Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 173 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V352000 Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V313000 Do Not Drive - Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V529000 Failure of the Left Tie Rod Assembly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V528000 Failure of the Left Tie Rod Assembly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V350000 OUTER TIE ROD FAILURE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10E013000 AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT PITMAN ARMS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V434000 AIRV CEILING ASSEMBLIES/HEATER ELEMENT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V005000 STEERING LINKAGE/POWERS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V641000 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V344000 BUMPER/HITCH NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E104000 CURVED TEMPERED AUTOMOTIVE REPLACEMENT GLASS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Steering 94 complaints
- Suspension 22 complaints
- Air Bags 18 complaints
- Electrical System 18 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 13 complaints
- Engine 11 complaints
Of the 173 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 14 a fire; across all 173 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Dodge RAM 3500 shows moderate reliability with 173 owner complaints and 11 recalls. Steering issues are prevalent, indicated by 94 complaints and several recalls, affecting components like tie rods. Limited data on other components restricts certainty of broad issues, suggesting a mixed reliability profile.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering system | 60,000–120,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | very common |
| Suspension | 80,000–130,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | common |
| Engine cooling | 70,000–110,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Tire rotations and alignment
- Cooling system check
- Transmission fluid replacement
- Spark plug replacement
- Suspension inspection
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Steering wheel vibrations
- Sudden loss of steering
- Engine overheating
- Knocking noises from suspension
- Electrical component failures
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.