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1999 Dodge RAM 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Dodge RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 275.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

176 reports with mileage · 137 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

18 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2023
Air BagsUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I know I am not the only one that thinks this is a bad problem, in fact I have not met a person that has owned this era of Dodge Ram that has their Dashboard and the whole parts inside can have been falling apart. Mine has fallen and hit my legs and or lap. Now I don’t mean the whole dash at one time but I have glued, taped and …

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I know I am not the only one that thinks this is a bad problem, in fact I have not met a person that has owned this era of Dodge Ram that has their Dashboard and the whole parts inside can have been falling apart. Mine has fallen and hit my legs and or lap. Now I don’t mean the whole dash at one time but I have glued, taped and put a dash pad over top to try to keep things from falling into the vents and blower motor or anything that is behind and under the top. This is a definite safety problem cause I never know when this will happen and happening more often. I bought this truck with 11 miles on it from Logansport Indiana, September of 1999. I had been looking for a 2 wheel drive with a Cummins 5.9 Diesel and found it there in Logansport we lived in Lafayette Indiana and hoped we would be able to travel and see this beautiful country. My Wife’s family started having medical problems and after we did what we could for them, then my family needed help and none wanted nursing homes so we put aside our wishes and took care of them. They took care of us even so to many on both sides didn’t want to take care of us and some didn’t even want us, luckily we knew what that felt like so we didn’t turn our backs when we were needed, (Golden Rule) All that aside we wanted to be able to take the Airstream 2002 we got in 2020 still wanted to travel. We sold Florida home and made sure 2500 Ran was mechanical sound and power train was checked, oil, transmission fluid changed put helper bags on leaf springs and drove to Indiana, sold our home we had bought in 78 and sold that house and pulled the Airstream to Tucson Az to find our forever home and think we might have finally got one and put our dream of travel aside. I was diagnosed with Miligant Myloma in Florida Cancer Center and went through Radiation and Chemotherapy in Port Charlotte Florida before the trip and now just went through Radiation here at Banner University Cancer Center and go see my Cancer Doctor at VA here to see

NHTSA ODI #11516771

165,000 miles · Jun 11, 2018
Air Bags

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT SEEMS TO BE THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. THE CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE, WHERE I BELIEVE IT SHOULD.

NHTSA ODI #11101121

100,000 miles · Jan 2, 2018
Air BagsElectrical SystemStructure

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT REGARDING DASH BOARD. THE DASH STARTED CRACKING WITH JUST 30,000 MILES ON TRUCK, WHEN I PUT IN COMPLIANT TO NHTSA. NOW 109,000 THE ELECTRICAL, AIR BAGS, COMPUTER HARNESS WIRING ARE EXPOSED WITH A INTERMITTENT STALLING AND A GUESSING GAME FROM AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALERS AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE ISSUES. "…

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THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT REGARDING DASH BOARD. THE DASH STARTED CRACKING WITH JUST 30,000 MILES ON TRUCK, WHEN I PUT IN COMPLIANT TO NHTSA. NOW 109,000 THE ELECTRICAL, AIR BAGS, COMPUTER HARNESS WIRING ARE EXPOSED WITH A INTERMITTENT STALLING AND A GUESSING GAME FROM AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALERS AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE ISSUES. "UNDETERMINED ELECTRICAL SHORTS FROM CRACKED DASH A POSSIBILITY" "ABS SERVICE LIGHT STAYS ON, ALSO "UNDETERMINED BY DEALER", "CAN'T TRACK CODE" "DON'T DRIVE AS AIRBAG MIGHT DEPLOY BECAUSE DASH HAS DASH DEBRIS FROM CRACKS" PLUS HEARING "REFUSE TO SERVICE UNLESS REPLACE THE DASHBOARD" ALL THESE QUOTES WHEN TRYING TO TAKE TO GET THE TRUCK FIXED. MAIN COMPUTER HARNESS INTERMITTENT "NO BUS" CAN'T FIND SHORTS! STALLS OUT ON FREEWAY. THE GLOVE BOX EVEN HANGS ON ONLY ONE SIDE. UNSAFE IF AIRBAGS DEPLOY. SPLINTERING OF REMAINS CHARDS OF FAULTY DASHBOARD PLASTIC, STALL ON FAST LANE OF 14 FREEWAY IN CA HAD TO COAST TO RIGHT SIDE WITH NO POWER STEERING LUCKY THE BRAKES WORKED AND THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT. SHORT IN WIRE DUE TO EXPOSED DASH BOARD.

NHTSA ODI #11058145

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Injury

DASH FALLING APART IN CLUDING AIR BAG AIR BAG S/W VENTS FALLING OUT THE BEZEL FALLING THE GLOVE CONPARTMENT FALLING WIRES CUT HAD TO BE REPAIRED RADIO FELL OUT OF DASH GOT A DASH BOARD COVER AND HAVE TO TAPE THE CONPONITS TOGEATHER NEED TO REPLACE HEATER CORE NO SHOP WILL DO IT BECAUSE OF THE DASH I HAVE CUT MY HANDS AND ARMS DO…

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DASH FALLING APART IN CLUDING AIR BAG AIR BAG S/W VENTS FALLING OUT THE BEZEL FALLING THE GLOVE CONPARTMENT FALLING WIRES CUT HAD TO BE REPAIRED RADIO FELL OUT OF DASH GOT A DASH BOARD COVER AND HAVE TO TAPE THE CONPONITS TOGEATHER NEED TO REPLACE HEATER CORE NO SHOP WILL DO IT BECAUSE OF THE DASH I HAVE CUT MY HANDS AND ARMS DO TO DIGGING PIECES OF DASH OUT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NHTSA NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER TRUCKI GUESS WHEN THE DASH FALLS IN THE FLOOR AND CAUSE IT TO WRECK.

NHTSA ODI #10871406

168,000 miles · Jul 18, 2013
Air BagsEngine And Engine Cooling

I HAD A LEAKY HEATER CORE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH REQUIRED ME TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD. I NOTICED SOME HAIRLINE FRACTURES IN THE DASH BEFORE I REMOVED IT, HOWEVER IT LOOKED VERY MUCH IN TACT SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. AFTER REMOVING THE DASH FROM ITS MOUNTED POSITION HOWEVER IT BEGAN BREAKING APART AND THROWING SHA…

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I HAD A LEAKY HEATER CORE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH REQUIRED ME TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD. I NOTICED SOME HAIRLINE FRACTURES IN THE DASH BEFORE I REMOVED IT, HOWEVER IT LOOKED VERY MUCH IN TACT SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. AFTER REMOVING THE DASH FROM ITS MOUNTED POSITION HOWEVER IT BEGAN BREAKING APART AND THROWING SHARDS OF SHARP BROKEN PLASTIC TO THE FLOORBOARD AND SEATS. IT VIRTUALLY BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE BEFORE MY VERY EYES AND I COULD NOT HELP BUT IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAVE ALL OF THOSE PLASTIC SHARDS BEING PROPELLED INTO MY BODY AND FACE. I AM TERRIFIED WHEN I THINK OF MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. THE PLASTIC IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. IS DODGE AWARE OF THIS, ORVAM I THE ONLY ONE? WHAT A NIGHTMARE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525513

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2011
Air BagsStructure

1999 DODGE RAM 2500 PICK-UP. IN 2004 I NOTICED SOME CRACKS IN THE DASH BOARD, WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IT WAS SO BAD THAT PIECES OF THE DASH BEGAN TO FALL INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS PARTIALLY EXPOSED WHICH IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN. MY WIFE ALSO RECEIVED A CUT ON HER HAND TRYING TO REMOVE A P…

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1999 DODGE RAM 2500 PICK-UP. IN 2004 I NOTICED SOME CRACKS IN THE DASH BOARD, WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IT WAS SO BAD THAT PIECES OF THE DASH BEGAN TO FALL INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS PARTIALLY EXPOSED WHICH IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN. MY WIFE ALSO RECEIVED A CUT ON HER HAND TRYING TO REMOVE A PIECE OF THE DASH FROM INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10422609

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2010
Air BagsStructure

I OWN A 1999 DODGE RAM. AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU HAVE RECEIVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE DASH PLASTIC FAILURE. AS I READ THE POSTS, I SEE THAT AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES (DODGE RAM) ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ENTIRE PLASTIC DASH SPLINTERS INTO SHARDS, REGARDLESS OF TIME OR CARE AND UPKEEP.…

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I OWN A 1999 DODGE RAM. AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU HAVE RECEIVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE DASH PLASTIC FAILURE. AS I READ THE POSTS, I SEE THAT AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES (DODGE RAM) ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ENTIRE PLASTIC DASH SPLINTERS INTO SHARDS, REGARDLESS OF TIME OR CARE AND UPKEEP. SO HAS MINE. I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHATICALLY ADD MY NAME TO THE GROWING LIST OF DISGUSTED OWNERS. I AM MORE THAN CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHARDS OF PLASTIC AROUND THE AIRBAG. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY PASSENGER(S) IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS? I WORK AS A FIREFIGHTER, AND HAVE SEEN FIRST-HAND THE RESULTS OF THE VIOLENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE EXTENT OF THE ADDITIONAL INJURIES IF SHARP PIECES OF PLASTIC ARE ADDED TO THE BLAST OF THE AIRBAG. THIS IS NOT MERELY AN ISSUE OF AESTHETICS OR POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP. IT IS A MONUMENTAL SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. SENT RESPECTFULLY *TR

NHTSA ODI #10347951

156,000 miles · Sep 1, 2009
Air BagsCrash

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE TRUCK WAS SHADY TO BEGIN WITH. WE HIT A TREE HEAD ON AT ABOUT 40 M.P.H. AND THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK THE DEALER TOLD US THAT IT HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BUT SEVERAL MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THE TRU…

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I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE TRUCK WAS SHADY TO BEGIN WITH. WE HIT A TREE HEAD ON AT ABOUT 40 M.P.H. AND THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK THE DEALER TOLD US THAT IT HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BUT SEVERAL MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THE TRUCK SHOWED MANY SIGNS OF A PREVIOUS SERIOUS CRASH. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD WORKED PROPERLY I DON'T THINK THAT MY INJURIES WOULD BE AS SERIOUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282592

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2008
Air BagsCrashInjury

SUBJECT VEHICLE HIT BLACK ICE AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO A LIGHT POLE STRIKING THE LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SERIOUS INJURIES, DO TO AIRBAG FAILURE TO DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244657

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2004
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL OR SHIFTING GEARS. THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED, BUT THE DEALER WILL NOT DO THE REPAIRS UNDER THE RECALL 01V153000. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10056122

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

PE99069 · Oversensitive Steering

Opened Nov 8, 1999 · Closed Mar 27, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

ODI has received 14 consumer complaints concerning steering control concerns.Complainants typically alleged that the steering is loose, oversensitive, or has excessive play.They further alleged that this phenomena contributes to the vehicle wondering back and forth and being difficult to maintain in its lane.The majority of the complaints are on vehicles which are equipped with the V-10 or diesel engine.A preliminary evaluation will be conducted to assess the safety aspects of this matter.