1996 Dodge RAM Recalls, Complaints & Specs

10 safety recalls list the 1996 Dodge RAM, and owners have filed 625 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

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10 safety recalls for the 1996 Dodge RAM

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Vehicle speed control

   NHTSA 01V037000 Reported February 12, 2001 157,000 vehicles potentially affected DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines. The throttle cable could unravel (fray) or break resulting in loss of throttle control.

   Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the throttle cable and upper bell crank lever. Owner notification began august 3, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…

2. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

   NHTSA 01V040000 Reported February 12, 2001 701,000 vehicles potentially affected DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

   On certain pickup trucks originally sold in or currently registered in the following "salt belt" states: maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, the district of columbia, west virginia, ohio, indiana, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, iowa,…

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the secondary hood latch. Owner notification began september 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy…

3. Switch (electrical system)

   NHTSA 00V135000 Reported May 10, 2000 690,000 vehicles potentially affected DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks. The affected vehicles were built with an ignition switch and wiring that could overheat. High electrical current loads pass through the switch when the blower motor is operated on high for an extended periods of time.

   Remedy: Dealers will install a relay and overlay harness.

4. Clutch assembly (power train)

   NHTSA 99V115000 Reported May 6, 1999 8,883 vehicles potentially affected DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with manual transmission, v10 engines and four-wheel-drive transfer cases. Under sustained maximum rated vehicle load, while driving up a steep grade in four-wheel-drive low range in hot ambient conditions, the local exhaust temperature proximate to the hydraulic clutch line can generate line…

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the hydraulic clutch assembly.

5. Air bags: frontal

   NHTSA 99V023000 Reported February 5, 1999 250,845 vehicles potentially affected DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: van and wagon model passenger vehicles. If water/road salt gets on the interior floor of the vehicle in the proximity of the air bag electronic control module (aecm), the aecm can corrode. The resulting corrosion can cause the driver side air bag to deploy inadvertently.

   Remedy: Dealers wil replace the aecm with an aecm that is sealed from moisture intrusion.

6. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

   NHTSA 97V199000 Reported November 13, 1997 497,000 vehicles potentially affected CHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with gasoline engines. The fuel tank mounted rollover valve can allow liquid fuel to leak onto the ground under certain vehicle operating conditions.

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank rollover valve with a float type rollover valve.

7. Cooling unit and lines (power train)

   NHTSA 97V084000 Reported May 5, 1997 960,000 vehicles potentially affected CHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Under certain high load operating conditions, the transmission fluid temperature can exceed the melting point of the material used in the connector to retain the fluid line to the transmission.

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the high temperature side of the transmission fluid cooler line connector fittings with connectors that incorporate a stainless steel retainer.

8. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

   NHTSA 97V068000 Reported April 28, 1997 58,000 vehicles potentially affected CHRYSLER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines. The engine driven vacuum pump can allow engine oil into the vacuum hoses due to the absence of an internal check valve. The oil can cause the hose to deteriorate and partially collapse, reducing the vacuum supply to the brake booster.

   Remedy: Dealers will add a vacuum pump check valve to the vacuum pump. In addition, the vacuum hose connected to the vacuum pump will be replaced with a hose that is engine oil resistant.

9. Labels (equipment)

   NHTSA 96V027000 Reported February 5, 1996 2,500 vehicles potentially affected CHRYSLER CORPORATION

   The involved vehicles have tire/wheel specification information on the vehicle certification label which indicates a smaller size tire than required. This does not comply with label requirements of FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."

   Remedy: Owners will be mailed an overlay label with the correct tire/wheel certification information and instructions for installing the label on their vehicles. If owners prefer, their dealer can install the label for them.

10. Alternator/generator/regulator (electrical system)

    NHTSA 95V237000 Reported December 12, 1995 12,000 vehicles potentially affected CHRYSLER CORPORATION

    The fasteners which secure the generator cartridge fuse to the power distribution center may have an improper clamp load. Improper clamping can result in arcing at the connection.

    Remedy: Dealers will tighten the generator cartridge fuse fasteners properly.

625 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Dodge RAM have filed 625 complaints with NHTSA; 72 describe a crash and 23 describe a fire. Reports cite 47 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 85,122 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 124 filed that year.

Most-reported components

• Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip92
• Power train: automatic transmission76
• Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components32
• Air bags: frontal27
• Engine and engine cooling: gasoline24
• Suspension: front24
• Vehicle speed control23
• Service brakes, hydraulic: pads21

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 1996 Dodge Ram. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 97V068000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), 01V037000 (Vehicle Speed Control), and 00V135000”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 25, 2024 · Vehicle speed control

“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 dodge RAM. The contact noticed a chemical odor coming from the dashboard and the heater. The headlights flickered and the instrument panel lighting suddenly dimmed. The head”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 28, 2009 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup (Ram 1500 Pickup 2WD, Ram 1500 Pickup 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Compare Dodge RAM model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Dodge RAM model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 1996 Dodge RAM

Other Dodge models

• Durango13,770 complaints
• Grand Caravan13,508 complaints
• RAM 150012,416 complaints
• Caravan10,526 complaints
• Dakota6,629 complaints
• RAM 25006,443 complaints
• Intrepid6,228 complaints
• Charger5,741 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.