IllustrationWHILE DRIVING FROM COLD START ENGINE PERFORMED ROUGHLY, AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE EXHAUST TAIL PIPE. CONSUMER CHANGED FUEL, BUT THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT THE INTAKE PLENUM GASKET WAS THE CAUSE. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *AK *TC
1996 Dodge RAM 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
225–50K
450–75K
2075–100K
29100–150K
24150K+
84 reports with mileage · 214 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports17 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
298 reportsI HAVE THIS TRUCK FOR 2 YEARS AND IN THAT 2 YEARS I HAVE MANY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTING AND BURNING THE WIRES IN THE DASH. I HAVE HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED TWICE AND IT CONTINUES TO BURN OUT AND MELT. I AM SO SCARED THE TRUCK IS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE ONE DAY THAT RA…
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I HAVE THIS TRUCK FOR 2 YEARS AND IN THAT 2 YEARS I HAVE MANY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTING AND BURNING THE WIRES IN THE DASH. I HAVE HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED TWICE AND IT CONTINUES TO BURN OUT AND MELT. I AM SO SCARED THE TRUCK IS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE ONE DAY THAT RARELEY DRIVE THE TRUCK. I STILL HAVE THE OLD PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED BUT DONT FEEL IT IS THE SWITCH CAUSING ALL THE PROBLEMS. I FEEL IT IS THE WHOLE WIRING SYSTEM. I READ THE CUSTOM REPORTS ON MYCARSTATS.COM IT SEEMS THE 1996 DODGE DAKOTA HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THERE WERE EVEN REPORTS OF THE TRUCK CATCHING ON FIRE. IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ON MANY DIFFERNET OCCAIONS; WHY HAVENT THEY RECALLED IT??? I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE AND HOPEFULLY DODGE TAKING CARE OF THIS PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE HELP!!! MRFIXITUP@BELLSOUTH.NET
SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE STOPPING UP THE OIL PAN PICK UP,CAUSING TRUCK TO LOOSE OIL PRESSURE. NOW AT 121000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN LOSING OIL PRESSURE FROM THE SLUDGE SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1996, I WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DEALER,THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE LACQUER THAT THE ENGINE BUILDER USED TO S…
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SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE STOPPING UP THE OIL PAN PICK UP,CAUSING TRUCK TO LOOSE OIL PRESSURE. NOW AT 121000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN LOSING OIL PRESSURE FROM THE SLUDGE SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1996, I WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DEALER,THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE LACQUER THAT THE ENGINE BUILDER USED TO SHIP THE ENGINE TO THE USA, 318CUI BUILT IN JAPAN. THE DEALER CLEANED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES, THE LAST TIME WAS IN JULY 2003 COSTING ABOUT $1000 TO ME. I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM DODGE AND THE DEALER, SINCE THE TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED AND NOW AT 121000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP. THE SLUDGE BUILD UP HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEARS, SEEMS LIKE ABOUT EVERY 30000 MILES, INSTEAD OF FIXING TRUCK ALL THEY DID WAS CLEANUP THE MESS AFTERWARD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BLEW THE MOTOR LOST OIL PRESSURE AGAIN, SO THIS MAKE 5 TIMES THE TRUCK HAS DONE THIS, THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DODGE SEVERAL TIMES BUT NO HELP FROM THEM, THEY DON,T WANT TO STAND BY THEIR TRUCK AND IT DON,T LOOK LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THANKS JAMES C. ROSE. *NM
PAINT STARTED PEELING OFF IN 2000, AND BY 2003..IT WAS PEELING OFF IN CHUNKS WEEKLY. NOW IN 2004, THERE IS HARDLY ANY PAINT ON THE HOOD OR THE TOP OF THE CAB WITH OTHER PEELING ON THE OTHER PARTS AS WELL. THE ROCKWALL, TX DODGE DEALERSHIP'S REP SAID HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE DEFECTIVE PAINT JOB, AND WE'D PAY $700 TOWARD THE PA…
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PAINT STARTED PEELING OFF IN 2000, AND BY 2003..IT WAS PEELING OFF IN CHUNKS WEEKLY. NOW IN 2004, THERE IS HARDLY ANY PAINT ON THE HOOD OR THE TOP OF THE CAB WITH OTHER PEELING ON THE OTHER PARTS AS WELL. THE ROCKWALL, TX DODGE DEALERSHIP'S REP SAID HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE DEFECTIVE PAINT JOB, AND WE'D PAY $700 TOWARD THE PAINT JOB. AFTER THAT ESTIMATE, WE HELD OFF GETTING IT PAINTED BECAUSE OF MOVING TO MISSISSIPPI, SO I WENT TO THE HOWARD WILSON DODGE DEALER IN FLOWOOD, MS. THAT DEALERSHIP'S REP WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING-0. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WHY WOULD THE TEXAS CRYSLER REP SAY YES, THAT THE PAINT PEELING OFF IN CHUNKS WAS AN INFERIOR PAINT JOB, BUT THE MISSISSIPPI CRYSLER REP SAYS HE WILL DO NOTHING. I WOULD NOT NEED TO BE PAINTING IT AT ALL, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE DEFECTIVE PAINT JOB. *NM
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, IN WHICH HE SUGGESTED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS SWITCH MELTED. *AK *SC
SOMTHING UNDER THE TRUCK RATTLES/ STALLS IN REVERSE ,WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR,ACTS LIKE IT IS LOCKED IN 4WD ALL THE TIME. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNG THEN A METAL TO METAL NOISE WHILE DRIVING. PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTIONED, BUT THE WHEEL DIDN'T FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER IN TIME TO KEEP THE WHEEL FROM FALLING OFF. *AK *NM
DODGE RAM - BAD TRANSMISSION(S) *JB
S,BAR LINK ,REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS ,NO GOOD.TRANSMISSION FAILURE TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP ,REPLACED PRESSURE SOL,GOVERNOR,GOV SWITCH,SWITCHAND SELERIOND,STILL ACTING THE SAME.LEFT CONTROLARMANDBOLTKIT , ALSO SAY NEEDS RIGHT SIDE .WILL NOT ALLIGNE .LIGHT UNDER HOOD COMES ON WHEN DRIVING ,AND HORN DOES NOT WORK NO ONE CAN …
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S,BAR LINK ,REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS ,NO GOOD.TRANSMISSION FAILURE TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP ,REPLACED PRESSURE SOL,GOVERNOR,GOV SWITCH,SWITCHAND SELERIOND,STILL ACTING THE SAME.LEFT CONTROLARMANDBOLTKIT , ALSO SAY NEEDS RIGHT SIDE .WILL NOT ALLIGNE .LIGHT UNDER HOOD COMES ON WHEN DRIVING ,AND HORN DOES NOT WORK NO ONE CAN FIG OUT WHY ..?DODGE SHOULD COVER ALL TRANNY AND FROUNT SUP ON THESE TRUCKS ,FOUND OUT AFTER PURCHACED ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WRONG WITH THIS YR OF TK.96 DODGE RAM 4X4 1500 ALSO THE 4X4 IS HARD TO SHIFT INTO AND TAKE OUT AND SOMETIMES DOESN NOT COME OUT ,EVEN WHEN LIGHT INDCATES IT IS OUT OF FOUR WHEEL.NEVER AGAIN DODGE!! NUMEROUS DATES OF WORK TO THIS VEHICLE. *AK
THE BRAKES ON MY 1996 DODGE RAM FAILED. THE DEALER "KIRKWOOD DODGE" SAID THE METAL BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. *LA
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP03006 · Seat Back Failure
Opened Sep 23, 2003 · Closed Apr 8, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats; Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.