Menu

2009 Ram 4500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2009 Ram 4500, most often about the steering. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-021 the manufacturer reports only 49% of affected cars repaired.

–
CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 49%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Steering

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 9, 2018. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Ram 4500 has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2009 Ram 4500 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.

49%repaired · 2019 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 18V-021 · Jan 9, 2018 · 328,177 vehicles · 160,051 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

63%repaired · 2018 Q2

Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator

Recall 16V-739 · Oct 13, 2016 · 74,811 vehicles · 47,157 repaired

Risk. If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 Ram.

Best & worst years

2009 vs. every other 4500 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 4500 median. How we score

'08'09'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2009 Ram 4500, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What 4500 owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 RAM 4500. WHILE MAKING TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Complaint 10917729 · Oct 21, 2016

Own a 2009 4500?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.