10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
137,500 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.

1996 Dodge Ram 3500 electrical problems

electrical problem

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1996 Dodge Ram 3500 Owner Comments

problem #4

Jul 222019

Ram 3500

  • 200,000 miles

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

Dash is all cracked up allowing sharp plastic projectiles in and about the cab that can cut you in a wreck sun getting on electrical wires destroying them and now shorts and sometimes dont work right

- Corrigan, TX, USA

problem #3

Jan 082013

Ram 3500

  • 170,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that while parked, a thermal event started in the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was found that the fire originated in the instrument panel above the headlight switch. The contact also stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 99V024000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch). The manufacturer was contacted and stated that an investigator will inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

- Oak Hills, CA, USA

problem #2

Jan 262009

Ram 3500

  • 180,000 miles
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 headlights went completely dim. The contact turned everything back on, but the headlights only illuminated for a few minutes. After driving without headlights, he noticed smoke coming from the vents on the driver's side. He pulled into his residence and turned off the vehicle, but the headlights remained illuminated. He attempted to turn the headlights off, but was unsuccessful. Smoke filled the vehicle and produced an awful odor. He removed the lamp fuse, but the buzzing noise still indicated that the headlights were illuminated. He reinserted the fuse and the buzzing sound continued. He noticed that the wiring harness was melted. The vehicle has not been repaired and is parked at his residence. The failure and current mileages were 180,000.

- Watertown, WI, USA

problem #1

Jul 121999

Ram 3500

  • miles
Whenever air conditioning & heater switch is turned on it causes the ignition switch to overheat due to an electrical short. Can NHTSA help in this matter.

- Sullivan, ME, USA

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