Total Complaints
23 filings
DODGE RAM · model year
1990 DODGE RAM
23 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990DODGERAM carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 5 fires, 1 injury, 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 1990 RAM is power train:automatic transmission with 3 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2). 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 1990 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.
23
Complaints
2
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051026SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 95V1030000 CONCERNING THE FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SHOULDER BELT STRAP WOULD NOT LOCK AND THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT STAY LATCHED. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME HE USED THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK (11/21/05) *SC
Mileage: 17,000
20020423ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE JUMPING ANOTHER VEHICLE ENGINE SENSOR FAILED COMPLETELY. TOOK TO DEALER PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHCILE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*AK
20020313TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD ON LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
20020117TIRES
TIRE FAILURE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 31X10.50R1 TIRESIZE: 31X10.50R1)
20010215CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. *AK
20000908FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS
20000626FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND IN FRONT OF HOUSE. CONSUMER WAS AWAKENED BY NEIGHBORS AND TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. FIREMAN TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE AREA THE WIRING.*AK
19990927FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
UNDERHOOD WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. DEALER HAS VEHICLE. *AK
19990618CHILD SEAT
CAR SEAT FILL OUT OF CAPTAIN CHAIR.
19981207POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE DOESN'T SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19980903FireEQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE DEFECTIVE A/C WIRING GETS EXTREMELY HOT WHICH CAUSES SMOKE AND FIRE. REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE. PROBLEM OCCURRING AGAIN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
19980713SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
COMPLETE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED AND STILL FAILS.
19970428SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE ANDERS, FEELS VERY LOOSE AND DRIFTS FROM LANE TO LANE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
19970220STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE FRAME BROKE OFF FROM THE UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
19961231FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19961217VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BE PINNED BETWEEN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED FROM PARK TO REVERSE TO GET OCCUPANT FROM BETWEEN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. *AK
19960528SEATS
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATS FALL BACK WHEN PULLING FORWARD. *AK
19960310FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
RETURN HOSE DISCONNECTED FROM GAS LINE, CAUSING GASOLINE LEAK. *SKD
19960229VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATES. *DSH
19951116POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SKD
Compare 1990DODGERAM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE RAM have?▼
The 1990 DODGE RAM has 23 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 5 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE RAM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE RAM is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1990 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.