2004 Dodge RAM 2500 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 90,340 miles. The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (24% of reports).
- 140steering complaints
- 90,340median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 78%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 33 of 140 complaints (24%)
- Front end: mentioned in 32 of 140 complaints (23%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 25 of 140 complaints (18%)
- Steering linkage: mentioned in 9 of 140 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 95 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 140 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Dodge RAM 2500 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 2500 | 109 | 39% | 42,300 |
| 2011 RAM 2500 | 210 | 70% | 38,500 |
| 2010 RAM 2500 | 152 | 64% | 38,000 |
| 2009 RAM 2500 | 155 | 72% | 60,000 |
| 2008 RAM 2500 | 175 | 55% | 60,000 |
| 2007 RAM 2500 | 199 | 55% | 66,561 |
| 2006 RAM 2500 | 231 | 34% | 89,000 |
| 2005 RAM 2500 | 153 | 36% | 95,925 |
| 2004 RAM 2500 | 140 | 24% | 90,340 |
| 2003 RAM 2500 | 159 | 24% | 86,079 |
| 2002 RAM 2500 | 20 | 13% | 84,500 |
| 2001 RAM 2500 | 69 | 15% | 50,000 |
| 2000 RAM 2500 | 38 | 18% | 50,520 |
| 1999 RAM 2500 | 36 | 12% | 49,000 |
| 1998 RAM 2500 | 24 | 11% | 116,000 |
| 1997 RAM 2500 | 10 | 5% | — |
| 1996 RAM 2500 | 20 | 7% | 203,000 |
| 1995 RAM 2500 | 14 | 5% | 100,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Dodge RAM 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4, model year 2007-2008 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis and model year 2006-2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4 trucks manufactured February 12, 2002, through February 13, 2008. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Risk: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler notified owners and launched its recall campaign in January 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N62.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 2500/3500 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; model year 2008-2011 dodge ram 3500 cab chassis 4x2, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through march 28, 2011; and model year 2008 dodge ram 1500 mega cab 4x4, manufactured from february 14, 2008, through august 15, 2008, because the left tie rod ball stud may fracture. This condition tends to occur during low speed parking lot type maneuvers when the customer is making a tight turn. Additionally, model year 2003-2008 dodge ram 2500/3500 vehicles may have received the affected tie rod assembly as a replacement part during normal service.
Risk: This condition could result in the potential loss of directional stability in the left hand front wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the tie rod ends for relative orientation and replace the left outer tie rod as required and perform a front end toe alignment as needed. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 3, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram. The contact was informed that the vehicle had four notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V528000 (STEERING), 16V352000 (AIR BAGS), 15V313000 (AIR BAGS) and 09E001000 (STEERING). However, the parts to do the recall repairs for both air bags are not available…
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V528000 (Steering) and 16V352000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…
My vehicle had wat is known as the 3rd gen steering assembly. Which is known and reported by multiple consumers to cause wat everyone calls a death wobble " Death wobble happens in Jeeps, 4x4s, and trucks when rapidly rotating steering wheel components cause your steering wheel to move rapidly from…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Dodge RAM 2500s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 140 owner complaints about steering for the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 (24% of the 582 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 90,340 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 33 of 140 complaints, followed by “front end” (32).
Other 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 problems
- Power Train problems (110)
- Suspension problems (106)
- Air Bags problems (90)
See all 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 problems or steering problems across all RAM 2500 years.