2008 Dodge Ram 1500 problems
Owners have filed 721 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500. Air bags is the most reported problem area, at 23% of complaints. After that come steering (15%) and drivetrain & axles (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 721 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 23% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 48 and 9
- Injuries and deaths
- 44 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 67,000 miles 523 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 90 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 74 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 78 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 78 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 59 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 48 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 42 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 21 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 11 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 7 |
| 200k+ miles | 15 |
What the data shows
Among the 523 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 67,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 69,000 miles (38 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 48 complaints mention a crash; 9 complaints mention a fire; 44 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 14th most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Dodge Ram 1500 with enough data (265 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
On 22 Jan 2022, airbags failed to deploy during a head on collision. Collision occurred after losing control on black ice. While driving 55 mph along a straight and level section of a single lane highway, truck spun into on-coming traffic. The driver and passenger experienced whiplash, multiple bruises from the seat belt, and the driver broke both ankles and sternum, and needed stitches from a gash above the eye. Truck received airbag recall work at a local dealership in 2016.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the driver of another vehicle fell asleep while driving at 70 MPH and crashed into the front of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the chest, shoulders, and legs as well as lacerations to the face. The front passenger sustained a concussion and injuries to the right side of her body. The rear driver side passenger sustained injuries to the back, right arm, and had a seizure.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. The vehicle has goodyear wrangler hp tires, size p235/65r17. The vehicle has been handling poorly during all types of weather conditions. While driving 25 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the tires just skidded for approximately two feet and crashed into the preceding vehicle. The road conditions were dry. The contact was injured and the driver in the other vehicle sustained some neck bruising and pain.
Vibration and bouncing- wobble feeling with loose steering at speeds 55-70, from front wheels through steering wheel. Tires have been re-balanced several times as the possible cause but truck continues to have vibrations in front wheels at speeds 55 or higher. Continual brake noise, rattling sounds at all speeds after brakes have been applied 2-3 times under normal traffic conditions.
After filling up with fuel on serval different occasions the truck will shut off with no warning lights or service lights. This causes the power steering and everything to stop. When at a stop sign it can be started safely from park or neutral but when moving it has to be put in neutral to re start because the brake system does not work good either. It has happened at stop sign and stop light as well as driving down the road at 55 MPH