2009 RAM 1500 problems & reliability
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 RAM 1500, alongside 2 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 9 | 24% |
| Unknown OR Other | 7 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 16% |
| Engine | 5 | 14% |
| Structure | 4 | 11% |
| Suspension | 4 | 11% |
| Steering | 3 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 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.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2009 Ram 1500. The contact stated that upon purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that there were two open recalls on the VIN, NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V038000 (Power Train) and 17V821000 (Power Train). The contact scheduled an appointment with a dealer, and the vehicle was repaired under the…”
Power Train · filed Feb 13, 2026
“I bought this 2009 Dodge ram Laramie about a year ago been riding like new but 4 days ago starting to hear a bad whining noise from the rear end and I see this truck had a recall on the pinion nut I think it's coming lose from the pinion”
Suspension · filed Feb 18, 2024
“The contact owns a 2009 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the air conditioner, heater, and defogger were inoperable. The climate control warning light was not illuminated. The contact replaced the climate control module; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate…”
Visibility · filed Jan 10, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Electrical overstress
Engineering Analysis EA19001 · opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024
Technical service bulletins
186 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2009 RAM 1500. The 10 most recent:
LAMP - DOME
106241 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2025
LAMP - DOME
104974 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2025
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
CONNECTOR Trailer Tow,WIRING Trailer Tow,CONNECTOR 7 Way,WIRING Rear Bumper If the connector or wiring is physically damaged, burned, melted or corroded, prior to replacing the part, please contact FCA Redacted Content…
9004470 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 14, 2022
Customer complaints may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire. Upon investigation, it may be found that there is excessive camshaft lobe wear/lifter wear (roller failure) on one or more cam…
S1709000010 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2022
Customer complaints may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire. Upon investigation, it may be found that there is excessive camshaft lobe wear/lifter wear (roller failure) on one or more cam…
S1709000010RevB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2022
Customer complaints may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire. Upon investigation, it may be found that there is excessive camshaft lobe wear/lifter wear (roller failure) on one or more cam…
S1709000010 RevB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2022
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 2009 RAM 1500 has 2 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 2009 RAM 1500?
- · 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.