Total Complaints
14 filings
DODGE RAM · model year
1985 DODGE RAM
14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985DODGERAM carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 RAM is engine and engine cooling:engine with 3 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and structure:body:door:hinge and attachments (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1985 RAM, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100602CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES
1985 DODGE RAM 3500 PICKUP, STEERING LINKAGE BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STRIKE A CONCRETE WALL. *BF OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0190-91. *JB
20020612SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE CAUSING VEHICLE TO PROLONG THE STOP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
19990217SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO BRAKE VACUUM PUMP AND HOSES HAVING OIL IN THEM. ACCORDING TO NHTSA'S RECORDS RECALL 97V06800 SHOULD COVER THIS VEHICLE, CHRYSLER CLAIMS IT DOES NOT APPLY.
19981202ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
ENGINE FAILURE/BURNING DUE TO DEFECTIVE HOSES AND FITTINGS IN AMSOIL BY-PASS KIT, RECALLED AFTER INCIDENT.
19980518STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CONSUMER NOT SATISFIED WITH RECALL REPAIR WORK, STEERING SHAFT COULD COME LOOSE, THE REPAIR WAS TO ATTACH TWO PLASTIC STRAPS AROUND STEERING SHAFT.
19980407ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE
19970717FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL HOSE FAILED, CAUSING LEAKAGE/ENGINE FIRE.
19970717ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL LEAK AT OIL FILTER.
19970717FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL RETURN LINE BURNED THROUGH.
19970717ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
SPARK PLUG/WIRES FAILED.
19970311POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 25 MPH THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP BECAUSE THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE GEARS IN FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SHEARED OFF. *AK
19961206SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AT ABOUT 45MPH, AT WHICH TIME FOUR LAP SEAT BELTS FAILED TO HOLD THE PASSENGERS IN PLACE, THEY DISCONNECTED/CAME APART. *AK
19951026STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
FRONT DOORS ARE ALMOST FALLING OFF DUE TO WEAK WELDING OR LACK OF RESTRAINT ON FRONT DOOR HINGES (OTHER VEHICLE FROM 486925). *AK
19950307UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN ORDER TO TAKE THE COOLING SYSTEM LEVEL THE BIKE SHOULD BE 90 DEGREES BUT THERE IS NO SUPPORT TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING ON YOU. TT
Compare 1985DODGERAM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 DODGE RAM have?▼
The 1985 DODGE RAM has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 DODGE RAM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 DODGE RAM is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS.
Is the 1985 DODGE RAM safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.