2006 Dodge RAM 2500 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 231 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2006 Dodge RAM 2500, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 89,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “tie rod” (30% of reports).
- 231steering complaints
- 89,000median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 57%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.
- Tie rod: mentioned in 70 of 231 complaints (30%)
- Death wobble: mentioned in 53 of 231 complaints (23%)
- Front end: mentioned in 43 of 231 complaints (19%)
- Bump road: mentioned in 18 of 231 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2006 Dodge RAM 2500 at $1,250, and half of them between $980 and $2,200.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2014), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 172 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 231 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 4 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.
I took my vehicle into the dealership. Almost three weeks ago for a recall on the front end, a steering component. However, they told us that the parts were back ordered several days after the vehicle had been there for three weeks. And then all of a sudden, they call and a week and a 1 after that…
Truck does not want to stay in the road. It hops to the right with the steering not being turned. Cannot tell when it is going to do it.
Steering linkage and tie rod issues. Steering not working properly. I see that my vehicle is not listed in the recalls. Although. I am having steering issues. Constant tail light replacing.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 Dodge RAM 2500s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 231 owner complaints about steering for the 2006 Dodge RAM 2500 (34% of the 670 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 2006 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 89,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2006 Dodge RAM 2500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,250 (half paid between $980 and $2,200), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2006 Dodge RAM 2500?
The most frequent phrase is “tie rod”, in 70 of 231 complaints, followed by “death wobble” (53).
Other 2006 Dodge RAM 2500 problems
- Electrical System problems (131)
- Exterior Lighting problems (122)
- Suspension problems (106)
- Air Bags problems (77)
See all 2006 Dodge RAM 2500 problems or steering problems across all RAM 2500 years.