YearToAvoid

2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 ranks worst of 9 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 100, 1,168 complaints, and 4 recalls including 2 do-not-drive airbag recalls. Transmission & powertrain problems make up 51% of complaints, followed by airbags at 32%.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
100/100
#1 of 9 Ram 1500 years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,168
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
2 Do Not Drive
Crashes
108
reported in complaints
Fires
16
Injuries
66
Top issue
Transmission & Powertrain
Best nearby year
2010
rated Good
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
12 city / 16.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
66 / 5

Top 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain593 (51%)
  2. Airbags373 (32%)
  3. Engine166 (14%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires117 (10%)
  5. Electrical System75 (6%)
  6. Steering59 (5%)
  7. Brakes47 (4%)
  8. Other41 (4%)
  9. Fuel System40 (3%)
  10. Structure & Body35 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Rear axle pinion nut loosening can lead to wheel or axle separation, sometimes causing rollovers at highway speed.
  • Frontal airbags failed to deploy in multiple crashes, including low-speed rollovers and collisions with other vehicles.
  • Vehicles unexpectedly popped out of park or shifted into reverse on their own while idling or parked, causing property damage.
  • Power steering failure was reported in connection with a fractured rear axle, leading to loss of control and rollover.
  • Brake pedal application in some cases did not stop the vehicle, resulting in collisions.
  • An electrical fire occurred under the hood while the truck was parked and unused, destroying the vehicle.
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter1852005 Q22008 Q12010 Q42013 Q32016 Q22019 Q12022 Q22025 Q4
1,168 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q3 (185).

2005 Dodge Ram 1500 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V352000May 24, 2016Airbags4,648,270 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.

    Risk: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.

  2. NHTSA 15V313000May 26, 2015Airbags4,077,169 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began for Chrylser on June 8, 2015. The recall for Mitsubishi started on June 24, 2015. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Mitsubishi owners may call 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler's number for this recall is R25. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V817 in its entirety. Vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.

  3. NHTSA 14V796000Dec 16, 2014Transmission & Powertrain257,065 vehicles

    Power train:driveline:differential unit

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks manufactured January 28, 2004, to August 3, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized spline on the pinion gear.

    Risk: If the pinion nut loosens, the rear axle may seize, and/or the driveshaft may detach resulting in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a retention feature to the pinion nut, free of charge. The recall began on June 26, 2015, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P77.

See all 4 recalls for the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 →

2005 Dodge Ram 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
12 MPG
Highway
16.5 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Ram 1500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200520062007200820092010201120122014
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid1001,1684 !14
2006Caution507929 !14
2007Caution135174 !14

All Dodge Ram 1500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Ram 1500 ranks worst of 9 model years, with a complaint index of 100 and 1,168 total complaints, and carries an Avoid verdict.
What are the biggest problems with the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500?
Transmission & powertrain issues account for 51% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 86,102 miles for the model year overall and 111,081 miles for transmission-specific complaints. Airbag non-deployment issues make up 32% of complaints.
Does the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2005 Ram 1500, including 2 do-not-drive airbag recalls (campaigns 16V352000 and 15V313000) and a rear axle pinion nut recall.
How does the 2005 Ram 1500 compare to other years?
The 2005 model has the highest complaint index (100) of all tracked years; by comparison 2010 scores 25 with a Good verdict and 2007 scores 13 with a Caution verdict.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500?
EPA rates it at 14 mpg combined (12 city / 16.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,650.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.