Your vehicle report

2006 Dodge RAM 1500

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
792
Received Mar 2006 to Feb 2026
Official recalls listed
9
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly137 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Turn signals work intermittently or fail95 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed33 complaints · 4.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #16V352000Do not driveChrysler (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.
  • Recall #15V313000Do not driveChrysler (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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 43 crashes, 8 fires, 42 people injured, 1 death.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

1 more problem

Brakes

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

4 more problems

Body, doors & glass

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2006 Dodge RAM 1500
121
Show as a table
YearComplaints
200621
200742
200822
200935
2010102
2011104
201230
201332
201458
2015121
2016100
201742
201827
201919
202012
20214
20226
20236
20243
20254
2026 (to Oct 2026)2
Total792

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly13717%–
Turn signals work intermittently or fail9512%–
Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed334.2%–
Heater blows cold air, defroster fails293.7%–
Headlights dim or fail at night202.5%–
Front brake rotors warp and wear early172.1%–
Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail162.0%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes162.0%–NHTSA recall #15V313000
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving151.9%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract141.8%–NHTSA recall #06V354000
Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches121.5%–
Wheel bearings fail prematurely111.4%–NHTSA recall #07V038000
Unintended acceleration despite braking101.3%–
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline91.1%–
Tie rod ends break or come loose81.0%–NHTSA recall #13V528000
Tires blow out or tread separates70.9%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips70.9%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps70.9%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring50.6%–
Air conditioner blows hot air or fails50.6%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #16V352000May 24, 20164,648,270 vehicles affected

    Do not drive: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #15V313000May 26, 20154,077,169 vehicles affected

    Do not drive: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #14V795000December 16, 201454,164 vehicles affected

    electrical system: ignition: switch

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, Dakota, and 2006 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to July 31, 2006 with manual transmissions. The return springs in the clutch ignition interlock switch may break.

    Broken springs can result in a no-start condition, or cause unintended movement when the ignition is cranked, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Remedy

    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clutch ignition interlock switch, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P80.

  • NHTSA recall #13V528000November 6, 2013706,664 vehicles affected

    steering: linkages: tie rod assembly

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Dodge RAM 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4, model year 2007-2008 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis and model year 2006-2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4 trucks manufactured February 12, 2002, through February 13, 2008. The left tie rod assembly may break.

    A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Chrysler notified owners and launched its recall campaign in January 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N62.

  • NHTSA recall #07V038000February 12, 200786,333 vehicles affected

    suspension: front: wheel bearing

    On certain pickup trucks, the front wheel bearing may have received an insufficient quantity of grease during the manufacturing process.

    This could result in bearing degradation, and if subsequent noise and vibration are ignored, could result in hub assembly separation. This may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause a crash without warning.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the front hub and bearing units. The recall began on february 26, 2007. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  • NHTSA recall #06V353000September 14, 2006144,750 vehicles affected

    air bags: frontal

    On certain pickup trucks fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection. The passenger air bag may deploy with excessive force when certain model rear facing child seats are installed in the right front passenger seat position.

    This Can increase the risk of injury to a child seat occupant during certain crash conditions.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the passenger air bag cushion and reprogram the occupant restraint controller. The recall began on october 20, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  • NHTSA recall #06V354000September 14, 2006159,741 vehicles affected

    seat belts: front

    Certain pickup trucks fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the front passenger seat belt may not be able to tighten securely on certain model child seats.

    This Can increase the risk of injury to a child seat occupant in the event of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt. The recall began on october 20, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  • NHTSA recall #06V038000February 9, 200639,274 vehicles affected

    service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

    On certain pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel antilock brake systems (ABS), the ABS electronic control unit (ecu) may cause a loss of front to rear brake balance, and the rear brakes could lock up prematurely during certain braking conditions.

    This could result in a loss of vehicle control and cause a crash without warning.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the ABS ecu. The recall is expected to begin during the week of july 17, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  • NHTSA recall #05V461000October 6, 2005136 vehicles affected

    power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)

    On certain 4-WHEEL drive pickup trucks, the totally integrated power module (tipm) may contain incorrect transfer case calibration set points, potentially resulting in inadvertent transfer case default to neutral.

    If this occurs and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away and cause a crash without warning.

    Remedy

    Dealers will reprogram the tipm with new software that prevents the potential for this condition. The recall began on november 7, 2005. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2006 Dodge RAM 1500.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN