U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Dodge RAM 2500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

422 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

82,700 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 284 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 147 of 422 complaints (34.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	119	28.2%
Braking behavior	40	9.5%
Transmission and shifting	32	7.6%
Electrical and battery issues	13	3.1%
Engine operation	11	2.6%
Fuel system concerns	10	2.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering

147

Air Bags

Suspension

Electrical System

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Power Train

Suspension:Front

Exterior Lighting

Steering: 147; Air Bags: 75; Suspension: 54; Electrical System: 32; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 30; Power Train: 20; Suspension:Front: 19; Exterior Lighting: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 42; 25,000 to 49,999: 41; 50,000 to 74,999: 43; 75,000 to 99,999: 40; 100,000 to 149,999: 63; 150,000 and above: 55

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (63). 138 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2026

2005: 20; 2006: 28; 2007: 19; 2008: 10; 2009: 27; 2010: 30; 2011: 27; 2012: 30; 2013: 14; 2014: 65; 2015: 50; 2016: 43; 2017: 20; 2018: 12; 2019: 10; 2020: 7; 2021: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 119 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 32 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10155984 · 2006-04-24 (April 24, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS OF 75-80 MPH AND WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. THE FRONT END SHOOK BADLY; MORE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. THE SECOND AND THIRD TIMES THE DEALER PUT AN EXTRA SHOCK ON THE STEERING STABILIZER BAR AND REPLACED AN UNKNOWN STEERING PART. THE PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER EACH ATTEMPT TO REMEDY BY THE DEAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 33,857 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155984 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10163398 · 2006-07-25 (July 25, 2006)

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED TO REMEDY FAILURE TO GO INTO PARK. MFR'S. SOLUTION WAS TO MAKE THE HORN BLOW IF THE TRUCK WASN'T FIRMLY IN PARK. THIS WAS NEVER EXPLAINED TO ME, AND I THOUGHT THE HORN BLOWING WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IF THE DEALER DOESN'T TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN THE SO-CALLED FIX TO THE VEHICLE OWNER, IT'S A USELESS EXERCISE. AS FAR AS THE HORN WARNING GOES, THIS IS ONLY A BAND-AID ON A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE HAZARD STILL EXISTS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163398 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10120836 · 2005-05-13 (May 13, 2005)

DT: WITH THE CAR RUNNING, THE GEAR WENT OUT OF PARK. WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK WITH BRAKES IS SATISFIED AND ALLOWS THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT TO ANOTHER GEAR. THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. PARKING INTERLOCK LOGIC IS FAULTY. TRUCK IS A RAM 2500 QUAD CAB 4X4. CHRYSLER COMPLAINT FILE #13477159 EMMA MARTEL AT [phone removed]

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10120836 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10142594 · 2005-11-14 (November 14, 2005)

I PURCHASED A 2005 DODGE RAM 2500 3 MONTHS AGO AND ONLY HAVE 10,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2005, I RETURNED HOME AND NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED AFTER I EXITED THE TRUCK. I TRIED TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF, AND THEY REMAINED ON. I DECIDED TO DRIVE TO THE MAXWELL CHRYSLER DEALER A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AS I WAS AFRAID MY BATTERY WOULD GO DEAD. AS I WAS PROCEEDING DOWN MY STREET, I NOTICED THE BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT TO BRAKE, AND THERE WAS NO BRAKE PEDAL! IT HAD FALLEN OFF. I MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,370 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142594 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10121783 · 2005-05-21 (May 21, 2005)

I HAVE AN 05 RAM 2500 QUAD CAB HEMI TRUCK WITH 3,200 MILES ON IT. SINCE NEW THE TRUCK HAS HAD AN ERRATIC IDLE AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY DIE WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE PCM HAS BEEN FLASHED, THE THROTTLE BODY IS PROJECTED TO BE REPLACED NEXT. THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS THE TRUCK RECENTLY STALLED IN TRAFFIC THREE TIMES IN A TEN MINUTE PERIOD. I WILL ALSO BE FILLING A SIMILAR COMPLAINT FOR MY 05 HEMI DURANGO LIMITED.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,195 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121783 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10122591 · 2005-05-31 (May 31, 2005)

I OWN A 2005 DODGE RAM SLT SPORT WITH A 5.7L HEMI. I HAVE OWNED IT APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AND IN THOSE 4 MONTHS IT HAS HAD COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STILL WORKS, BUT THE VEHICLES STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. BOTH TIMES HAVE BEEN AT RED LIGHTS AND IN PARKING LOTS. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE TRUCK LOOKED AT AND I PLAN ON ASKING FOR A BUYBACK ON IT SINCE I HAVE LOST TRUST IN THE TRUCK.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122591 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10121778 · 2005-05-21 (May 21, 2005)

STALLING. UPON READING THE AP ARTICLE ABOUT DODGE RAM 1500 STALLING I WAS COMPELLED TO WRITE TO ADD THE SAME INCIDENCE OCCURRING IN THE HEMIS. (WE HAVE A 2005 2500 SERIES HEMI). IF YOU SEARCH UNDER "DODGE HEMI STALLING" YOU WILL FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS DOCUMENTING INCIDENTS COVERING SEVERAL YEARS AND DODGE'S FLASH SOLUTION. OUR BRAND NEW TRUCK SAT IN THEIR SHOP FOR 6 WEEKS AWAITING THE RELEASE OF THE LATEST FLASH TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD NO REOCCURRANCE OF STALLING PROBLEMS SINCE THE FLASH, BUT HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL DODGE HEMI OWNERS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10121778 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10287300 · 2009-10-13 (October 13, 2009)

RE: POSSIBLE DANGEROUS LEAKING FUEL TUBE DODGE CORPORATION DODGE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER P. O. BOX 21-8004 AUBURN HILLS, MI 48321-8004 TEL: [phone removed] 13 OCTOBER 2009 DEAR DODGE CORPORATION, I AM FORWARDING A COPY OF THIS LETTER TO THE NHTSA, AAA, CONSUMER REPORTS AND CPPB. ON OCTOBER 10TH WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM PASADENA I DETECTED A STRONG SCENT OF DIESEL IN THE CAB OF MY TRUCK. IT WAS ESPECIALLY STRONG AS I SLOWED AFTER TRAVELING SEVERAL HOURS ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREEWAY SYSTEM. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I INVESTIGATED …

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287300 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10287304 · 2009-10-13 (October 13, 2009)

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287304 at NHTSA ↗