Dodge RAM 3500 Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 144 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the Dodge RAM 3500 across 15 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (44). The words owners use most often: “turn signal” (25% of reports).
- 144exterior lighting complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 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.
- Turn signal: mentioned in 36 of 144 complaints (25%)
- Headlight switch: mentioned in 26 of 144 complaints (18%)
- Windshield wipers: mentioned in 11 of 144 complaints (8%)
- Low beam: mentioned in 8 of 144 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 109 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 144 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 14 a fire, 1 an injury.
Dodge RAM 3500 exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 3500 | 11 | 3% | 59,000 |
| 2011 RAM 3500 | 1 | 0% | 14,000 |
| 2009 RAM 3500 | 3 | 3% | 84,500 |
| 2008 RAM 3500 | 5 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2007 RAM 3500 | 1 | 0% | 122,000 |
| 2006 RAM 3500 | 44 | 17% | 70,500 |
| 2005 RAM 3500 | 7 | 4% | 94,358 |
| 2004 RAM 3500 | 7 | 3% | 102,000 |
| 2003 RAM 3500 | 6 | 2% | 94,535 |
| 2001 RAM 3500 | 3 | 2% | 71,000 |
| 1999 RAM 3500 | 3 | 3% | 290,000 |
| 1998 RAM 3500 | 14 | 13% | 77,250 |
| 1997 RAM 3500 | 25 | 20% | 100,000 |
| 1996 RAM 3500 | 9 | 7% | 170,000 |
| 1995 RAM 3500 | 5 | 5% | 64,120 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Exterior lighting
Model years: 2006
Problem: Certain trucks equipped with dual rear wheels fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment." the trucks may have been inadvertently manufactured without the roof mounted cab clearance lamps.
Risk: Without these lamps, other vehicle operators may not detect the increased width of the vehicle which could cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will install cab clearance lights free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997
Problem: Vehicle description: model 3500 light duty trucks only. Operation of the headlamps over an extended period of time can result in headlamp switch failure, causing the headlamps or park lamps to go out.
Risk: If the lights fail, a visibility problem could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the headlamp switch including a relay in the park lamp wiring circuit.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While pulling a trailer, integrated trailer brake controller stopped working and disabled the trailer brakes. All trailer lights worked, just no brakes. Showed red warning in dash and "CF" on brake controller after failure. No warning before failure. Checked connections and tested with another…
I purchased headlights from carid for my 2008 dodge ram 3500 in december 2019. The headlights have shadows causing dark spots and a hazard. In the interim, i purchased led bulbs from the same company to rectify the problem, but the led bulbs will go dark periodically. Carid will not exchange the…
Dash is all cracked up allowing sharp plastic projectiles in and about the cab that can cut you in a wreck sun getting on electrical wires destroying them and now shorts and sometimes dont work right
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. CALLAWAY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (809 S WESTMINSTER AVE, FULTON, MO 65251, [redacted]) DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS MELTED. THE…
I was told body control module in drivers door was bad and dodge is back ordered on parts.so i am having to deal with problem
Frequently asked questions
Do all Dodge RAM 3500s have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 144 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the Dodge RAM 3500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Dodge RAM 3500 exterior lighting?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the Dodge RAM 3500?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signal”, in 36 of 144 complaints, followed by “headlight switch” (26).
Other Dodge RAM 3500 problems
- Steering problems (1,017)
- Power Train problems (349)
- Suspension problems (331)
- Air Bags problems (314)
- Electrical System problems (276)
- Structure problems (173)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (147)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (124)
See all Dodge RAM 3500 problems.