2004 Dodge Ram problems & reliability
58 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Dodge Ram, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2004 Dodge Ram vehicles were involved in 281 fatal crashes with 145 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 10 | 17% |
| Power Train | 8 | 14% |
| Tires | 6 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 5 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 9% |
| Steering | 5 | 9% |
| Structure | 5 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 9% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5% |
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 38,500 miles (middle 50% between 19,950 and 69,072 miles), based on 32 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram Quad Cab. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted…”
Air Bags · filed Mar 12, 2024
“The contact owned a 2004 Dodge Ram. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 30 MPH, another driver in an unknown truck ran a red light and crashed into the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to his thigh; medical attention was provided, but he later succumbed to his…”
Air Bags · filed Feb 9, 2024
“The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 used to haul a 2018 Keystone Passport Ultra Lite Grand Touring. The contact stated that the thermostat in the RV failed to operate as needed. The RV was taken to the dealer, where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The RV was taken back to the dealer…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Aug 11, 2023
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE STALL
Engineering Analysis EA05018 · opened Nov 2, 2005 · closed Aug 29, 2007
- FALSE PARK
Engineering Analysis EA04025 · opened Aug 26, 2004 · closed Dec 22, 2005 · led to recall 05V462000
Technical service bulletins
59 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Dodge Ram. The 10 most recent:
Dodge: electronic fuel control actuator (fca) available for service/new diagnostics available for dtc p0251. Engine surges at idle or mil illumination. Further investigation may identify dtc p0251-cp3 pump regulator…
SB-14-001-10 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 2, 2010
Positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system freezes in extreme cold ambient temperatures -- involves installing revised pcv system components. *nj
2500108 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2008
Engine off-idle speed limit feature to protect turbocharger when vehicle is not moving. *kb
1803007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 26, 2007
Generic powertrain control module (pcm) procedure. *kb
1802907 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 26, 2007
Trailer towing mirror - new mirror glass locking tab - new removal procedure. *kb
2301307 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2007
5.9l turbo - diesel engine system enhancements. *kb
1802207 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 14, 2007
AXLE FLUID LEVEL. *KB
0300306 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 20, 2006
Front end shimmy on 4x4 vehicles when traveling over rough surfaces in the road. *kb
2200506 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 7, 2006
Powertrain control module initialization. *kb
0803006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 25, 2006
5.9l turbo-diesel engine system enhancements. *tt
1802206 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2006
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 2004 Dodge Ram has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — 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 2004 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 38,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.