1994 Dodge Ram 1500 recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Electrical systemFire

  Went to crank the truck one day and all of a sidden the igniton switch started smoking . It burnt the whole entire wire from the top all the way to the PCM

  Jul 24, 2021
• Air bagsCrash

  I HAVE HAS ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL ONY DODGE TRUCK, THE LIGHT SWITCH FOR HEADLIGHTS BURNING WIRES FROM NOWHERE WHEN DRIVING FROM LIGHT SWITCH.ARIL OF 2020 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHICH WAS A RESULT OF MY AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL WENT OFF BY ITSELF, THE LIGHT FOR THE AIR BAG WAS ON FOR AIR BAG WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT LATELY IT WOULDN'T TURN OFF ANYMORE A MECHANIC CHECKED SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE,AND WOULD ERASE THE LITE, BUT WOULD COME BACK ON, I CALLED DODGE AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD AT THE TIME A LOT OF MONEY TO ME TO HAVE ALL THE ELECTRICAL CHECKED AT MY EXPENSE AND THE LIGHT SWITCH WAS AN ISSUE FROM MFC.I WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 MILES MORE OR LESS AN HOUR WHEN THE BAG WENT OFF AND I WAS…

  Apr 10, 2020
• Steering

  LOWER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BROKE, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, WAS JUST MOVING FARM PICKUP OUT OF BARN AND NOT ON ROAD AT THE TIME. BARELY MOVING WHEN CONTROL WAS LOST TRYING TO TURN.

  Jul 30, 2020 · 300,004 miles
• Vehicle speed control

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BALL JOINT THAT SECURE THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V037000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO DCH CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT OF TEMECULA (26845 YNEZ RD, TEMECULA, CA 92591) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED FAILED TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO SPOKE TO LARRY H. MILLER DODGE RAM PEORIA (8665 W BELL RD, PEORIA, AZ 85382) AND LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE…

  Jun 24, 2020 · 255,000 miles
• Air bags › Frontal › Driver clockspring/spiral cassette1 injury

  TRAUMATIC INJURIES TO ARM AND ABDOMEN; FAINT SOUND BRIEFLY WAS NOTICEABLE FROM CLOCKSPRING AREA PRIOR TO AIRBAG EXPLOSION; VEHICLE MOVING AT 5 MPH, SLIGHTLY TURNING RIGHT; NEVER A COLLISION OR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON STEERING COLUMN; WITH AIRBAG REMOVED THE PARTICULAR SOUNDS ARE MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED. THEREFORE, I SUSPECT CLOCK SPRING MAY HAVE TRIGGERED EXPLOSION. WIRE INSULATION APPEARS WORN AWAY. I RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF THIS LIKELIHOOD OR POSSIBILITY OF FAILURE. ALLEGEDLY, SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS GROUP <CHRYSLERSI@FCAGROUP.COM> WILL PROPERLY LOOK INTO THIS. I QUESTION WHETHER BREACH OF THE DUTY OF CARE, AND HARM CAUSED BY THE BREACH HAS OCCURRED. I NO LONGER FEEL RELATIVELY SAFE WITH DODGE…

  Jun 2, 2018 · 64,000 miles
• Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Fan/motorFire

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE USING THE TRUCK TO PLOW WITH THE HEATER BLOWER ON HIGH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INSPECTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V135000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

  Feb 10, 2017
• Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE UNLATCHED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE FRONT WINDOW TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

  Apr 21, 2016 · 300,000 miles
• Wheels

  I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE REAR OF THE TRUCK IS VIOLENTLY PROPELLED UPWARDS, LIFTING THE REAR WHEELS UP OFF THE PAVEMENT. I LOOK UP IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND I SEE MY SPARE TIRE STANDING STRAIGHT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND OTHER VEHICLES BRAKING AND WEAVING TO AVOID THE DUMP MY TRUCK JUST TOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ONCE I LOOKED UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK I NOTICED A 4 TO 5 INCH PIECE OF FRAYED CABLE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT WHERE MY SPARE TIRE USED TO BE. IT MUST HAVE GOTTEN HUNG UP UNDER THE BUMPER WHEN IT DROPPED BECAUSE THE BUMPER IS NOW PUSHED UP TOWARDS THE TAILGATE IN THE CENTER. MY SPARE WAS A BRAND NEW…

  Jan 4, 2015 · 97,350 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• SEAT BACK FAILUREClosed

  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…

  DP03006 · opened Sep 23, 2003 · closed Apr 8, 2004
• STEERING COLUMN SEPARATIONClosed

  MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR…

  DP03002 · opened May 7, 2003 · closed Jul 22, 2003
• HEADLIGHT CIRCUITClosedLed to recall 99V024000

  THE HEADLAMP SWITCH IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES CAN OVER-HEAT AND FAIL RESULTING IN LOSS OF HEAD LAMPS AND POSSIBLY OTHER LIGHTS.DAIMLERCHRYSLER CONDUCTED A SERIES OF TESTS AND DETERMINED THAT THE 3500 SERIES IS PRONE TO GENERATING HEAD LAMP SWITCH TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF THE SWITCH LUBRICANT THRESHOLD OF 100 DEGREES CENTIGRADE.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE LUBRICANT SOLIDIFIES AND ADHERES TO THE SWITCH CONTACH SURFACES INCREASING INTERNAL RESISTANCE AND THERFORE, TEMPERATURE.DAIMLERCHRYSLER INFORMED THE NHTSA THAT IT WOULD INITIATE A RECALL OF 79,3665 MODEL YEAR 1994-1997 DODGE 3500 SERIES RAM TRUCKS ONLY BASED ON ADDITIONAL TESTING FROM WHICH IT DETERMINED THAT THE 1500/2500 SERIES VEHICLES NOMINALLY OPERATE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE TEMPERATURE THRESHOLD OF THE SWITCH LUBRICANT.OWNERS OF 1500/2500 SERIES TRUCKS WERE SENT A NOTIFICATION LETTER ADVISING OF THE PROPER METHODS FOR ADDING AFTERMARKET…

  EA98010 · opened May 8, 1998 · closed Dec 10, 1999
• ALLEGED FAILURE OF STEERING PITMAN SHAFTClosed

  STEERING BOX OUTPUT (PITMAN) SHAFT BREAKAGE RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.

  PE96022 · opened Mar 22, 1996 · closed Jul 31, 1996