2004 Dodge Ram 1500 engine problems
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 — 7% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced transmission failure, and the brake lines were rusted. The contact was trapped in the desert for hours with his dog. The contact stated that two independent mechanics had determined that the idler pulley…”
filed Apr 1, 2026
“Driving on freeway , lost power Cruise control automatically shut off yellow light shape of a motor came on ; on the upper left side of the dashboard, had to pull over on side of freeway. Able to restart after a little bit. Another time sitting at traffic light shuts off , same light again …”
filed Sep 12, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Engine problems in other Ram 1500 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Ram 1500 | 163 | 23% |
| 2011 Ram 1500 | 151 | 22% |
| 2010 Ram 1500 | 61 | 13% |
| 2009 Ram 1500 | 50 | 7% |
| 2008 Ram 1500 | 35 | 6% |
| 2007 Ram 1500 | 35 | 7% |
| 2006 Ram 1500 | 33 | 4% |
| 2005 Ram 1500 | 76 | 7% |
| 2003 Ram 1500 | 21 | 2% |
| 2002 Ram 1500 | 22 | 3% |
| 2001 Ram 1500 | 5 | 0% |
| 2000 Ram 1500 | 3 | 1% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.