2006 Dodge RAM 3500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
257 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
79,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 204 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 65 of 257 complaints (25.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 57 | 22.2% |
| Braking behavior | 33 | 12.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 17 | 6.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 4.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 4.3% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 1.2% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 65 |
| Electrical System | 50 |
| Exterior Lighting | 34 |
| Air Bags | 31 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Suspension | 14 |
| Visibility | 12 |
| Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | 9 |
Steering: 65; Electrical System: 50; Exterior Lighting: 34; Air Bags: 31; Power Train: 15; Suspension: 14; Visibility: 12; Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 21 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 32 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 41 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 41 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 40 |
| 150,000 and above | 29 |
Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 32; 50,000 to 74,999: 41; 75,000 to 99,999: 41; 100,000 to 149,999: 40; 150,000 and above: 29
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 53 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2010 | 31 |
| 2011 | 26 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2013 | 11 |
| 2014 | 35 |
| 2015 | 38 |
| 2016 | 21 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2006: 6; 2007: 11; 2008: 16; 2009: 15; 2010: 31; 2011: 26; 2012: 26; 2013: 11; 2014: 35; 2015: 38; 2016: 21; 2017: 10; 2018: 3; 2019: 5; 2020: 2; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 57 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 33 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 17 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 10155086 · 2006-04-11 (April 11, 2006)
TRUCK BEGAN HAVING TROUBLES RUNNING, GIVING OFF BLACK SMOKE INTERMITTENTLY, AND SOMETIMES AN ENGINE SHUTTER WOULD BE PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS A DODGE RAM 3500 1 TON DUALLY, 5.9 DEISEL WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *JB ACCORDING TO THE DODGE DEALER, THE COMPUTER RECOGNIZED THE TRUCK KEY AS AN INVALID KEY. WE HAD THE TRUCK FOR A FEW MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER HAD REWRITTEN A NEW KEY CODE. THE DODGE DEALER SAID THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED 4 VECHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. ALL HAD THE ORIGINAL KEY CODE REWRITTEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,269 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10187818 · 2007-04-13 (April 13, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500 WITH A CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE OF 26,000 MILES. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING BUT ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, DUTCHES DODGE, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX IT. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187818 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163418 · 2006-07-25 (July 25, 2006)
ABS BRAKES LOCKED UP DRIVING ON FREEWAY. INTERMITTENTTLY BLINKING OFF AND ON @ INSTRUMRNT PANEL. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163418 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10211897 · 2007-12-14 (December 14, 2007)
IF YOU USE YOUR 2006 DODGE RAM TRUCK FOR TOWING A TRAILER, THERE IS A TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TPIM) IN THE FUSE BOX THAT IS NOT PROTECTED BY FUSES. SO, IF YOU HOOK UP YOUR TRAILER TO POWER YOUR RUNNING LIGHTS AND THERE HAPPENS TO BE A GLITCH, THE TPIM RUNS THE RISK OF BEING FRIED. IT HAPPENED TO ME WITH OTHER 42K MILES ON MY TRUCK. THE REGULAR WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE WITH 2006 TRUCKS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE MINE. THE PART WAS $700 AND LABOR WAS OVER $200. THIS SET UP IS UNACCEPTAB…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10255501 · 2009-01-18 (January 18, 2009)
LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT DOESN'T WORK. I SPENT $200 AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP TRYING TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $1500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING CALLED THE TIPM WAS BLOWN AND WIRING WAS DAMAGED. I HAVE INSPECTED THE WIRING AND IT IS NOT DAMAGED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255501 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169463 · 2006-09-27 (September 27, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,258 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10245619 · 2008-10-15 (October 15, 2008)
VEHICLE DIED ON ROAD WITH NO WARNING. DODGE WON'T REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS UNDER MY WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD SEDIMENT IN MY GAS TANK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 89,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245619 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10249384 · 2008-11-20 (November 20, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500 MEGACAB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A DODGE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS CONTAMINATED FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10249384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10267193 · 2009-04-29 (April 29, 2009)
ERRATIC WINDSHIELD WIPER PERFORMANCE FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE WIPERS. WIPERS STALLED IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD IN A THUNDERSTORM WHILE TOWING A 24,000 LB TRAILER ON INTERSTATE 65 WITH SEMI TRUCK/TRAILERS ON 3 SIDES. THIS WAS THE 2ND INCIDENT OF WIPER FAILURE. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED ABOUT 6 MONTHS EARLIER. AFTER LEAVING THE TRUCK PARKED OVERNITE, THE WIPER OPERATION RETURNED TO NORMAL. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER AFTER BOTH OCCURRENCES. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS AFTER THE 1ST OCCURREN…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267193 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10605570 · 2014-06-24 (June 24, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 58 MPH, STEAM EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LINES ERUPTED CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE THAT THE FUEL LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10605570 at NHTSA ↗