Your vehicle report
2009 Dodge RAM 1500
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 670
- Received Feb 2009 to Feb 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly104 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2TPMS valve stems break or leak41 complaints · 6.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline31 complaints · 4.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #13V038000Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009 Chrysler Aspen trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008; and model year 2009 Dodge Durango trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008. The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.
- Recall #12V474000Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2010, Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota trucks, manufactured from July 1, 2009, through November 30, 2009, because the rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to a lack of adhesive.
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 identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 29 crashes, 2 fires, 19 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
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
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 56 |
| 2013 | 136 |
| 2014 | 79 |
| 2015 | 141 |
| 2016 | 75 |
| 2017 | 39 |
| 2018 | 32 |
| 2019 | 32 |
| 2020 | 15 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 670 |
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.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 104 | 16% | – | |
| TPMS valve stems break or leak | 41 | 6.1% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 31 | 4.6% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 25 | 3.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 13 | 1.9% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 12 | 1.8% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 12 | 1.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 10 | 1.5% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 10 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 10 | 1.5% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 8 | 1.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 6 | 0.9% | – |
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 #13V038000February 6, 2013278,674 vehicles affected
power train: driveline: differential unit
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009 Chrysler Aspen trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008; and model year 2009 Dodge Durango trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008. The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.
If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.
Remedy
On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N08.
NHTSA recall #12V474000October 2, 201244,300 vehicles affected
power train: driveline: differential unit
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2010, Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota trucks, manufactured from July 1, 2009, through November 30, 2009, because the rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to a lack of adhesive.
If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
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 2009 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