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2004 Dodge Ram 1500
5 recall campaigns and 1,045 complaints are on NHTSA's register for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500; the recalls concern air bags, equipment and power train.
The component named most often is air bags: 266.6 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 77.9 per 1,000 across all 2004 model-year vehicles and against 144.3 per 1,000 for the Dodge Ram 1500 line as a whole.
That is more than the average of 524.0 complaints per model year across the 22 Dodge Ram 1500 model years on this register; 80 complaints reported a crash and 27 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2015 (289); the most recent in the file is dated 9 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 5 investigations naming this model year.
NHTSA carries a "do not drive" advisory on at least one of these campaigns.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Do not drive advisory
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Chrysler (FCA US LLC) (manufacturer campaign S43).
Do not drive advisory
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Filed by Chrysler (FCA US LLC) (manufacturer campaign R25).
Defect, as filed: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerÂ’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, owners were notified and the recall began on December 5, 2014. For all other vehicles, Chrysler notified owners and the recall began on February 3, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P40 Expanded. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall 16V-352. This recall superseded the passenger air bag portion of recall 14V-354.
Filed by Chrysler Group LLC (manufacturer campaign P78).
Defect, as filed: The vehicle certification label on some pickup trucks lists incorrect tire, wheel, and recommended inflation pressure information which does not conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for vehicles other than passenger cars.'
Consequence: Installing the incorrect tire/rim sizes and loading the vehicle to the weights shown on the label can cause tire failure and result in a crash without warning.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with vehicle certification label overlays containing the corrected information relative to vehicle tire and rim size, and recommended inflation pressure. This recall began on may 5, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (manufacturer campaign D24).
Defect, as filed: On certain pickup trucks, the transfer case to transmission attaching fasteners may not be tightened correctly. This could cause the transmission adapter or transfer case housing to crack and leak fluid.
Consequence: Continued operation can result in propeller shaft separation and damage to fuel system components, which could lead to a fuel leak. Fluid and/or fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can cause an underbody fire.
Remedy: Dealers will retighten the transfer case to transmission fasteners. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.
Filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (manufacturer campaign C39).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 (black) against all 2004 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2004 | Ram 1500 line | All 2004 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 266.6 | 144.3 | 77.9 |
| Power Train | 135.6 | 154.4 | 116.1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 89.4 | 43.4 | 63.7 |
| Electrical System | 72.4 | 82 | 130.9 |
| Steering | 66.3 | 55.5 | 71.4 |
| Engine | 53.2 | 36.4 | 35.2 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 346 | 266.6 | 144.3 | 77.9 |
| Power Train | 176 | 135.6 | 154.4 | 116.1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 116 | 89.4 | 43.4 | 63.7 |
| Electrical System | 94 | 72.4 | 82 | 130.9 |
| Steering | 86 | 66.3 | 55.5 | 71.4 |
| Engine | 69 | 53.2 | 36.4 | 35.2 |
| Suspension | 64 | 49.3 | 58.9 | 49.3 |
| Structure | 51 | 39.3 | 133.8 | 71.1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 36 | 27.7 | 37.5 | 46.2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 34 | 26.2 | 20.6 | 20.2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 29 | 22.3 | 33 | 33.1 |
| Unknown or Other | 29 | 22.3 | 42.6 | 20.9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 26 | 20 | 18 | 42.3 |
| Wheels | 25 | 19.3 | 18.3 | 10.5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 24 | 18.5 | 13.8 | 28.8 |
| Tires | 18 | 13.9 | 19.4 | 22.4 |
| Visibility | 17 | 13.1 | 22 | 41.4 |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 11.6 | 13.3 | 26.9 |
| Equipment | 12 | 9.2 | 10.4 | 14.1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 11 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 15.5 |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 5.4 | 10.8 | 13.1 |
| Seats | 4 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 18.4 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 | 3.1 | 6.8 | 3.9 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 1 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 8.5 |
1,045 unique complaints, 1,298 component mentions; 93 injuries and 1 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EA21002 | Engineering analysis | Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture | air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module | 17 Sep 2021 | open | — |
| EA15001 | Engineering analysis | Air Bag Inflator Rupture | air bags:frontal | 24 Feb 2015 | open | 14V668 |
| PE14016 | Preliminary evaluation | Air Bag Inflator Rupture | air bags:frontal | 11 Jun 2014 | 2 Mar 2015 | 13V172000 |
| EA05018 | Engineering analysis | ENGINE STALL | power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 2 Nov 2005 | 29 Aug 2007 | — |
| PE05027 | Preliminary evaluation | ENGINE STALL | power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 16 May 2005 | 3 Nov 2005 | — |
Other Dodge Ram 1500 model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 NHTSA | 0 | 7 | — |
| 1992 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 800 |
| 1993 NHTSA | 0 | 6 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | 112 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | 210 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | 295 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | 359 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | 513 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | 604 | — |
| 2000 | 2 | 509 | 216,314 |
| 2001 | 2 | 1,094 | 216,314 |
| 2002 | 3 | 798 | 483,439 |
| 2003 | 1 | 1,132 | 385,686 |
| 2004 | 5 | 1,045 | 8,983,032 |
| 2005 | 4 | 1,116 | 9,233,400 |
| 2006 | 9 | 744 | 9,916,501 |
| 2007 | 4 | 485 | 9,486,267 |
| 2008 | 5 | 508 | 9,946,616 |
| 2009 | 2 | 618 | 322,974 |
| 2010 | 4 | 419 | 2,024,465 |
| 2011 | 4 | 513 | 2,040,547 |
| 2012 | 6 | 442 | 3,101,529 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Dodge Ram 1500 model years · Dodge: 118 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 16V352000, was reported to NHTSA on 24 May 2016 and concerns air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Across all model years the Dodge Ram 1500 line has 29 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 5 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 complain about most?
Air Bags: 346 of 1298 component mentions (266.6 per 1,000). Next is power train with 176. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.