10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
98,932 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Dodge Ram 1500 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #36

Apr 252024

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving to work that morning traveling about 40 into the city when all of a sudden I heard a loud noise, I barely could handle the steering wheel to coast it to the side before it came to a complete hault, I look out my window and my drive shaft broke in 2 pieces was passing me on the main road. Front end was on the side shoulder, back end was out in the road. I jumped out of the truck and grabbed up both ends of my drive shafts and put in the back of my 04 dodge ram truck, then started directing traffic on this busy road of morning commuters. Fluid was everywhere on the road so I'm trying to put sand from the side of the road onto the fluid that was on the road that had leaked out my truck all while directing traffic to keep from creating an accident. An law officer came ask was I alright, I answered explained what had happened and he never took a report instead replied with "Seems like you got everything handled" and got back in his car and drove off. I called for a tow service for their assistance and requested it be took to a shop. Where it now sits unrivaled. It was inspected by the mechanic and learned that the pinyin nut had came off cause my rear end to lock up which caused my drive shaft to come out and when it hit broke it smooth into 2 pieces that caused damage to my transmission case. This could have ended very badly for me that day, I'm thankful that it didn't. But now my truck is tore up do to a faulty manufacturers pinyin nut. And I need my truck fixed so I can work and support my family. This was not my doings. I love my truck very much and desperately need it back up and running

- Brewton, AL, USA

problem #35

Jul 132022

Ram 1500

  • miles
Driving on the freeway and the throttle sticks to the floor then releases about half way than stuck back to the floor.could have caused a bad accident.this need to be investigated before someone gets killed if they haven-??t already.

- Spokane , WA, USA

problem #34

Nov 062021

Ram 1500

  • miles
I was driving from Colorado to Indiana and all the sudden I heard a noise so I pulled over to the right side of the road. When a man came across the median and got a fire extinguisher from his truck and stated for me and my 3 dogs to get out because my truck was on fire. He stated that the driver shaft was on fire with flames by my gas tank.

- Mishawaka, IN, USA

problem #33

Jan 022021

Ram 1500

  • 146,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The pinion nut has loosened up and that caused the driveshaft to become unstable and it has caused problems that have to be changed such as (crush slave, inner and outer bearings, spacers, and pinion nut) all have to be replaced. This same issue happened to the 2005 Dodge Ram and they recalled those trucks just not the year of mine. I was driving my truck when this happened and it could have been extremely dangerous for my family and I and others on the road way if the driveshaft became unattached or the rear-end locked up on me.

- New Britain, CT, USA

problem #32

Nov 162020

Ram 1500

  • miles
Water is leaking into the cab from the grab bar located on the "a" pillar on the driver's side. I have researched this issue and there is a technical service bulletin (tsb #23-003-04) for this problem, which was issued for many model years of this type vehicle.

- Sandy, OR, USA

problem #31

Feb 052020

Ram 1500

  • 150,000 miles
While driving, idling or coming to a stop with foot on the brake, the truck will lose power and shut off without warning. It happens constantly so it's not a reliable vehicle to drive to work or anywhere else. I have 2 kids that drive in the vehicle as well as a travel trailer that's pulled and it's unacceptable to happen. I've replaced parts I thought would fix it several times on several different occasions. It's shut off while turning onto a street or into a business so I'm just sitting in the middle of the road with cars driving towards me. It seems like a waiting game before an accident happens. I don't understand why there is no recall on this. There's forums with tons of people that this has happened to and people spend thousands of dollars to troubleshoot with the issue being unfixed. Also, this wasn't one incident. It happens constantly.

- Millbury, MA, USA

problem #30

Feb 072014

Ram 1500

  • 870,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The dash has begun to crack and has been popping lately I afraid that is going to fall a part complete my and damage my electrical or clogged my ac duck work.

- Elm Mott, TX, USA

problem #29

Feb 162019

Ram 1500

  • 200,000 miles
Just caught fire burned up common problem lots of fires

- Northbrook, IL, USA

problem #28

May 152018

Ram 1500

  • 186,155 miles
When I ordered my 2004 Dodge Ram the side airbags were optional and I ordered them. Since the airbags occupied the side area above the door windows the "grab handles were relocated to the A-pillar for the driver and front seat passenger. Yesterday I went to enter the truck, parked in a parking lot, and grabbed the handle it pulled off the A-pillar. Everyone I have transported in the truck uses these "grab handles" to enter and exit. This is a very important safety item. I provide transportation for a friend who can no longer drive and has had his leg amputated below the knee. It is almost impossible for him to enter the truck without the use of the grab handle. The 2 bolts that hold the "grab handle" to the A-pillar did not pull out, the end of the plastic socket the bolt mounts in pulled from around the bolt and freed the "grab handle" and almost dumped me on the ground. Since the A-pillar trim/grab handle is identified as a "grab handle" in the factory shop manual I feel that this should be brought to your attention as a safety problem.

- Red Lion, PA, USA

problem #27

Jan 012011

Ram 1500

  • miles
Interior hand grabs front seat both sides inside to assist in entering or exiting vehicle. Broken off, I H ave had many passengers almost fall and 3 that did fall. People that fell but I was there to help them from falling to ground yet received scrapes and bruises were my wife, my mom and elderly woman

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

problem #26

Mar 022018

Ram 1500

  • 214,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On 03/02/2018 on or about 3:15pm I was driving my pickup. I was traveling at about 40mph when a heard a loud bang from under my truck my rear wheels then locked up and I start skidding out of control.once stoped I got out of my truck and saw where the drive shaft had snapped away from the rear differential. I called aaa and was stuck for more than three hours, because the drive shaft was hanging and resting on the ground and the wheels had locked up.two roll back tow trucks was sent out at different times to my location, but was unable to tow me because of the wheels being lock. So finally after a three hour wait a tow truck with a wheel lift was send out. This truck with the rear wheels locking up is very unsafe and I was fearful that I was almost killed today.

- Reisterstown, MD, USA

problem #25

May 202010

Ram 1500

  • 60,000 miles
Cracked dash board

- Brownsville, TX, USA

problem #24

Sep 212016

Ram 1500

  • 128,000 miles
Rear axle assembly 2004 Dodge Ram when I looked up the issue it showed recalls my vehical was included but I haven't recived anything. The fluid is leaking beacuse it gets to hot and errodes parts causing the leaks. I have had this documented by a auto shop and replaced the seals and other rear axle things and it continues to be an issue. 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 western New York

- Jamestown, NY, USA

problem #23

Aug 222016

Ram 1500

  • 79,900 miles
The door lock on the driver's side remains in the locked position. It cannot be opened from the outside using the key fob or the key, it also cannot be opened from the inside by pulling up on the lock plunger. It can only be opened from the inside using the handle.

- Oracle, AZ, USA

problem #22

Jul 192016

Ram 1500

  • miles
Odometer discrepancy purchased a vehicle from a sidelot in February 2016 went to trade vehicle in July 2016 and found out at the GM dealer that the odometer was replaced in 2014. Mileage was 134,000 in 2014 and then it dropped down to 116,000 after that

- Niles, OH, USA

problem #21

Jun 202016

Ram 1500

  • 180,000 miles
While driving home from work, my Dodge Ram truck rear axle locked up and threw the driveshaft out onto the road. Luckily no one was behind me. When I looked under the truck, there was transmission fluid everywhere. That's when I noticed the transfer case was cracked in half. I was left out in the middle of catfish lake road. Had to call family to come get me and called the tow truck company to have the truck towed back to the house. This incident happened on June 20, 2016 at approximately 08:00pm. I was on my way home from work. My truck could have flipped if I had not been able to keep it under control because the rear axle completely locked up. This could have resulted in a fatality.

- Cape Carteret, NC, USA

problem #20

Apr 032015

Ram 1500

  • 218,000 miles
The dash modual that controls the interior lights, dash lights, and interior signals no longer works. The guages work and the signals work but there are no lights. This poses a safety issue because you cannot see your speed, oil, temp, and battery guages. Im not sure when iy went bad, I got into my truck one night and none of my interior lights worked.

- Lexington, VA, USA

problem #19

Dec 282015

Ram 1500

  • 105,000 miles
Driver's door lock stuck on locked. Can be manually opened from the inside but will not unlock with keyless or keyed entry.

- Oregon City, OR, USA

problem #18

Apr 082015

Ram 1500

  • miles
Last spring, April 2015, I noticed that my defroster was not operating properly. The air blows out of the a.C. vents, but not the top dashboard vents. I went online to see: 1. how widespread the problem was (very common in older vehicles; I bought my truck new in 2004 from a dealer that is now out of business) 2. what the reaction from Dodge was ( $1.500.00 to repair, even though they must do an airbag recall repair in the same area) 3. how expensive it would be to have a professional repair job done ( est. $1,200 - $1,500) 4. how expensive/difficult it would be to attempt to repair myself (uniformly inexpensive parts are available in metal for around $50, not the cheap Dodge plastic) ( do - it - yourself instructions are complex, counter-intuitive, time consuming...8 hours or more, and require special tools as well as physical dexterity) I am stuck having to find $1,500 for a repair, or drive in the fog this winter with no defrost. All because of a $1.500.00 repair bill for a $50 part.

- Pahokee, FL, USA

problem #17

Aug 162015

Ram 1500

  • 133,000 miles
My family and I was driving down the road. (we had just had the truck serviced about 4 days prior at our local dealership.) all the sudden the truck makes this sound. I slowed down, rolled my window down trying to figure out if it was my vehicle or not. Very faint at first and increased with a loud boom. I get out to find my drive shaft on the ground. And the pinion nut nowhere to be seen. Gone. Luckily we were on a country road and my family is safe.

- Henderson, KY, USA

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