Owners have filed 11 complaints
about the 2008 Dodge RAM 4500 with NHTSA between 2010 and 2015.
The largest single group is the steering.
Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 3 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 34
Against the median year of the Dodge RAM 4500. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 19
11% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2008 Dodge RAM 4500
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Steering
872.7%
Median failure at 71,035 miles
Suspension
218.2%
Median failure at 35,192 miles
Brakes
19.1%
Median failure at 83,071 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
10,000 – 24,999 miles
111.1%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
111.1%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
333.3%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
333.3%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
111.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
May 2010peak 2Aug 2015
NHTSA investigations into the 2008 Dodge RAM 4500
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C...
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 20,385 milesJohns Island, SC
SUSPENSION
TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR ON FRONT STEERING LINKAGE- WAITED OVER 9 MONTHS FOR REPAIR PART TO BE AVAILABLE (DURING WHICH TIME I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE). DEALER REPLACED THE PART BUT INDICATED ADJACENT BALL JOINT WORN AT 20,XXX MILES. CLAIMED 2 PREVIOUS RECALLS REGARDING FRONT END HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PREMATURE WEAR. BALL JOINT FAILURE HAS DAMAGE TIRE. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE READ MANY ONLINE FORUM REPORTS OF PREMATURE BALL JOINT FAILURE ON SAME MODEL VEHICLES.
NHTSA complaint #10746290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesSouth Burlington, VT
STEERING
DRIVER WAS TURNING THE TRUCK AROUND IN OUR LUMBERYARD WITH A PARTIAL LOAD ON THE BED AND THE LEFT STEERING TIE ROD BALL STUD SHEARED OFF CAUSING A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HE WAS GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE ORIGINAL TIE ROD WAS REPLACED BY DODGE IN MAY 2011 WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE PART REPLACED SOLVED THE SHEARING OR FRACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING.
NHTSA complaint #10664504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 59,000 milesWest Alton, MO
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING TO BECOME UNSTABLE. THE COMPANY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE COMPANY'S MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
NHTSA complaint #10628317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 59,000 milesWest Alton, MO
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME UNSTABLE. THE COMPANY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THEIR MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
NHTSA complaint #10628321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westerly, RI
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:13V527000 (STEERING) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE TOOL NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE NOTICE YEARS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THERE ARE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10578858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pickerington, OH
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V527000 (STEERING) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REMEDY PART WOULD NOT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR SIX MONTHS TO TWELVE MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10578170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 83,071 milesSulphur Springs, TX
STEERING
AT 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING PULLEY CAME OFF OF MY 2008 DODGE RAM 4500 CAUSING THE STEERING AND BRAKES TO FAIL. THANKFULLY,MY ARM STRENGTH AND TRAILER BRAKES SAVED ME THIS TIME. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER,THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR UNDER ANY RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10443365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 83,071 milesSulphur Springs, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
AT 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING PULLEY CAME OFF OF MY 2008 DODGE RAM 4500 CAUSING THE STEERING AND BRAKES TO FAIL. THANKFULLY,MY ARM STRENGTH AND TRAILER BRAKES SAVED ME THIS TIME. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER,THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR UNDER ANY RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10443365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 39,000 milesWatkins, CO
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V657000 (STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE NECESSARY PARTS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE AND WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOTIFY HIM WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE BUT HE HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
NHTSA complaint #10397297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 115,000 milesChanney, KS
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE 4500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION AND BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE TIE RODS WOULD NEED REPLACING AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD IN WHICH THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD AND ADVISED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER IN REGARDS TO THE REPAIRS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
NHTSA complaint #10386222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesMosco, ID
SUSPENSION:FRONT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 4500. WHILE DRIVING AT 3 MPH IN REVERSE, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FELL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #10330766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.