FaultScore

Worst years for a Dodge RAM 3500

Owners have filed 4,040 complaints about the Dodge RAM 3500 with NHTSA across model years 1991 to 2012. More of them are about the steering than anything else.

Avoid

2004 Dodge RAM 3500

276 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly transmission & drivetrain.

Cleanest on record

1993 Dodge RAM 3500

26 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Dodge RAM 3500 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2012 D 502 6 11 46,840 Steering
2011 C 297 5 7 49,500 Steering
2010 C 214 5 8 50,500 Steering
2009 C 130 9 2 48,600 Steering
2008 D 221 13 21 68,000 Steering
2007 D 286 19 22 80,000 Steering
2006 D 349 19 6 79,500 Steering
2005 D 240 31 9 84,000 Steering
2004 D 276 52 5 69,184 Transmission & Drivetrain
2003 C 330 10 1 79,084 Airbags
2002 B 59 4 0 48,500 Body & Structure
2001 C 168 15 4 77,500 Body & Structure
2000 C 77 5 12 87,285 Suspension
1999 C 146 11 6 115,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
1998 C 134 13 17 93,500 Transmission & Drivetrain
1997 C 153 5 12 108,000 Lights
1996 C 182 8 12 115,000 Brakes
1995 C 132 11 7 64,935 Brakes
1994 C 102 4 9 86,879 Brakes
1993 A 26 0 0 Brakes
1992 11 0 0 Brakes
1991 5 0 0 Steering

What breaks on a Dodge RAM 3500

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Steering 1,051 26.0%

Worst in 2012

Worst in 2004

Suspension 359 8.9%

Worst in 2012

Airbags 317 7.8%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2006

Brakes 283 7.0%

Worst in 1996

Engine & Cooling 263 6.5%

Worst in 2012

Worst in 2012

Body & Structure 180 4.5%

Worst in 2003

Lights 164 4.1%

Worst in 2006

Worst in 2006

Worst in 2003

Tires 90 2.2%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 1996

Exactly what failed on a Dodge RAM 3500

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 130 23.8%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 72 13.2%
Front 70 12.8%
TIE ROD Assembly 57 10.4%
Body 47 8.6%
Manual Transmission 44 8.1%
Switch 40 7.3%
Diesel 34 6.2%
Exhaust System 26 4.8%
Frontal 26 4.8%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Dodge RAM 3500, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 109 Aug 2026

Dodge RAM 3500 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Dodge RAM 3500

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.