1990 Dodge Ram 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 1990 Dodge Ram, 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
- Engine313.0%
- Interior & seats313.0%
- Transmission313.0%
- Driver assistance28.7%
- Tires & wheels28.7%
- Seat belts28.7%
- Steering28.7%
- Fuel system14.3%
- Brakes14.3%
- Heating & air conditioning14.3%
- Electrical14.3%
- Body & structure14.3%
- Suspension14.3%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE JUMPING ANOTHER VEHICLE ENGINE SENSOR FAILED COMPLETELY. TOOK TO DEALER PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHCILE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*AK
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND IN FRONT OF HOUSE. CONSUMER WAS AWAKENED BY NEIGHBORS AND TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. FIREMAN TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE AREA THE WIRING.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE DOESN'T SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BE PINNED BETWEEN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED FROM PARK TO REVERSE TO GET OCCUPANT FROM BETWEEN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. *AK
ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATES. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TREAD ON LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
TIRE FAILURE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 31X10.50R1 TIRESIZE: 31X10.50R1)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 95V1030000 CONCERNING THE FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SHOULDER BELT STRAP WOULD NOT LOCK AND THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT STAY LATCHED. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME HE USED THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK (11/21/05) *SC
CAR SEAT FILL OUT OF CAPTAIN CHAIR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
AS STEERING COUPLER WEARS OU, MORE PLAY SHOWS UP IN STEERING WHEEL, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE IN A TURN. *AK
STEERING COUPLING BADLY WORN; READY TO BREAK; IF BREAKS, COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT; CAUSED DIFFICULT STEERING. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
RETURN HOSE DISCONNECTED FROM GAS LINE, CAUSING GASOLINE LEAK. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
COMPLETE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED AND STILL FAILS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DEFECTIVE A/C WIRING GETS EXTREMELY HOT WHICH CAUSES SMOKE AND FIRE. REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE. PROBLEM OCCURRING AGAIN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
UNDERHOOD WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. DEALER HAS VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRAME BROKE OFF FROM THE UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
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
VEHICLE ANDERS, FEELS VERY LOOSE AND DRIFTS FROM LANE TO LANE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
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 .