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DODGE · vehicle model

DODGE RAM 3500

3,811 NHTSA complaints and 24 safety recalls across model years 1991–2012.

Complaints
3,811
Recalls
24
Model years
21

The DODGERAM 3500 appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 3,811 consumer safety complaints and 24 recall campaigns across 21 model years (1991–2012). That averages roughly 181 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 20 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
2012498
2011292
2009130
2008221
2007284
2006349
2005240
2004272
2003330
200259
2001168
200077
1999146
1998134
1997153
1996182
1995132
1994102
199326
199211
19915

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 345 in 2017-2021 to 64 in 2022-2026, a fall of 81.4%. That is the 14th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

42
’95
51
’96
69
’97
69
’98
97
’99
85
’00
95
’01
135
’02
103
’03
140
’04
130
’05
90
’06
102
’07
108
’08
90
’09
191
’10
167
’11
154
’12
131
’13
626
’14
483
’15
244
’16
157
’17
61
’18
65
’19
40
’20
22
’21
15
’22
15
’23
11
’24
23
’25

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare DODGERAM 3500 to Similar Vehicles

DODGERAM 3500 vs GMCJIMMY → DODGERAM 3500 vs CHEVROLETASTRO → DODGERAM 3500 vs MAZDA626 → DODGERAM 3500 vs BMW328I →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

EA24003Engineering AnalysisOpen2024-08-01

Vehicle entrapment

PE24006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2024-02-27

Back up camera failure

PE23008Preliminary EvaluationClosed2023-05-01

Vehicle entrapment

PE19014Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-09-09

Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment

AQ14003Audit QueryClosed2014-10-20

Chrysler's execution of 13V-528 & 529

PE14022Preliminary EvaluationClosed2014-07-22

Alternator failure

PE13010Preliminary EvaluationClosed2013-04-26

Rear suspension knuckle fracture

PE08047Preliminary EvaluationClosed2008-07-25

2000-2001 DODGE RAM PICKUP HOOD LATCH

PE07027Preliminary EvaluationClosed2007-05-29

ENGINE STALLING & ELECTRIC POWER LOSS

EA07003Engineering AnalysisClosed2007-02-14

SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG FAILURE

View all 20 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the DODGE RAM 3500?▼
The DODGE RAM 3500 has received 3,811 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1991 to 2012, with 24 recalls. That averages about 181 complaints per model year.
What years of DODGE RAM 3500 are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the DODGE RAM 3500 from 1991 to 2012 (21 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the DODGE RAM 3500 have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many DODGE RAM 3500 model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common DODGE RAM 3500 complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the DODGE RAM 3500 are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my DODGE RAM 3500 has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. DODGE RAM 3500 totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.