Owners have filed 23 complaints on the Dodge Ram Wagon, covering 1991–2002. The system named most often is Power Train (7 reports). Worst years by volume: 1996, 1999, 1998; cleanest: 1991, 1995, 2001. 1 reports describe a crash, 1 a fire. On average the car was 12.1 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Dodge Ram Wagon
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 23 Ram Wagon complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Power Train 7 Read
The contact owns a 2000 dodge ram wagon. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the transmission gear shift lever was not locked but, when the lever was touched, the gears shifted. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but…
I have a 2000 dodge ram 3500 van that the gear shift levers 'falls' out of park and goes into reverse on it's own. This is a known problem with these vans and the NHTSA issued a recall for these vehicles with a date of manufacture from 07/2000 to 07/2002 and is campaign number 07V555000. My van was manufactured on…
The contact stated the transmission would slip from second to third gear and jump while in reverse. An independent repair shop determined the transmission needed to be rebuilt. Updated 03/03/06
Steering 4 Read
The passenger side front end structural frame rusted completely through such that the welded on tie rod connection bracket fell away from the frame. Similar rust condition on driver's side but not at risk of same yielding. However, this frame failure of what appears to be two 1/4" plate c-formed members welded…
When driving down highway felt intermittently loss of steering, brakes felt weak, noise when turni g. Repair shop said bearings gave and needed brakes. Then lost alignment, steering,would not respond properly...mechanic said due to rust, bearing failed again, frame is rotted by steering box and helping to spread under…
I have a dodge ram 1500 wagon 1998, and I have been experiencing alot of problems with the transmission and keeps stalling whenever I turn the wheel to the right side. This is very weird and the mechanics do not understand this complaint. The ABS light has been coming on for a while and no one knows why either, but I…
Engine And Engine Cooling 2 Read
Van is has rattle from underside since late 2003. Van began backfiring 12/2005. We received letter on recall for catalytic converter up to 8 yrs and 80,000 mile. We were informed by dealer that our engine size is the only one not given an extension to 10 yr 100,000. The converters are failing on the 5.9 l also. These…
- the contact's 1996 dodge van had been excluded from the recall involving a catalytic converters used in dodge van of that year and it failed to pass smog test due to the failure of the catalytic converter. The dealer declined to perform the recall repairs, and a follow up call to the manufacturer was placed, and…
Suspension 2 Read
Sway bar was replaced twice. Sometimes it sounded like something was loose. Dealer would adjust it. When making a hard right turn left tire rubbed against sway bar
Upper control arm... Rusted through see attached pictures
Air Bags 1 Read
Was in a car accident on Wednesday may 27,2026 . Crashed at a speed of about 51 if not more and NONE of the air bags deployed. I have spoken to my insurance and they said I needed to file a complaint or claim someway else for the airbags not deploying
Service Brakes 1 Read
Exited I-40 in tucumcari, nm. Right turn off interstate, right turn into shell. Upon leaving the fuel station to enter I-40 westbound, I had no brakes. Pedal to the floor. Coasted uphill to restaurant parking lot; brake fluid under driver-side front wheel. Unusual since I had zero braking power. Shredded brake hose…
Seat Belts 1 Read
There is only one lap and shoulder belt on each of the bench seats in rear of vehicle. Consumer feels this is unsafe for 4 of the 6 passengers that may be seated. Dealer has been contacted
Structure 1 Read
Purchased a few weeks ago from a dealer. The steering became noticeably 'off' and sporadic while driving. Took to a few shops and says the gram is cracked in the front and the wheel is separating from the car
Ram Wagon years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2001 | Steering,structure | — | — | |
| 2000 | Power Train | — | — | |
| 1999 | Electrical System | — | — | |
| 1998 | Power Train,wheels | — | 1 | |
| 1996 | Engine And Engine Cooling | — | — | |
| 1995 | Tires | — | — | |
| 1991 | Steering,suspension,vehicle Speed Control | — | — |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 22 |
| Average complaints per series | 1 |
| Worst single series | 2 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 12.1 years |
A model average of 1 hides a worst series at 2. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
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- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Ram Wagon?
By complaint volume, 1996, 1999, 1998 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Ram Wagon years are the cleanest?
1991, 1995, 2001 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Dodge Ram Wagon have?
23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 1991–2002. Of those, 1 describe a crash and 1 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.