KnownCarProblemsHome › Dodge › Ram 2500 › 2004
2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 582 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Dodge Ram 2500, most often about the steering (24% of complaints, typically around 90,500 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Ram 2500 model year since 2000 and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 problems
Steering
140 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 90,500 miles. Parts named most often: gear box (other than rack and pinion), linkages, column.
I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup 4x4. When going about 60 MPH and hit a bump in the road or a bridge, the truck shakes so violently that I have to pull over to the side of the road. We bought this truck 3 mos ago and the problem described has happened approximately 20 times. I have replaced the stabilizer shock. I…
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that while reversing at approximately 5 MPH, a loud popping noise was heard and he lost control of the steering. Upon examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the steering linkage was detached from the steering box. The vehicle was towed to an…
Transmission
110 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 26,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, driveline, transfer case (4-wheel drive), axle assembly.
Dt: the contact states while vehicle was parked it slipped out of gear. The vehicle rolled over into a ditch line. He noticed at times while driving that the correct gear was not displayed on the gear shift indicator. Vehicle at dealer to be repaired.
: the contact stated the vehicle inadvertently shifts out of gear while in park. There is a NHTSA recall # 05v462000 concerning the automatic transmission on this vehicle, however the recall repair was not performed. The recall repair includes an out-of-park alarm, but this does not stop the transmission from…
Suspension
106 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
My '04 2500 Dodge ram pickup experienced what is known as the death wobble today. A violent shaking of the front axel, which results in absolutely no control over the vehicle, except for braking and minimal steering. My two year old son was present for this, and it absolutely scared him to death. According to many…
Vehicle failed safety inspection because upper and lower ball joints were bad. The truck is only 4 years old with 67,000 miles on it. Truck has been used primarily for highway driving. I am aware that Dodge has had recalls for ball joint issues on their dakota and durango models. Upper and lower ball joints were…
Air bags
90 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 130,000 miles.
I received a recall notice in feb.of 2015 recalling the air bag. Called ron carter Dodge in alvin, tx and made an appointment. When I took the truck in I was told that they hadn't received any of the replacement air bags from Dodge and they would not be able to replace the faulty air bag until they had. The air bag is…
Vehicle was inspected on 3/2/2020. At the bottom of inspection statement was a recall advisory notice. I submitted info. On website, but I've received no response. Today the airbag light has come on the dash and it remains on. What do you want me to do at no charge to me. Is this a recall??
Electrical
47 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 79,500 miles. Parts named most often: horn, wiring.
My 2004 Dodge ram turn signal intermittently will not work when you turn on right blinker or it will turn on the left blinker. Went to dealer to ask about it they said it has happened on other trucks but no recall yet. They said it would cost about $800.00 to fix so I might want to wait till it fails completely. I…
Headlights malfunctioned attributed to the front control module according to chrysler star representative.this is a "known" problem that the dealer was not prepared or able to diagnose. According to chrysler star support desk the front control module p/n 56051036ad has a known problem. I was only able to find this out…
Engine
37 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine, cooling system.
04 2500 truck had poor power and was losing a lot of oil on the highway. It was determined by dealership a thrown rod. I have the banks power system installed and was told warranty was voided.
Ac does not blow cold on passenger side and freezes up losing power; took it to dealer under warranty on two occasions and they said they could "not duplicate complaint". I also have taken it to the dealer while under warranty and complained that the drivers door never seals properly and the wind noise is ridiculous!…
Body and structure
35 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
: the contact stated while getting into the vehicle, the handle used for balancing or securing oneself when exiting or entering the vehicle on the left side detached. The contact fell back slightly, suffering slight back injuries. The vehicle was taken to a service dealer, where the dealer was unable to determine the…
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab. The contact stated that the dashboard began to exhibit signs of cracking and progressively became worse. The dealer advised the contact to purchase a new dashboard. The manufacturer advised there was not a recall on the vehicle and would not provide any further…
Fuel system
33 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 70,000 miles. Parts named most often: delivery, fuel injection system, storage.
Injector #4 fuel line has broken 8 times. 10-10-12 was the most recent. So far this year the line has broken 3 times. North star Dodge in san antonio has attempted to fix the issue without success at least 5 times. Dodge/chrysler customer cares response to repeated failure is..."live with it, it's an 04". I have had…
Truck dies while driving and makes it extremely hard to steer ! Seems to be some sort of fuel problem ! This has been ongoing for several years and I don't trust it to attempt to drive in traffic to a dealer for repairs ! The truck currently has approx. 87,000 original miles on it ! Problem seem to start shortly after…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2004 Dodge Ram 2500 recalls
Air bags
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerâs frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in florida, puerto rico, hawaii, and the u.s. Virgin islands, owners were notified and the recall began on december 5, 2014. For all other vehicles, chrysler notified owners and the recall began on february 3, 2015. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is p40 expanded. Note: this recall has been superseded by recall 16v-352. This recall superseded the passenger air bag p
Full defect summary
Chrysler group llc (chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 dodge ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 dodge durango, 2005 dodge dakota, 2005 dodge magnum and 2005 chrysler 300, 300c and 300 srt8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in alabama, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, texas, puerto rico, u.s. Virgin islands, saipan, guam, and american samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Steering: tie rod assembly
Risk: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler notified owners and launched its recall campaign in january 2014. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is n62.
Full defect summary
Chrysler group llc (chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 dodge ram 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4, model year 2007-2008 dodge ram 3500 4x2 cab chassis and model year 2006-2008 dodge ram 1500 mega cab 4x4 trucks manufactured february 12, 2002, through february 13, 2008. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Steering: tie rod assembly
Risk: This condition could result in the potential loss of directional stability in the left hand front wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the tie rod ends for relative orientation and replace the left outer tie rod as required and perform a front end toe alignment as needed. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 3, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 2500/3500 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 3500 cab chassis 4x2, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; and model year 2008 dodge ram 1500 mega cab 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through august 15, 2008, because the left tie rod ball stud may fracture. This condition tends to occur during low speed parking lot type maneuvers when the customer is making a tight turn. Additionally, model year 2003-2008 dodge ram 2500/3500 vehicles may have received the affected tie rod assembly as a replacement part during normal service.
Transmission: column shift
Risk: This error is an unintended action that may result in a lack of transmission park pawl engagement and possibly delayed rearward movement of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will perform a software modification to equip these vehicles with an out-of-park alarm. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
On certain pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines and automatic transmissions, in an attempt to exit the vehicle quickly without shutting off the engine and removing the key, the driver may inadvertently leave the automatic transmission shift control in indicated reverse.
Equipment: labels
Risk: Installing the incorrect tire/rim sizes and loading the vehicle to the weights shown on the label can cause tire failure and result in a crash without warning.
Fix: Owners will be provided with vehicle certification label overlays containing the corrected information relative to vehicle tire and rim size, and recommended inflation pressure. This recall began on may 5, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
The vehicle certification label on some pickup trucks lists incorrect tire, wheel, and recommended inflation pressure information which does not conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for vehicles other than passenger cars.'
Transmission: automatic transmission
Risk: Continued operation can result in propeller shaft separation and damage to fuel system components, which could lead to a fuel leak. Fluid and/or fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can cause an underbody fire.
Fix: Dealers will retighten the transfer case to transmission fasteners. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.
Full defect summary
On certain pickup trucks, the transfer case to transmission attaching fasteners may not be tightened correctly. This could cause the transmission adapter or transfer case housing to crack and leak fluid.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Chrysler's execution of 13v-528 & 529
Summary
Rmd opened this audit query (aq) investigation in order to better understand and evaluate chrysler's process(es) for timely and efficient execution of its safety recall campaigns, including its oversight and management of its parts division mopar.prior to opening this investigation, rmd had raised concerns with the company related to its execution of two safety recalls, 13v-528 and 13v-529, both of which involved safety defects that could cause the involved vehicles, fca?s heavier dodge ram trucks, to lose steering control suddenly and without warning.specifically, rmd inquired about the availability of parts for recall repairs, by email and phone on january 15, 2014 and february 19, 2014, d
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Clutch interlock switch malfunction
Summary
On december 16, 2104, chrysler group llc submitted a safety recall report to NHTSA describing a defect in the clutch ignition interlock switches in approximately 66,819 model year (my) 2006 through early-2007 dodge ram trucks, dodge dakota, and mitsubishi raider vehicles equipped with manual transmissions and built between july 1, 2005 and july 31, 2006 (NHTSA recall no. 14v-795, chrysler recall no. P80), including 38,969 my 2006 dodge ram 2500 and 3500 vehicles that are part of the subject vehicle population for pe14-013.chrysler's safety report states that:1) the clutch ignition interlock switch return springs may experience fatigue failure due to material issues; 2) if the return springs
Engine stall
Summary
Analysis of the complaint, field report and warranty data shows that the majority of stalling incidents in the subject vehicles appear to be related to the engine calibration concerns that daimlerchrysler addressed with service bulletins releasing revised PCM software.analysis of the complaints and odi's survey of owners of vehicles that received engine management software updates under tsb #18-013-05 show that these stalling incidents have the following characteristics: - they occur at low speeds, often during parking lot ordriveway maneuvers; - they occur during decelerations, such as braking for a stop sign or traffic signal; and - the operator is almost always able to immediately restart
Engine stall
Summary
On may 16, 2005,odi opened preliminary evaluation pe05-027 to investigate complaints of engine stalling in model year 2004-05 dodge durango suvs and ram 1500 series pickups equipped with the 5.7l v8 engine.information provided by daimlerchrysler during pe05-027 indicated that a large percentage of the complaints are related to an idle undershoot condition that may cause the engine to stall during turning maneuvers.in february 2005, daimlerchrysler revised the powertrain control module software in production vehicles and issued a technical service bulletin (tsb 18-013-05) releasing the new software as a service remedy for the idle undershoot condition.the bulletin was superceded by tsb 18-013
False park
Summary
The subject vehicles are heavy duty pickup trucks with diesel engines and automatic transmissions commonly used for commercial and work purposes.a column mounted shift lever is used for gear selection and an electronic prndl on the instrument panel provides gear position information to the driver.the subject vehicles are also equipped with a brake-transmission shift interlock that prevents the shift lever from being moved from the park position (when the engine is on) unless the brake pedal is depressed and an ignition-shift interlock that prevents key removal unless the transmission is in the park position.complainants generally report that the vehicle was being operated in a forward gear a
False park
Summary
There have been 50 complaints to odi and daimlerchrysler alleging incidents of reverse powered rollaway in subject vehicles that were parked with the engine running and the parking brake disengaged.the incidents are alleged to have resulted in 42 crashes and 3 injuries. According to daimlerchrysler, incident vehicle inspections have not identified any misadjusted or broken parts.a typical incident is believed to involve the following set of conditions:(1) with the vehicle on a relatively level surface, an attempted shift into park inadvertently places the transmission in a position between the reverse and park gear detents; (2) the driver exits the vehicle with the key in the ignition, the e
Questions about the 2004 Dodge Ram 2500
- What are the most common problems with the 2004 Dodge Ram 2500?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: steering (140 complaints, typically around 90,500 miles); transmission (110 complaints, typically around 26,000 miles); suspension (106 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from December 3, 2014 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2004 a bad year for the Dodge Ram 2500?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Ram 2500 model year since 2000, with 582 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.