1996 Dodge RAM 1500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAM 1500 years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 17th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 298 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500. That ranks 17th out of 19 RAM 1500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (52 complaints, 17%), typically at around 106,000 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 17 fires, 17 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 298owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 18complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 52 | 17% | 106,000 | “transmission failed” (12%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 46 | 15% | 83,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 35 | 12% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 32 | 11% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 27 | 9% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 26 | 9% | 143,085 | — | — |
| Steering | 23 | 8% | 118,343 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 6% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 16 | 5% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 4% | 142,043 | — | — |
| Tires | 12 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 4% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 4% | 98,704 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 3% | 129,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 9 | 3% | 87,424 | — | — |
| Equipment | 7 | 2% | 113,850 | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 2% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 7 | 2% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 141,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Dodge RAM 1500 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Seat back failure (DP03006) — opened Sep 23, 2003, closed Apr 8, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the hood flew open and struck the windshield. The contact immediately veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that the hood was bent, and the windshield was cracked due to the failure. The contact was able…
The contact owns a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while refueling the vehicle, he noticed that fuel leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic stated that the rollover valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle…
Headlight switch overheats and the plastic start to melting
My ball joints, tie rods, steering box, all that has to do with those areas have serious issues and dodge needs to fox them for free put them under the recall dept so they can be. Steering wheel very loose tons of play very dangerous.
Sigma tires stampede tires -265 75 16 at splitting tread and coming apart -told recall only last ten* years**-nothing to do and no replacement-tire kingdom* truck vibrates and shakes, loud thud,thud, noise(in motion) affects steering as wobbles always*had issues as rough**riding over the years and…
Other Dodge RAM 1500 years
← 1995 RAM 1500 · 1997 RAM 1500 →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 RAM 1500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 698 | 6 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 689 | 4 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 487 | 4 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 670 | 2 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 554 | 5 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 517 | 4 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 792 | 9 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 1,170 | 4 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 1,099 | 5 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 1,171 | 1 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 815 | 3 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 1,112 | 2 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 513 | 2 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 610 | 0 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 520 | 0 |
| 1997 RAM 1500 | 361 | 0 |
| 1996 | 298 | 0 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 213 | 0 |
See all Dodge RAM 1500 problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, hydraulic, structure problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 52 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAM 1500 model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.