YearToAvoid

2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 32 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500, 16% of all 196 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 8 Ram 3500 model years. These complaints report 13 crashes and 6 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 13,500 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
32
16% of 196
Crashes reported
13
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
6
Median mileage
13,500 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 4, 2005, latest Dec 5, 2025.

2005 Dodge Ram 3500 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2005May 2005Nov 2005Oct 2006Aug 2007Sep 2012Dec 2025
32 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2005 to Dec 2025; peak May 2006 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500

  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 3500 model year

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

  1. 200532 (16%)
  2. 200622 (9%)
  3. 200714 (7%)
  4. 200810 (6%)
  5. 20094 (4%)
  6. 20108 (5%)
  7. 20119 (4%)
  8. 201228 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 32 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500, 16% of all complaints for this model year, including 13 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 13,500 miles.
Which Dodge Ram 3500 year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 has the most transmission complaints (32), compared with 32 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 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.