Total Complaints
5 filings
DODGE RAM 50 · model year
1990 DODGE RAM 50
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990DODGERAM 50 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1990 RAM 50 is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (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 1990 RAM 50, 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190301SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELT FOR BOTH PASSANGERS, DOES NOT LOCK TO HOLD PASSANGERS IN PLACE IN CASE OF SUDDEN IMPACT.
Mileage: 115,589
20040929SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND TO THE LEFT ON THE HIGHWAY. NO INJURY OR CRASH WAS REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS BEARING AND FRONT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.*AK
Mileage: 80,000
20040929SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND TO THE LEFT ON THE HIGHWAY. NO INJURY OR CRASH WAS REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS BEARING AND FRONT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.*AK
Mileage: 80,000
20040409ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE ENGINE GROUND WIRE WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING THE SENSORS TO BURN OUT. THE GROUND WIRE SHOULD HAVE HAVE BEEN MOUNTED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. INSTEAD, IT WAS MOUNTED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK (PARTS AFFECTED: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR/IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR POSITION SENSOR/ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSER) *SC *JB
Mileage: 62,000
19960321SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES; FAILURE ON THE BRAKES SYSTEM WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKES LOCK UP. *AK
Compare 1990DODGERAM 50 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE RAM 50 have?▼
The 1990 DODGE RAM 50 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE RAM 50?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE RAM 50 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR.
Is the 1990 DODGE RAM 50 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.