL NOT READ ANY TRAILER WHEN CONNECTED. STATES 'TRAILER DISCONNECTED'
NHTSA complaint #11164131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
STEEL BRAKE LINE BEHIND GAS TANK WHICH CONNECT TO RUBBER HOSE LINE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT ALMOST GET KILLED BY SLAMMING ONTO A TREE TO STOP
NHTSA complaint #11153435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL MOVES ALMOST 2 INCHES SIDE TO SIDE DEALERSHIP HAS NO IDEA ON HOW TO FIX
NHTSA complaint #11130844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A CORRODED BRAKE LINES AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. HAPPENED IN DRIVEWAY BEFORE I GOT TO THE HIGHWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11099436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (CHARLIE'S DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM IN MAUMEE, OH, (419) 893-0241) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint #11099008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
VEHICLE CUTS OFTEN WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG. IT DOES IT ANY SPEED AND THERE IS NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES. THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME AT FREEWAY SPEED AND NEARLY CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN AND NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE STOP.
NHTSA complaint #11098443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BREAK TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK LOCKING PIN ON VEHICLE MAY BECOME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND TO ANY GEAR POSITION WITHOUT DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND/OR WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION - DEALERSHIP WON'T HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE RECALL UNTIL "PROBABLY AROUND SUMMER TIME," ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
NHTSA complaint #11075639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.