2004 Dodge RAM problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
58 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
37,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 33 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 58 complaints (13.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 11 | 19.0% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 12.1% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 12.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 5.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 5.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 4 |
| Tires | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Equipment | 3 |
Electrical System: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Tires: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Air Bags: 3; Equipment: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 25 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 |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
2004: 13; 2005: 15; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 4; 2010: 6; 2011: 5; 2012: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 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 10101977 · 2004-12-01 (December 1, 2004)
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10101977 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10103395 · 2004-12-09 (December 9, 2004)
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT OUT WHICH CAUSED THE SPEEDOMETER, BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT TO OPERATE. THE CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR FOR THE FOURTH TIME THIS YEAR. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10103395 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090069 · 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090069 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10104535 · 2004-12-27 (December 27, 2004)
CAR STALLS WHEN DRIVING, NO REASON. NO CODES GENERATED PER DEALER. ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HORN BEEPING AT RANDOM TIMES SOMETIMES DAYS APART. THIS TRUCK IS NOT DRIVEN FOR A WEEK AT TIMES. *AK THERE MAY BE A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE INTERMITTANT HORN SOUNDING AND THE FAILING IGNITION. THE SECURITY SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS AND KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM MAY BE TIED TO AN IGNITION KILL SWITCH WHEN THE DEFECTIVE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM TRIGGERS THE HORN. WHEN DRIVING, THE HORN MAY NOT SOUND AS A KEY IS IN THE IGNITION AND/OR THE VEHICLE IS EXCEEDI…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,965 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104535 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075718 · 2004-07-15 (July 15, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A LIQUID FLUID LEAKED FROM TOP OF THE HOOD ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND PULLED OVER. ONCE THE HOOD WAS LIFTED UP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE STEERING PUMP SOLENOID WAS EMPTY. THE LIQUID HAD APPARENTLY LEAKED OUT. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HYDRAULIC HOSE TO THE STEERING PUMP SHEARED OFF, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 541 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075718 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10094115 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)
WHILE RUNNING CONSUMER FAILED TO TURN THE STEERING COLUMN LEFT OR RIGHT AND IT FAILED TO MOVE ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, AND VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK THE MECHANIC INFORM THE CONSUMER THAT NEW POWER STEERING SYSTEMS DO NOT ALLOW THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE TURNED IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE TURNS IN PARKING LOTS AND TIGHT SPACES. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10094115 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068453 · 2004-05-07 (May 7, 2004)
THE ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER THE FIRST TIME WE WERE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION; THE COLINOID WAS THEN REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME WE TOOK IT IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WE WERE TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER IS SENDING THE EXACT SAME CODE. WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD NEED A NEW COMPUTER, AT 56,000 MILES. IT WAS INSTALLED. THE THIRD TIME WE TOOK IT IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON WE WERE TOLD ONCE AGAIN THAT THE COMPUTER IS INDICATING THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10173651 · 2006-11-16 (November 16, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE OPENED FOR GREATER VISIBILITY WHILE BACKING OR CONNECTING A TRAILER, THE PARKING ALARM SOUNDED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REMOVE THE ALARM DUE TO FEDERAL MANDATE OF RECALL # 05V462000 (E17) FOR THE POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PARK ALARM.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,679 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10370894 · 2010-12-16 (December 16, 2010)
2004 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB WITH HEMI ENGINE. FOR SEVERAL YEARS HAS BEEN STALLING, WHEN I FINALLY REALIZED IT WAS STALLING SHORTLY AFTER FUELING AND LETTING THE FUEL HOSE CLICK OFF. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 3X AND THE USUAL NO PROBLEM FOUND ANSWER WAS GIVEN. JUST RECENTLY AFTER STALLING IN AN INTERSECTION AFTER GETTING GAS I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE VAPOR CANISTER, SOLENOID AND FLASHED THE COMPUTER WITH AN UPDATE. PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND SAME THING HAPPENED STALLED WHILE TURNING INTO A GROCERY. TOOK IT BACK DEALER SAYS NO …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10370894 at NHTSA ↗