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#BS-2004-DODRAM-4743

2004 Dodge Ram 1500Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,372 owners and 8 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
1,372
Crashes
115
Fires
42
Recalls
8
TSBs
40
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,372 complaints, 115 crashes, 42 fires, and 8 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine stalls dies while driving

48 complaints • Severity 8.8/10

$X,XXX
2

engine failure

37 complaints • Severity 9.4/10

$X,XXX
3

engine stalls at idle

34 complaints • Severity 7.7/10

$X,XXX
4

cracked dashboard

30 complaints • Severity 7.9/10

$X,XXX
5

body rust on rear fender wells

26 complaints • Severity 7.5/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the AirbagsHIGH

354 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 70K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

212
0–30K
173
30–60K
187
60–90K
96
90–120K
114
120–150K
166
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (212 reports) • Median: 70K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Airbags (354 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Airbags354 (26%)
Engine131 (10%)
Drivetrain127 (9%)
Electrical74 (5%)
Fuel System59 (4%)
Steering57 (4%)
Other41 (3%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine40 (3%)

2004 Dodge Ram 1500: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 26% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, with 354 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 70,295 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 70K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, with 131 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, with 127 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, with 74 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
03
53
04
101
05
65
06
67
07
42
08
53
09
69
10
65
11
37
12
65
13
54
14
340
15
176
16
63
17
34
18
22
19
15
20
10
21
8
22
6
23
6
24
4
25
15
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (8 recalls)

03V503000Dec 2003

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

04V221000May 2004

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

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.'

07E104000Jan 2008

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."

10E013000May 2010

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN

FABTECH IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT PITMAN ARMS, P/NOS. FTS93001 AND FT44039, INSTALLED FOR USE ON CERTAIN 2003 THROUGH 2008 DODGE 2500 4WD, 3500 4WD, AND 1500 4WD MEGA CAB VEHICLES. THE PITMAN ARM CAN FRACTURE AND BREAK AWAY FROM THE STEERING BOX CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

10E040000Sep 2010

WHEELS:HUB

FEDERAL-MOGUL IS RECALLING CERTAIN CARQUEST, NATIONAL, AND PERCISION BRAND WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS 515073 AND 515073, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT ON MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2008 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCKS. THE INBOARD ROLL FORM USED TO MAINTAIN THE HUB ASSEMBLY CAN FATIGUE RESULTING IN NOISE AND/OR WHEEL SEPARATION ON THE TWO WHEEL DRIVE (2WD) APPLICATIONS. THE RISK OF THESE ISSUES DO NOT OCCUR ON THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) APPLICATIONS, AND INSTALLATION ON THE 4WD APPLICATIONS ARE NOT PART OF THIS RECALL.

+ 3 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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NHTSA Defect Investigations (5)

2 investigations still open: NHTSA is examining whether a defect warrants a recall.

EA05018ClosedOpened Nov 2005 · closed Aug 2007

ENGINE STALL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

EA15001OpenOpened Feb 2015

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

AIR BAGS

EA21002OpenOpened Sep 2021

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

PE05027ClosedOpened May 2005 · closed Nov 2005

ENGINE STALL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

PE14016ClosedOpened Jun 2014 · closed Mar 2015

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

AIR BAGS

The worst model year for the Dodge Ram 1500 is the 2002 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,372 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 8 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Dodge Ram 1500 Model Years

2012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991
View all Dodge Ram 1500 years →

2004 Dodge Ram 1500: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 is related to the airbags, with 354 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 reliable?
The 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 has 1,372 complaints, 115 crash reports, and 42 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 has 8 recalls on record. At least one is a critical “Do Not Drive” recall. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Ram 1500 problems start?
Based on 948 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 70,295 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,372 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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