1990 Dodge Ram problems & reliability
23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Dodge Ram. 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.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 13% |
| Power Train | 3 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 9% |
| Seats | 2 | 9% |
| Steering | 2 | 9% |
| Tires | 2 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 9% |
| Child Seat | 1 | 4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Dt: the consumer stated that there was nhtsa recall campaign 95v1030000 concerning the front seat belt assembly. The consumer contacted the manufacturer, and was told that this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. The seat belt would not secure the occupant on the driver's side. The shoulder belt strap…”
Seat Belts · filed Oct 26, 2005
“While jumping another vehicle engine sensor failed completely. Took to dealer problem has not been remedied as of yet. Please provide any further information, and vehcile identification number.*ak”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Apr 23, 2002
“Vehicle was rear ended at 60 mph. Upon impact, driver's seatback collapsed, resulting in minor injuries. *ak”
Seats · filed Feb 15, 2001
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
14 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Dodge Ram. The 10 most recent:
68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$ - Gasket, Cylinder Head Cover Before replacing injectors for Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, and/or P0206, please make sure that the…
9002688 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 13, 2013
Customer may complain of high oil consumption, grey oil smoke coming out of the exhaust or breather tube, or mechanical knocking. *tt
0900401 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 18, 2001
Automatic transmission fluid usage atf+4. *tt *mj
2100601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2001
Subject regarding wire splice repairs. *sb
0800600REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 29, 2000
This bulletin provides a revised wire splice procedure and related parts. *tt
080600 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 25, 2000
Information on installation of radio transmitting equipment. *ak
081698 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 17, 1998
TIMING CHAIN NOISE. *TW
090797 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 27, 1997
Concerns with engine coolant usage. *nlm
070397 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 9, 1997
Various car owner's have expressed interest in using engine coolants made with propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. *yc
070397 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 9, 1997
Information on transmission cooler reverse flushing with cooler bypass kit installed. *nlm
210797 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 1997
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1990 Dodge Ram in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 1990 Dodge Ram?
- · 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.