Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1981 Dodge Ram, most frequently naming the engine and tires & wheels categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 2 months of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
PARCHASED 4 EA. FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX 31X10.50 R15 LT 1090 M/S ,1-18-1996. 2 WENT BAD INCLUDING 1 FULL TREAD SEPARATION AT 60 MPH CAUSING MUFFLER AND FENDER DAMAGE. NO INJURIES.. FULL INFO SENT TO WEB MASTER.I( DOT NUMBER: VD60AW3183 TIRE SIZE: 31X10.50 R )
FAULTY VACUUM PUMP CAUSED MUFFLER TO EXPLODE/GAS TANK TO CATCH ON FIRE.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT
68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$ - Gasket, Cylinder Head Cover Before replacing injectors for Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, and/or P0206, please make sure that the wiring loom and/or connector in the valve cover gasket is not the root cause to your concern. In addition, make sure that the wiring attaching nuts are torqued to their proper value.~
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN COUPLER SERVICE. *TW
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 59.7 |
| 2009 | 9 | 6 | 1 | — |
| 2008 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 56.1 |
| 2007 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 49.2 |
| 2006 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 46.7 |
| 2005 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 53.1 |
| 2004 | 58 | 7 | 2 | 61.0 |
| 2003 | 53 | 7 | 1 | 59.0 |
| 2002 | 116 | 6 | 1 | 58.4 |
| 2001 | 318 | 14 | 1 | 62.0 |
| 2000 | 147 | 11 | 1 | 63.4 |
| 1999 | 366 | 13 | 0 | 56.1 |
| 1998 | 483 | 17 | 0 | 57.4 |
| 1997 | 398 | 11 | 5 | 65.2 |
| 1996 | 625 | 14 | 9 | 66.6 |
| 1995 | 611 | 16 | 10 | 66.9 |
| 1994 | 469 | 22 | 13 | 66.6 |
| 1993 | 54 | 1 | 2 | 47.9 |
| 1992 | 58 | 2 | 1 | 53.5 |
| 1991 | 51 | 3 | 2 | 58.5 |
| 1990 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 44.4 |
| 1989 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 42.6 |
| 1988 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 42.6 |
| 1987 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 29.9 |
| 1986 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 49.3 |
| 1985 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 41.8 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1981Viewing | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.