10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,726 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Dodge Ram 1500 drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 11)

problem #216

Feb 182023

Ram 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

the shifter began changing gears on its own. Before the recall came out my mechanic checked and there was no recall for this until 2018. I was never notified of the recall. Then on rear axle pinion nut. The nuts were installed without the proper amount of adhesive. Consequently, the nuts can loosen, and cause the rear axle to lock up, causing a loss of vehicle control. I was never notified of and the rear end came down while on the freeway. The fuel tank began leaking I repaired this before the recall came out. I submitted a reimbursement request they denied me stating my car was over 7 years old.

- Clearwater, FL, USA

problem #215

Jun 012019

Ram 1500

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Ram 1500. The contact stated that an abnormal, ticking noise would emit from the vehicle upon startup without warning. He also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the engine would rev without warning. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact believed that the failure was related to a defective exhaust manifold. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #214

Nov 212020

Ram 1500

  • 198,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to bluebonnet Chrysler Dodge (547 S seguin ave, new braunfels, tx 78130) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was an electrical failure and an unknown module failure. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred after several months. The vehicle was towed back to the same dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 198,000.

- Canyon Lake, TX, USA

problem #213

Mar 162021

Ram 1500

  • 169,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In 2020 my 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 began chucking and lurching when cornering. I parked the truck at home and had it towed to the shop. The mechanics pulled the rear axle apart and found shavings and large chunks out of the pinion gear and subsequently many of the other gears and components in the rear axle. The mechanic said I was lucky it did not lock up while driving. Being that I purchased it used Dodge did nothing to help me. My after market warranty was out, so I had to pay over $2,200 out of pocket to have it rebuilt because Dodge stopped manufacturing the axle assembly of the 3.92 gear ratio. I got it back and drove it minimally for the past six months. Today 3/16/2021 I decided to drain and refill the rear axle with the specified Dodge lubricants. While draining the axle fluid I found a shard of metal approximately 1" X 1/8" X 1/16". very disappointed. Now I am looking at another $2,200 rebuild and the loss if my vehicle again for several weeks. This is a safety issue and Dodge needs to issue a recall to all Dodge owners whom this affects, not just original owners. I have repair reciept ducumentation if needed.

- Ridgway, CO, USA

problem #212

Feb 172021

Ram 1500

  • 166,000 miles
The vehicle dies and everything becomes disabled including all outside lights including the emergency flashers. Engine turns off and then will no restart. Sometimes this problem is intermittent but later completely fails. This is the second time in 2 years that this truck has died. The first time it happened on a foggy night. The ngine and all lights turned off at cruising speed leaving only some instrument cluster lights on which ends up bein even more of a distraction from the sudden outside darkness. After trying to find the side of the road in the darkness, then your emergency flashers do not work leaving the truck just a dark target in the road. This is extremely dangerous. Recently this same truck died a second time but thankfully after filling up a a gas station. After a quick search online, this has happened to many many Dodge Ram owners from 2009 to 2016 maybe newer vehicles and also other models. The dealer refers to the problem being with a totally integrated power module (tipm). I just read that there have been many complaints filed already even with the NHTSA. Please continue to investigate, this is a major safety issue.

- Victoria, TX, USA

problem #211

Sep 242020

Ram 1500

  • miles
Recall below manufacturer refuses to repurchase as stated below thank you Feb 05,2013 manufacturer recall numbern08 NHTSA recall number13V-038 recall statusrecall incomplete summary the rear axle pinion nut on about 278,000 of the above vehicles may loosen due to undersized pinion shaft splines. Safety risk a loose pinion nut could cause the rear axle to seize or cause the driveshaft to separate resulting in a loss of motive power. Either situation could cause a crash without warning. Remedy the rear axle pinion nut must be inspected. Rear axles found with a loose pinion nut and/or a seized up rear axle assembly must be reconditioned. Rear axles with a 6-point pinion nut that has not loosened will have a pinion nut retainer installed. All rear axles with a 12-point pinion nut require no additional repairs. To request a preliminary repurchase estimate for your vehicle follow this link www.fcausrepurchase.com/

- Lakewood, NJ, USA

problem #210

Aug 052020

Ram 1500

  • 105,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving like any other day when turning onto state route. Heard a loud pop sound and my rear tires locked up. Luckily the oncoming traffic just missed us (had my daughter in the vehicle with me). Certified mechanic says it is the front pinion bearing that went out causing the tires to lock up. It happened when I was going at a relatively slow speed but I did slide into oncoming traffic.

- Sunbury, OH, USA

problem #209

Mar 232020

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 156,000 miles
While driving on the hwy at 73 mph my truck randomly went from being in automatic to manual, stuck in 4th gear. It would not come out of 4th. After almost being rear ended due to my abrupt drop in speed I was able to coast and then brake to a stop on the side of the busy hwy. I had to turn the truck all the way off and then back on to redet it. As I crawled at a slow speed to get off the near exist it did it again.

- Billings, MT, USA

problem #208

Jan 112020

Ram 1500

  • 177,000 miles
Felt vibration in vehicle while driving above 30mph. Was driving down a city at approximately 40mph and a very loud boom happened and my truck jolted to a stop. The rear axle locked up because the pinion nut backed off.

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #207

Dec 162019

Ram 1500

  • 164,000 miles
There was a recall around 2012-2013 for 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 pick up trucks because some pinion nuts could come loose. I had the recall performed as soon as I received the notice. The fix for this was to install a retainer that would not allow the nut to loosen. This week, 12/16/19, I went to replace my pinion seal as I noticed leaking at the shaft. I feel that the retainer that was used to hold the nut in place is defective and not a sufficient fix as the nut has definitely moved since the recall work was performed. There are most likely still trucks on the road where a dangerous condition is beginning to develop again. I noticed that the pinion nut had only one thread showing and took very little force to remove. As I did not know how to remove the retainer "holding" the nut in place, I used a hammer and a punch to try to spin it. The retainer and the nut moved with very little effort. There was only one thread on the shaft showing before I loosened it. I called a dealership and they told me to bring it in the next morning. The nuts on these are all individually adjusted until the bearing yields a certain resistance and this can only be done with the components in the rear of the differential removed. The service manager is starting to talk about "normal wear and tear" since the recall. My contention is that the original recall was not performed properly by a dealer when the recall was done. We can not know what was normal wear and tear if the nut has been coming loose for a number of years. There may be a required washer missing but that has not been determined yet. If there is a washer missing, that means that they removed the pinion nut completely before replacing it which you cannot do without removing the differential cartridge to properly set the pre-load force on the bearing. Each one of these needs to be adjusted individually.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #206

Nov 012017

Ram 1500

  • 260,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the rear axle pinion failed despite the fact that the part was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 12V474000 (power train). Parks motors (11987 us-54, augusta, ks 67010, (316) 775-6365) performed the recall repair. The contact spoke with the same dealer and was informed that there were no warranties on recalls and offered no assistance. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the rear axle pinion was damaged and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 260,000.

- Eureka, KS, USA

problem #205

Nov 162019

Ram 1500

  • 118,000 miles
Was driving about 25 miles per hour when I heard a loud pop or bang. The truck felt slightly funny. Put into neutral and coasted to an empty parking lot. Approx 75 to 100 feet and stopped. When I tried to move the vehicle again it would lock up within a foot of travel. Had to tow it to a garage. The rear axle is locked up the rear flange is sitting at a crooked angle.

- Dupont, PA, USA

problem #204

Aug 012016

Ram 1500

  • 183,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle shifted into fourth gear independently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the solenoid needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred three years later. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, but a diagnosis was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 183,000.

- Fountain Hill, PA, USA

problem #203

Jun 012011

Ram 1500

  • 76,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the heater, defroster, and air conditioner malfunctioned. In addition, the transmission failed while the vehicle was turning into a driveway. The vehicle was towed to butte's mile high Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (3883 harrison ave, butte, mt 59701, (406) 565-4410) and repaired under warranty. The contact had to pay for a loaner vehicle because they exceeded the mileage limitation due to the distance from their home to the dealer. The contact also stated that the headlight switch did not activate the headlights; therefore, the contact had to use the high beams. The contact repaired the headlights themselves. The heater and air conditioner were not under warranty and were repaired by the contact, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 76,000.

- Billings, MT, USA

problem #202

May 152019

Ram 1500

  • 72,100 miles
Engine ticking - faulty manifold bolts

- Purvis, MS, USA

problem #201

Mar 182019

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • 180,000 miles
I own a 2009 Dodge Ram, VIN #[xxx], that is covered by recall 13V-038. Dodge/fca and it's agent stericycle refuse to comply with the terms of the recall. On March 18, 2019, after calling the recall number for 3 weeks, [xxx] with stericycle called to offer me $8,560 for my Dodge Ram 1500. That number is of course not the purchase price I paid but is the only offer [xxx] would make. I reluctantly agreed and sent her the information she requested. Unfortunately on March 28th while I was driving to del rio, tx from my home in san angelo, tx the defect occurred and the drive train detached from my rear axle. My truck was stranded in sonora, tx. I immediately informed [xxx] of the situation and asked for her guidance. She has refused to respond to my phone calls and emails until May 9th when she emailed me that I would be reimbursed for towing. She refuses to respond to my requests for the process to submit my towing expenses or provide any information on when the buyback will occur. I don?T know how to make a company comply with a recall. I have had to borrow vehicles to get to work. I have had to rent vehicles for work. I have exhausted my resources. I find it hard to believe that I am the only consumer being harmed by Dodge/fca's refusal to comply. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- San Angelo, TX, USA

problem #200

Jan 312019

Ram 1500

  • 136,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 17V821000 (power train). The vehicle was taken to lone star Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram (1309 S pacific St, mineola, tx 75773, 903-569-8600) and the power train was repaired, but the check engine indicator was illuminated. The dealer stated that they could not repair the vehicle and that the ABS modulator failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that they could repair the failure, which should have been completed with the recall repairs. The contact suspected the recall repairs were rushed and not completely properly. The failure mileage was 136,000.

- Hawkins, TX, USA

problem #199

Aug 252017

Ram 1500

  • miles
I have attempted to get my truck fixed under recall 7 times since they came out. I have been repeatedly been told the parts are backordered and my vehicle can't be fixed. I contacted fca and they told me there was nothing they could do except make another appointment?

- Nixa, MO, USA

problem #198

Nov 292018

Ram 1500

  • 15,500 miles
Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab, V6 engine. Dial gear shifter goes out of park while stopped and placed in park. Will move forward. I was stopped(stationary), vehicle was in park. On a highway and the vehicle moved forward, the striking vehicle in front. Police report completed, case #18-101657

- Leamington, MI, USA

problem #197

Dec 072018

Ram 1500

  • miles
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 17V821000 (power train) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the recall notification in December of 2017. The dealer (dicks country Chrysler Jeep Dodge, 767 sw baseline St, hillsboro, or) stated that the parts for the repair were unavailable. The manufacturer was also contacted and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Tillamook, OR, USA

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