Dash is all cracked up allowing sharp plastic projectiles in and about the cab that can cut you in a wreck sun getting on electrical wires destroying them and now shorts and sometimes dont work right
The worst 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes38
- Transmission19
- Suspension16
- Acceleration11
- Body11
- Electrical10
- Steering10
- Lights9
- Fuel system8
- Engine7
- Tires6
- Visibility3
- Airbags2
- Seats2
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500
Recalls 1
Exterior lighting: headlights: switch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: model 3500 light duty trucks only. Operation of the headlamps over an extended period of time can result in headlamp switch failure, causing the headlamps or park lamps to go out.
- Risk
- If the lights fail, a visibility problem could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the headlamp switch including a relay in the park lamp wiring circuit.
Recall number 99V024000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500
Defect investigations
Seat back failure
Odi has identified 30 incidents where it is alleged the seat back collapsed in a rear impact crash.these incidents are alleged to have contributed to 23 injuries and two deaths.the data presented to odi show that the seat back strength of the front seats comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 207. Seating system.according to daimlerchrylser the front seats were designed to collapse rearward in rear impact crashes as part of the energy absorptioncapabilities of the seating system to reduce the chance of serious injury to the occupant.rates of occurance were compared to peer vehicles, and it was shown that the performace of the subject vehicle was comparable to those vehicles.in view of the forgoing, it is unlikely that the federal safety agency would issue an order for the notification remedy of a safety defect in the subject vehicles as defined by the petitioner at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therfore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's mission, the petition is denied.for further details, refer to odi's response to the petition published in the federal register vol.69, no. 60 , dated march 29, 2004.
DP03006
Loss of throttle control
Alleged that the throttle cable can fray or sever during normal use resulting in the throttle not returning to idle or an inability to accelerate.
PE00048
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 12
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty
- Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs
- Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts
- Use of Aftermarket Parts
- This SKU is an Automatic Transmission Oil Cooler Line
- This SKU is a front upper ball joint
- Valve Body
- Part Description: Insulator on Lever Assy Manual Valve
- 68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$
- Some customers may experience a situation in which the rear of the vehicle sits too high to attach their...
What 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
1996 dodge ram 3500. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle tire tread shreds off casing and causes severe damage to vehicle undercarriage. *smd
"takata recall" the dash on my truck is all cracked up and I take very good care of my truck. Io came across an article about the dodge dash's I went right out side and pulled my dash cover back and took a look and to my surprise my dash is all cracked up in many piece's . And I have had it covered since new...I do feel that dodge should be held reasonable for this , looks like they used cheap plastic on these, I can see it now if I was to have a wreak plastics pieces flying all over the place.
Heat caused the dash to dry out and crack into large jagged pieces, that could have fatal consequences if in any type of accident.
Death wobble. Violent shaking of the truck. Simply google "death wobble" and dodge truck. Hope you do something before someone does get killed.
Dash falling apart dodge does not have replacement/cannot find replacment.
Steering wobbles/shakes violently when driving. Often initiated by a minor irregularity in road pavement. Requires coming to a full stop to eliminate the wobble. Recurs often. Difficult to exceed 30mph in order to avoid shaking. No noticeably bad or broken suspension parts.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge ram 3500. The contact stated that while parked, a thermal event started in the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was found that the fire originated in the instrument panel above the headlight switch. The contact also stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 99v024000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch). The manufacturer was contacted and stated that an investigator will inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge ram 3500. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the front end of the vehicle began to shake vigorously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing where the mechanic performed repairs to the steering assembly. The contact was unaware of the exact repairs performed. Approximately two years after the repair, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
1996 dodge 3500 4x4 dually has a front end shake at any speed have put new balljoints in put a new track bar in than put a double front steering stabilizer on and the truck still shakes after it does it once and you have to try and get out of highway traffic and stop it will just randomly keep doing it bump or not just a rough road.
Compare the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500
Other model years
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Questions about the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500
Is the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 reliable?
Owners have filed 124 complaints about the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500, fewer than a typical RAM 3500 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500?
Brakes, with 38 complaints, typically around 103,753 miles. Next is transmission (19).
How many recalls does the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 have?
1 recall, covering exterior lighting.
What year does the Dodge RAM 3500 have bad brakes?
The Dodge RAM 3500 model years with the most brakes complaints are 1996 (38 complaints), 1995 (28 complaints) and 1998 (20 complaints).
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