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Dodge Ramcharger Reliability

Owners filed 13 complaints about the Ramcharger: 1 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars.

NHTSA owner complaints · 13 complaints · 1981–1991 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 100% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Tires, with 3 complaints.

Dodge Ramcharger years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Dodge Ramcharger — complaint rate by model year
Model yearPer runComplaintsRunsEnough history?
1987144yes
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Dodge Ramcharger — age at failure
Age at failureComplaintsRunning totalWarranty
4 years1100%you pay
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 0% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 100% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for few of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Dodge Ramcharger, the early trouble is Steering — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it.

FIG.03·Dodge Ramcharger — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Tires3———
Steering34 yrs——
Structure2———
Visibility1———
Service Brakes1———
Hydraulic1———
Suspension1———
Fuel System1——1
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Ramcharger's vehicle class.

FIG.05·Dodge Ramcharger — rivals in the same class
Same class as the RamchargerComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Ford Transit5891932015–2026
Dodge Caravan11,2862081984–2008
Ford Transit Connect521802010–2026
Nissan NV200134182013–2026
Mercedes-Benz Metris184132016–2026
RAM Promaster City236202015–2026
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Dodge Ramcharger
Recalls15 campaignsFuel economy14 mpg bestCommon problems29 complaintsCheck a VINAgainst this exact buildDimensionsSize, weight, generationsWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car1981–1997

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dodge Ramcharger reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1 against 3.73 for the average car.

When do Ramcharger problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Tires, followed by Steering.

Will the warranty cover Ramcharger problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 0% of reported failures fall inside it.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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