repaired · 2016 Q2
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
2004 Dodge RAM 2500Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 582 owner complaints about the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500, most often about the steering. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-770 the manufacturer reports only 23% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 11, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 has problems
582 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
140Steering5 crash/fire/injury
110Power train45 crash/fire/injury
106Suspension2 crash/fire/injury
90Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
47Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
35Structure
26Exterior lighting
24Engine and engine cooling
18Visibility
12918 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 140 | 5 |
| Power train | 110 | 45 |
| Suspension | 106 | 2 |
| Air bags | 90 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 47 | 4 |
| Structure | 35 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 26 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 24 | 2 |
| Visibility | 18 | 0 |
| 18 other systems | 129 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2004 Dodge RAM 2500 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2015 Q1
Linkages: tie rod assembly
Risk. A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Linkages: tie rod assembly
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL STABILITY IN THE LEFT HAND FRONT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Lever and linkage: column shift
Risk. THIS ERROR IS AN UNINTENDED ACTION THAT MAY RESULT IN A LACK OF TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL ENGAGEMENT AND POSSIBLY DELAYED REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INSTALLING THE INCORRECT TIRE/RIM SIZES AND LOADING THE VEHICLE TO THE WEIGHTS SHOWN ON THE LABEL CAN CAUSE TIRE FAILURE AND RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. CONTINUED OPERATION CAN RESULT IN PROPELLER SHAFT SEPARATION AND DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A FUEL LEAK.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
93kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 95 steering complaints. 56% were reported before 100,000 miles.
8under 30k miles53under 100k miles42100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
11 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $588 – $1,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other RAM 2500 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the RAM 2500 median. How we score
'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
8 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500, and the recalls they led to.
- Chrysler's execution of 13V-528 & 529No recall
- FALSE PARKLed to recall 05V-462
- ENGINE STALLNo recall
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 15E-043
- FALSE PARKNo recall
- ENGINE STALLNo recall
- Clutch Interlock Switch MalfunctionLed to recall 14V-795
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 14V-770
In owners' words
What RAM 2500 owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram. The contact was informed that the vehicle had four notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V528000 (STEERING), 16V352000 (AIR BAGS), 15V313000 (AIR BAGS) and 09E001000 (STEERING). However, the parts to do the recall repairs for both air bags are not available.…
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V528000 (Steering) and 16V352000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…
My vehicle had wat is known as the 3rd gen steering assembly. Which is known and reported by multiple consumers to cause wat everyone calls a death wobble " Death wobble happens in Jeeps, 4x4s, and trucks when rapidly rotating steering wheel components cause your steering wheel to move rapidly from…
Own a 2004 RAM 2500?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.