IllustrationVEHICLE ENGINE FIRE. NAR 07/02/2003.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AFTER PUTTING SOME FUEL IN IT, A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
1986 Dodge RAM
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 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
Limited mileage data: 0 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports5 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
18 reportsWHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE AND REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THE SCENE INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE WIRING TO THE AUDIO EQUIPMENT FROM THE BATTERY. *JG
TIRE TREAD AND BELT SEPARATION. BELTS EXPOSED; RAPID DEFLATION. TIRE DESTROYED. NOT THE FIRST SIMILAR PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THIS MODEL OF TIRE. IT HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE A FEW YEARS AGO. *AK (DOT NUMBER: M3H3 AKYX TIRESIZE: 205-70R15)
THERE IS A SEAT BELT RECALL FOR SEAT BELT COMING UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
FUEL TANK SEEMS TO BE LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM AND NEAR THE SEAM OF THE TANK. IF AN IGNITION SOURE WAS PRESENT IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THIS WAS FOUND WHEN OIL WAS BEING CHANGED. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, FUEL WAS LEAKNG FROM FILLER TUBE. OWNER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT. FUEL TANK HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. OWNER HAS NOT BEEN ABL…
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FUEL TANK SEEMS TO BE LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM AND NEAR THE SEAM OF THE TANK. IF AN IGNITION SOURE WAS PRESENT IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THIS WAS FOUND WHEN OIL WAS BEING CHANGED. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, FUEL WAS LEAKNG FROM FILLER TUBE. OWNER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT. FUEL TANK HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. OWNER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM VISITING FRIENDS WHO LIVE ABOUT 13 MILES FROM ME ON A HOT SUN. AFTERNOON ON A 2-LANE COUNTRY ROAD. I BEGAN TO NOTICE SOME SWAY ON THE CURVES ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY HOME. AS I WAS DRIVING INTO THE CITY LIMITS I REALIZED THE REAR TIRE HAD GONE FLAT BUT DROVE ABOUT 1 BLOCK SO I COULD PULL OFF SAFELY. AS A R…
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I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM VISITING FRIENDS WHO LIVE ABOUT 13 MILES FROM ME ON A HOT SUN. AFTERNOON ON A 2-LANE COUNTRY ROAD. I BEGAN TO NOTICE SOME SWAY ON THE CURVES ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY HOME. AS I WAS DRIVING INTO THE CITY LIMITS I REALIZED THE REAR TIRE HAD GONE FLAT BUT DROVE ABOUT 1 BLOCK SO I COULD PULL OFF SAFELY. AS A RESULT THE TIRE RECEIVED SOME DAMAGE WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FLAT. I HAD IT REPLACED AT THE SAME FIRESTONE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM BUT WAS PUZZLED BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE VERY CHEWED UP FOR THE SHORT DISTANCE I CONTINUED TO DRIVE ONCE I NOTICED THE FLAT. THE TIRE WAS ONE OF FOUR I BOUGHT TOGETHER LESS THAN A YEAR AGO BUT THE ONE WHICH WENT FLAT WAS REPLACED BEFORE WORD OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SIMILAR TIRES WAS PUBLICIZED. I AM STILL DRIVING ON THE OTHER 3 PLUS THE REPLACEMENT. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE ONE OF THE TIRES (LEFT FRONT) HAS NEVER HELD AIR WELL, IN SPITE OF TAKING IT BACK FOR REMOUNTING, AND IT IS ONCE AGAIN LOSING AIR REGULARLY WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP IT PROPERLY INFLATED. THE EARLIEST APPOINTMENT I COULD GET AT ANOTHER LOCAL FIRESTONE STORE IS SEPT. 9. THE ONLY DOCUMENTATION WHICH MIGHT BE AVAILABLE OF THIS EVENT, BESIDES MY RECEIPTS, WOULD BE THE AAA RECORDS WHEN I CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH CHANGING THE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NO SUMMARY
CENTER SEAT BELT WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED AFTER RECALL REPAIR.
ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH DO NOT FUNCTION, INCLUDING THE WIPERS. DEALER WILL NOT FIX. *AK
FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO BURN. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.