2008 Dodge Ram 2500 problems & reliability
317 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, alongside 7 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
7 complaints report injuries (8 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 175 | 55% |
| Suspension | 48 | 15% |
| Air Bags | 30 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 23 | 7% |
| Power Train | 20 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 5% |
| Engine | 16 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 10 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 3% |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 60,000 miles (middle 50% between 34,375 and 99,421 miles), based on 222 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“driving down the highway at 70 mph and the drivers door came opened it was caused by a faulty door lock actuator”
Structure · filed Dec 11, 2024
“I want to apologize for the lengthy description but I feel this is quite possibly the most critical area to not be vague in. **This problem occurs every time, NOT an intermittent condition.** REAR SEAT/CENTER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR; will not extend out from the retractor. The belt is locked in the fully retracted…”
Seat Belts · filed Jun 10, 2023
“The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated while driving various speeds, he started to smell exhaust fumes inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed…”
Engine · filed Feb 23, 2023
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Chrysler's execution of 13V-528 & 529
Audit Query AQ14003 · opened Oct 20, 2014 · closed May 16, 2016
- Outer Tie Rod Failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE11009 · opened Apr 4, 2011 · closed Feb 6, 2012 · led to recall 11V350000
Technical service bulletins
66 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Dodge Ram 2500. The 10 most recent:
Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning
S1203000003 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
LAMP - DOME
103774 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2025
Plate - Planetary
101232 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 30, 2024
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Transmission Kit with Torque Converter 1. All Promaster (VF) 3.6L/62TE equipped vehicles. If the transmission bracket to the transmission case fasteners are removed during servicing, the fasteners (Part Number…
9004009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2021
GEAR MOTOR, Transfer Case The gear motor assembly is shipped in AWD/2WD position. The transfer case needs to be positioned in AWD/2WD position to properly assemble gear motor to T-Case. Please reference Star Online…
9004350 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2021
GEAR MOTOR, Transfer Case The gear motor assembly is shipped in AWD/2WD position. The transfer case needs to be positioned in AWD/2WD position to properly assemble gear motor to T-Case. Please reference Star Online…
9004350 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2021
Transfer Case Gear Motor/Actuator Installation Guidelines.
S2121000003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 4, 2021
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2008 Dodge Ram 2500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 60,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.