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2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 257 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500, most often about the steering (29% of complaints, typically around 97,000 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Ram 3500 model year since 2000 and has 8 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory2 recalls for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 problems
Steering
75 complaints · 29%Half of these problems showed up before 97,000 miles. Parts named most often: linkages, hydraulic power assist system.
Driving home pulling a trailer the right tie rod broke on the bottom side , stud and ball still in place. We lost control of the truck crossed over into on coming traffic . Thank god no one was hurt. Dodge has a recall on the draglink and the left tierod end but not the right .this could have cost lives. What can be…
Tl contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 megacab. While driving approximately 65 MPH the steering wheel began to turn very easily but the vehicle would barely change direction. The vehicle was pulled over and towed to an authorized dealer where he was informed that the passenger side tie rod fractured. The vehicle was…
Electrical
52 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 78,000 miles. Parts named most often: ignition, wiring.
Clutch start switch broke allowing starter to engage without clutch petal depressed. ...updated 01/07/ 15 the clutch master cylinder was replaced. Updated 01/20/15
The RPM gauge goes completely out of sync of the actual RPM of the engine. This condition makes knowing manual shift points impossible to know rather driving a manual or automatic transmission equiped truck. Also causes excess emissions and a danger of losing control when taking out of gear for a downshift. This…
Lights
44 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 70,500 miles. Parts named most often: turn signal, hazard flashing warning lights.
I turned left turn signal on prior to turning and a car behind me also had left turn signal on. The car behind me passed me on the left almost hitting me in the side as I began a left turn. I swerved off the road to the right and noticed that even though my left turn signal had been applied, the right flasher was…
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact was driving approximately 15 MPH when he engaged the right turn signal but the turn signal lights did not illuminate. When the left turn signal was engaged, the right turn signal light erroneously activated instead. The failure became a sporadic recurrence. The…
Air bags
33 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 135,500 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
After months of recall notices I finally had spare time to schedule appointment on this recall. It was over a month wait to get it done since there are so many recall for Dodge. I had to schedule for 7am since I work for a living and need truck for work. I took off a few hours to get this repair done. Since I had to…
I totaled my Dodge 3500 I was doing 37 MPH on a main road and drove into a bunch of trees. My airbags did not deploy. My truck is smashed, suspension came out of truck, tire rod snapped in half, radiator burnt, my rim snapped in half, tire popped, hood severely damaged, transmission fell out, bumper and fender…
Visibility and wipers
31 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 52,000 miles. Parts named most often: windshield wiper/washer, defroster/defogger/hvac system, glass, side/rear, rearview mirrors/devices.
Several days ago my turn-signal, windshield wiper switch started malfunctioning at times. For example I would activate the signal switch for a left turn and the right turn indicator light would go on. Or, windshield wipers failed to work or did not perform the selected function. I consider this a safety hazard for…
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the windshield wipers would not function. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. An authorized dealer was notified and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id…
Transmission
22 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 80,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, clutch assembly, manual transmission, axle hubs.
Parts failure Dodge 3500 4WD, 6 speed. Failures occurred since vehicle was new, fire on engine side of road, 25,000, leaking fluid from new until 08, transmission failure 08, tie rod failure causing accident 09, 09 part recall, chrysler will not provide US recall assistance, did not honor power train extended warranty…
Clutch start switch broke allowing starter to engage without clutch petal depressed. ...updated 01/07/ 15 the clutch master cylinder was replaced. Updated 01/20/15
Suspension
20 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Ram 3500. While driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began to abnormally swerve from left to right. The dealer advised that the front hub bearing unit would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not serviced. The failure and current mileages were 79,000.
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel, inspected and ball joints failed. Took to dealer and dealer said that the ball joints were with in chryslers tolerances and would not replace them under warranty. State inspection station said they would not pass my vehicle. Dealer said that they would pass my vehicle. (what is legal)
Brakes
13 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 86,500 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, pedals and linkages, antilock.
This is a follow up to complaint number 10280337. Brake pedal instability has LED to failure of hydro-boost pump. This resulted in brakes being applied with no brake pedal interaction by operator. This LED to overheated brakes and loss of ability to stop vehicle.
Got in the truck to leave and I turned the wheel and the brakes would engage! So I got on interstate and every time I would turn the steering wheel the brakes would engage got a little squirmy !
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the chrysler, dodge, jeep and ram owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on march 27, 2017. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is s43. Note: this recall supersedes recall 14v-7700.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 ram 2500 trucks produced at the st. Louis north assembly plant. With this change, chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 ram 1500, 2005-2009 ram 2500, 2006-2009 ram 3500, 2007-2010 ram 3500 cab chassis, 2008-2010 ram 4500 and 5500 cab chassis, 2004-2009 dodge durango, 2007-2009 chrysler aspen, 2007-2012 jeep wrangler, 2008-2012 dodge challenger, 2005-2008 dodge magnum, 2005-2012 chrysler 300, 2006-2012 dodge charger, 2005-2011 dodge dakota, and 2006-2009 mitsubishi raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in al, ca, fl, ga, hi, la, ms, sc, tx, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 ram 1500, 2005-2009 ram 2500, 2006-2009 r
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected chrysler and dodge owners and mitsubishi will notify the affected raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began for chrylser on june 8, 2015. The recall for mitsubishi started on june 24, 2015. Chrysler and dodge owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Mitsubishi owners may call 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler's number for this recall is r25. Note: this recall supersedes recall 14v817 in its entirety.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 dodge ram 2500, 2004-2008 dodge ram 1500 and durango, 2006-2009 dodge ram 3500, 2008-2010 dodge ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 chrysler aspen, 2005-2010 chrysler 300, 300c, 300s, and srt8, 2006-2010 dodge charger, 2005-2008 magnum, 2005-2011 dodge dakota, and 2006-2009 mitsubishi raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Electrical: switch
Risk: Broken springs can result in a no-start condition, or cause unintended movement when the ignition is cranked, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clutch ignition interlock switch, free of charge. The recall began on march 27, 2015. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is p80.
Full defect summary
Chrysler group llc (chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 dodge ram 1500, 2500, 3500, dakota, and 2006 mitsubishi raider vehicles manufactured july 1, 2005, to july 31, 2006 with manual transmissions. The return springs in the clutch ignition interlock switch may break.
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.
Visibility and wipers: rearview mirrors/devices
Risk: Drivers of large vehicles may have difficulty judging distance relationships, which could cause a crash without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right outside convex mirror glass with a flat mirror glass free of charge. The recall began on october 10, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
Certain trucks fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 111, "rear view mirrors". The right outside rear view mirror glass has a curved (convex) mirror glass installed instead of flat glass. Curved glass creates a wider view, but displays images further away than they actually are.
Lights: exterior lighting
Risk: Without these lamps, other vehicle operators may not detect the increased width of the vehicle which could cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will install cab clearance lights free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
Certain trucks equipped with dual rear wheels fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment." the trucks may have been inadvertently manufactured without the roof mounted cab clearance lamps.
Brakes: control unit/module
Risk: This could result in a loss of vehicle control and cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ABS ecu. The recall is expected to begin during the week of july 17, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Full defect summary
On certain pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel antilock brake systems (ABS), the ABS electronic control unit (ecu) may cause a loss of front to rear brake balance, and the rear brakes could lock up prematurely during certain braking conditions.
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
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
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
Turn signal malfunction
Summary
Odi has closed this investigation based on a review of the complaints, other field data and technical data submitted by chrysler to the agency.chrysler reports that the multifunction switch is hard wired into the instrument cluster (ic) and the cluster decides which direction has been selected based on an electrical signal from the multifunction switch.the ic sends a signal to the vehicle's totally integrated power module (tipm) and the tipm responds by controlling the voltage and flash rate of the exterior turn signal lamps and the instrument panel indicator.chrysler's testing found that improper levels of resistance within the multifunction switch may result in the ic selecting the wrong d
Questions about the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: steering (75 complaints, typically around 97,000 miles); electrical (52 complaints, typically around 78,000 miles); lights (44 complaints, typically around 70,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 have?
- 8 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from May 24, 2016 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2006 a bad year for the Dodge Ram 3500?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Ram 3500 model year since 2000, with 257 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.