10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,012 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2004 Dodge Ram 3500:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #20

Dec 152019

Ram 3500

  • 137,887 miles
Have to use force to engage clutch to start vehicle. The vehicle was stationary with a trailer attached. Unable to turn off vehicle when fueling due to probability that it would not start. Tried jumper cables without success. After stomping clutch several times vehicle started.

- Cushing, OK, USA

problem #19

Jan 152018

Ram 3500

  • 93,500 miles
Driver's door lock actuator quit working, key would not open no entrance by key fob. Had to have it replaced.car was stationary when discovered.

- Clayton, NM, USA

problem #18

Sep 012017

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • 145,000 miles
My 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 will go out of park and into reverse on its own and I was not told that this is an ongoing problem with this particular truck my truck went on its own one day over 250 feet and drove into my neighbors yard. The truck parking pawl was not completely in as I was told and this truck has the ability to do it on its own I find this unacceptable and a hazard to my health as long with my neighbors. Could you please look into this because there was not a recall sent to me or anything told to me when I purchased this from the Chrysler Dodge at the dealer I believe that people need to know what they're getting into and possible hazards that are linked to this could you please email me back with any information on this problem.

- Eugene, OR, USA

problem #17

Jul 292015

Ram 3500

  • 50 miles
I"M having problems, with the Dodge Ram 3500 truck, front suspension had to be repaired, fuel/propulsion system. Still having electrical problems, inside light stays on while vechicle is in motion. Looses power at time going up hills.

- Owyhee, NV, USA

problem #16

Jul 242013

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 80,000 miles
I was heading South on I-87 in New York state at 65 mph when a loud explosion sounding like a grenade going off occurred under the floorboards. My passenger and I thought the parts under the truck were going to explode through the floorboards under us. There was a lot of noise of exploding parts. I was barely able to cost to the side of the highway. There was a great deal of oil on the pavement, wires were hanging under the truck, fuel lines and brake lines were ripped, driveshaft damaged. I noticed then that the dashboard 4 wheel drive light had come on, the front hazard lights worked but not the rear. I believe that this was the result of one of two things...a factory defect in the transfer case clutch or a computer system glitch that caused the truck to switch into 4 wd at high speed. This was a life threatening situation and I was lucky not to be involved in a serious accident and that the parts did not burst through the bottom of the truck although they dented it.

- Danbury, CT, USA

problem #15

Jul 122013

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 115,000 miles
Trailer turn signals & brake (left) not working on factory 7 prong trailer adapter, truck indicator is ok, no signal to "left" in the wiring loom from the pdc/fmc to the factory 7 prong trailer adapter. (0 voltage), right turn, right brake, running, trailer brake & battery charge are fine. Dealer wants 1000$+ to fix/replace a defective pdc/fmc. Had not I done a walk around this could/would of caused an accident if I was making a "left" turn, merging or slowing down/stopping.. bulbs are all good and independently checked with a 12V power source.

- Carson City, NV, USA

problem #14

Jun 122013

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 102,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the right turn signal and the brake lights were inoperable however, the tail lights were functional. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was determined that the fuses were not defective however, the vehicle had a seven pull connecter for hauling a trailer and the dealer suggested that the fuse board be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage and current mileages were 102,000.

- Pasco, WA, USA

problem #13

Oct 132011

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 39,595 miles
When placing the turn signal in the lower position to make a left turn signal the right signal will come on. Some times nether will come on when lever placed in the right turn position. Some times left turn lights come on when the lever is placed in the right signal position.

- Earlsboro, OK, USA

problem #12

Mar 082011

Ram 3500

  • 68,762 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram. The contact stated that the vehicle instrument panel, brake lights and headlights were failing. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the failure was diagnosed as a defective fuse box which would need replacing. The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 68,762.

- Porter Corners , NY, USA

problem #11

Aug 012010

Ram 3500

  • 84,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500. After starting the vehicle, the contact noticed that none of the electrical components would function. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the wiring harness needs to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 84,000.

- Mulberry, KS, USA

problem #10

Aug 252010

Ram 3500

  • miles
2004 Dodge Ram. When pressing down the left turn switch to turn left, the right turn signal flashes...the opposite happens when you press the turn signal switch up to turn right. Also, the windshield wipers randomly stop working while in operation. This is a very very frequent problem with Dodge, please address!

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #9

Jul 072009

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 172,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact was driving approximately 20 mph on normal road conditions when the heater system was activated; however, the blower fan failed without warning. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The failure was contributed to the steering column wiring harness. The vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. The contact had concern of the safety risk involved. The failure mileage was 172,000. Updated 01/29/10. The bad connection at the ignition switch was causing an arc and burning the installation at the end of the wire harness. The problem was causing the blower fan to fail intermittently. Updated 01/29/10 updated 03/30/10 updated09/28/10

- Clearfield, UT, USA

problem #8

Jun 042008

Ram 3500

  • 104,000 miles
On a 2004 Dodge truck when you hook up a trailer you may not have brake or turn signals on trailer but truck works fine due to a intergraded fuse box assy yes there are fuses that show good but the fuse box internal will short out Dodge has several problems and some fires.

- Porter, TX, USA

problem #7

Feb 062007

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • 38,000 miles
I purchased my truck in May 2006, since I bought the truck it has had a vibration on start ie from stop when I start moving the truck has a vibration. I am now on the third rear drive shaft assembly in my truck at 65K miles. Also have had to replace a blown front hub that separated at 60K miles with no previous problems or warning. Have had over 3K worth of electrical work done at dealership including PCM, wiring harness, fca, injection pump and so forth and so on. Still have tons of electrical issues with truck. And now at 66K miles the fuel sending unit has gone out for the second time.

- Waxahachie, TX, USA

problem #6

Jul 102006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,250 miles
The fix for the park/reverse issue on the Dodge trucks is a joke. The lights blinking and horn blowing is not a fix at all. The transmission needs to be fixed right or some sort of audible alarm needs to be installed versus the horn blowing and waking up the whole neighborhood each time the door is opened when I need to back up. Updated

- Goodlettsville, TN, USA

problem #5

Feb 092006

Ram 3500 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,000 miles
2004 Dodge durango w/5.7 liter hemi engine just stalled/shut off on its own when going up a parking garage ramp at approximately 15 mph. Lost all power to power steering and brakes. Had to come to a complete stop, place in park, and then restarted without any problem. Have had vehicle since may of 2004 and this is the first time this problem has happened. Very concerned since I have seen other complaints with same exact problem.

- Treasure Island, FL, USA

problem #4

Dec 012004

Ram 3500 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles
The consumer's vehicle would turn off while braking around turns. As a result the power brakes and steering went out.

- Clackamas, OR, USA

problem #3

Apr 012005

Ram 3500 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,200 miles
The vehicle continuously stalled in traffic. The consumer was recently driving the vehicle, and the vehicle shut off in the middle of the intersection. After the dealer serviced the vehicle which included replacing the computer, the vehicle's problems still exist. The last fix and the third time the incident occurred, the vehicle lost over 3 miles to the gallon of gas. The dealer stated that they programmed the software to run rich, which in return, burns more gas.

- Poulsbo, WA, USA

problem #2

Dec 082004

Ram 3500 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The electrical system went out which caused the speedometer, brake and tail lights not to operate. The consumer will take the vehicle to the dealer for repair for the fourth time this year.

- Genoa City, WI, USA

problem #1

Jul 102004

Ram 3500 4WD Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
ABS light came on. Air conditioner went off and on. Went to stop at an intersection, and heard a pop, and brakes went to the floor. Finally stopped with emergency brake. A man came running saying get out that it was on fire. Called the fire dept. This is a new truck with 8,000 miles on it. We are waiting for a rep from Chrysler to investigate. They would not even put us in a rental until they got to it. We could have been killed or killed someone else. We purchased this vehicle out of town at brubaker but had to have it towed to a local dealership.

- Trussville, AL, USA