IllustrationWHILE STEERING STEERING WHEEL ACTED LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. DEALER REPLACED STEERING BOX, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1996 Dodge RAM 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 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
50–25K
225–50K
450–75K
2075–100K
29100–150K
24150K+
84 reports with mileage · 214 unknown
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.
- Power Train. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports17 fire reports13 injury reports
Steering complaints
23 reportsTHE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THE RADIO WERE REPALCED WITH NO PROBLEMS FROM THE DEALER, THE BRAKE SYSTEM I REPLACED MYSELF, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP WITH A $100 DEDUCTABLE AFTER CONTACTING CHYSLER, THE PITMAN AND IDLER ARM HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED, I AM NOT DRIVING THE VECHICLE
I AM ON MY FOURTH STEERING COLUMN WITH LESS THAN 25,000 MILES.DID I BUY A LEMON OR CAN YOU HELP ME? THE DODGE PEOPLE ONLY SAID THEY WOULD ONLY DOCUMENT IT. THANK YOU.
WHEN DRIIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THERE IS SHAKING WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO PITMAN AND THE IDLER ARM MALFUNCTIONING. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 96. IN JULY OF 97 A POPPING NOISE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN.. THE VEHICLE HAD 21,500 MILES ON IT. MY DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY. JULY OF 99 THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND …
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VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 96. IN JULY OF 97 A POPPING NOISE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN.. THE VEHICLE HAD 21,500 MILES ON IT. MY DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY. JULY OF 99 THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS BAD. I HAD A NEW CLOCK SPRING INSTALLED BUT THIS DIDNOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REFUNDED MY MONEY FOR THE CLOCK SPRING AND THE COST OF THE LABOR TO INSTALL IT. FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS DISASSEMBLED TO FIND OUT WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAD GONE BAD AGAIN. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAD 55984 MILES ON IT AND IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE NEW STEERING COLUMN LASTED JUST A FEW DAYS SHY OF TWO YEARS AND A LITTLE OVER 30,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I'LL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL REPAIR BILL TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. I CALLED CHRYSLERS HOT LINE NUMBER AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE NEW STEERING COLUMN SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE OUT IN ONLY TWO YEARS AND 30,000 MILES. THEY TOLD ME THAT AS A GOOD FAITH MESSURE THEY WOULD GO 50-50 WITH ME ON THE REPAIR. THIS ISN'T RIGHT! NO WAY SHOULD THAT PART GO OUT IN TWO YEARS. THAT MEANS, IF I KEEP THE VEHICLE, EVERY TWO YEARS I'LL BE SPENDING $500 FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING SHAFT DISENGAGED FROM STEERING BOX, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
THE PASSENGER'S WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM MOTOR BROKE, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY. ALSO, THE STEERING SYSTEM IS VERY LOOSE, AND DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PRESENTLY, DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND OTHER PARTS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND…
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THE PASSENGER'S WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM MOTOR BROKE, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY. ALSO, THE STEERING SYSTEM IS VERY LOOSE, AND DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PRESENTLY, DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND OTHER PARTS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACE 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH RIGHT KNUCKLE ARM BROKE, CAUSING SAFETY PROBLEMS. CONSUMER NOTES VEHICLE DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
CLAMP HOLDING STEERING LINKAGE TO STEERING BOX FELL OFF CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. VEHICLE WAS GOING 5 MPH AND RAN OVER CURB.
STEERING SHAFT FAILED.
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
1DP03006 · Seat Back Failure
Opened Sep 23, 2003 · Closed Apr 8, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats; Seats:front Assembly:recliner
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 INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
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 INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Seats:front Assembly:recliner
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 INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.