2009 Dodge Ram 5500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Dodge Ram 5500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering562.5%
- Airbags112.5%
- Engine112.5%
- Suspension112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
7/21/15 TOOK TRUCK TO RAM DEALER FOR RECALL R-16 DEALER STATED IT ALSO HAS R-25 RECALL, TRUCK STILL HAS VIBRATION AT 55 MPH AND NOW IT WILL DRIFT LEFT AND RIGHT CALLED DEALER THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME TO HAVE MY TIRES CHECKED, 7/30/15 CALLED CHRYSLER HOTLINE WAS TOLD NO OPEN RECALLS I TOLD HER I HAD IT IN FOR REPAIR BUT IT STILL WASN'T RIGHT SHE SAID THEY NEED TO CORRECT PROBLEM ON THEIR DIME. 7/30/15 CALLED DEALER, SERVICE MANAGER HAD QUIT NEED TO CALL ON 8/3/15 TO TALK TO NEW SERVICE MANAGER. 8/3/15 TALKED TO NEW SERVICE MANAGER TOLD HIM WHAT CHRYSLER SAID, HE SCHEDULED TO INSPECT TRUCK FOR 8/11/15 DROPPED TRUCK OFF ON 8/10/15 PUT KEY AND NOTE IN DROP BOX STATING SINCE AIRBAG WAS REPAIRED HORN AND CRUSE NO LONGER WORKED 8/16/15 HAVE NOT HEARD BACK 8/17/15 CALLED DEALER LEFT A MESSAGE TO CALL ME, 8/18/15 CALLED DEALER TALKED TO SERVICE MANAGER HE THOUGHT TRUCK HAD BEEN PICKED UP, SAID HE WOULD CHECK AND CALL ME BACK. DEALER CALLED BACK SAID TECH HAD QUIT AND THEY CANT FIND THE KEY BUT WILL MAKE A NEW ONE AND DRIVE IT AND CALL ME. LATER THAT DAY HE CALLED BACK SAID THE BOARD WAS BROKE BEHIND THE AIRBAG AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER ONE IF A SALVAGE YARD DIDN'T HAVE ONE, AND ASKED ME TO DESCRIBE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. 8/19/15 LEFT A MESSAGE TO CALL ME. 8/20/15 I CALLED TALKED TO SERVICE MANAGER HE SAID TRUCK DROVE ALL OVER THE ROAD JUST AS DESCRIBED AND THAT IT COULD BE SEVERAL THINGS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HE SAID HE HAS A NEW GUY COMING IN NEXT WEEK AND COULD LOOK AT IT BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW DEEP I WANTED TO GO WITH IT BECAUSE IT HAS 160,000 MILES ON IT AND WHEN ONE THING STARTS WEARING IT WILL CAUSE OTHER THINGS TO WEAR OUT. I TOLD HIM THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE A RECALL HE TOLD ME THEY ARE ONLY REPLACING THE TIE RODS BECAUSE THEY MAY BREAK WEAR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AND ANY OTHER REPAIRS WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY ME. I AM PICKING IT UP ON 8/24/15
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE RAM 5500. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIE ROD DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 (NA) DODGE RAM 5500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE RAM 5500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY IGNITED INTO MASSIVE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 (NA) DODGE RAM 5500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .