YearToAvoid

2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 63 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500, 15% of all 422 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 8 Ram 2500 model years. These complaints report 17 crashes and 7 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 25,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
63
15% of 422
Crashes reported
17
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
7
Median mileage
25,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 6, 2005, latest Feb 28, 2022.

2005 Dodge Ram 2500 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4May 2005Mar 2006Oct 2006Oct 2007Aug 2011Feb 2015Nov 2016Feb 2021
63 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2005 to Feb 2022; peak Sep 2007 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500

  1. NHTSA 05V462000Oct 6, 2005Transmission & Powertrain250,433 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift

    On certain pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines and automatic transmissions, in an attempt to exit the vehicle quickly without shutting off the engine and removing the key, the driver may inadvertently leave the automatic transmission shift control in indicated reverse.

    Risk: This error is an unintended action that may result in a lack of transmission park pawl engagement and possibly delayed rearward movement of the vehicle.

    Remedy: Dealers will perform a software modification to equip these vehicles with an out-of-park alarm. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Ram 2500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200563 (15%)
  2. 200637 (6%)
  3. 200717 (5%)
  4. 200820 (6%)
  5. 20096 (3%)
  6. 201013 (6%)
  7. 201116 (5%)
  8. 201235 (12%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 63 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500, 15% of all complaints for this model year, including 17 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 25,000 miles.
Which Dodge Ram 2500 year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 has the most transmission complaints (63), compared with 63 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 concerns the transmission: 05V462000.

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.