10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,618 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.

2004 Dodge Ram 3500 transmission problems

transmission problem

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2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #38

Mar 012004

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • 200 miles

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

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted into park but the gear stayed in reverse. The vehicle rolled off when the contact exited the vehicle, which was not the first instance of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician hooked the horn up to a relay. The purpose was for the vehicle to honk and warn the contact when the vehicle was in reverse. The failure was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 200. Updated 04/06/11 updated 5/9/11 the consumer stated the problem was shifting to park and not being able to get pass reverse. When shifting the gear shift it felt as though the gear was being placed in park. The consumer stated on several occasions, he thought he placed the gear shift in park, but suddenly discovered the vehicle started moving. The dealer installed an alarm to the horn to so the consumer would be warned. However, the alarm did not always work. Updated 05/19/11

- Kalama, WA, USA

problem #37

Apr 092010

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • miles
Rm 3500 4X4 long bed quad cab. I have a stock truck. Tie rod ends are shot, steering gear box is shot, ball joints need to be replaced but now fall in the "limits" that Dodge decided to extend the measurements. My truck is a 2004 with only 106,000 highway miles. My friend has the same truck but dually 05 and has 62,000 miles and has to replace the same thing other than his steering gear box for now. Cost for me to repair with labor is $1300 how can parts go out this quick is beyond me. I have owned every truck and never had I needed to replace these kind of parts with low miles.

- Redding, CA, USA

problem #36

Jun 072006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles
E-17 saftey recall.

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #35

Jun 132007

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. At 62,000 miles, an oil change was performed on the vehicle. As a result of the oil change, the front cv joint on the driveshaft failed and damaged the transmission, the transfer case, and the floor board. The bearings lacked the proper amount of grease. The dealer stated that the cross members needed to be able to catch the driveshaft. However, if the contact is driving at a high rate of speed, he could damage the cross members. The dealer also stated that they could and would not service the vehicle because it was driven too long after the component failed and the parts are no longer under warranty. General Motors informed the dealer to no longer give the contact any further information due to the propriety issues associated with the defect. The contact stated that when the floor board gave in, it mildly injured his son's foot. Also, the floor board severed several pipe lines. The current mileage is 66,000 and failure mileage was 62,000.

- Benson, AZ, USA

problem #34

Nov 042004

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 300 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the gears shift from park to reverse, causing the vehicle to roll without warning. The first incident occurred when the parked vehicle suddenly rolled and struck a concrete pillar. The contact called the manufacturer about the failure and a representative inspected the vehicle. The representative was unable to find any failures. One year later, the contact received recall letter # 05V462000 (power train:automatic transmission). The dealer stated that many customers are removing the remedy because it does not help. The contact also stated that her husband was involved in a crash during one of the failures and injured his back. The vehicle has sustained damage during three out of the four failures. The current mileage is 90,000 and failure mileage was 300.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #33

Mar 212007

Ram 3500 8-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,600 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge 3500. On March 21, 2007, the vehicle automatically shifted from park into reverse. The vehicle rolled for almost 100 yards into his neighbor's brick house. The crash caused extensive damage and shifted the house five inches. The contact has a police report that stated the vehicle was defective. There is safety recall # 05V462000 (power train:automatic transmission). The engine size was unknown. The current mileage is 17,000 and failure mileage was 14,600.

- Chetak, WI, USA

problem #32

Feb 072007

Ram 3500 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles

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

- the contact had the recall repair for 05V462000 (power train: Automatic transmission) performed on his 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 and now wants the recall work undone. The reason he wanted it returned to the prior condition is that the vehicle keeps honking and the vehicle head lights are flashing every time he leaves the vehicle idling. In order for the vehicle to stop honking and the lights to stop flashing the contact would have to shut it off completely. The failure and current mileage were both 36000 miles.

- Chattaroy, WA, USA

problem #31

Jan 052007

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
- the contact stated that the 2004 Dodge Ram 35000 had recall 05V462000 concerning the powertrain: Automatic transmission. He stated that since the recall repair was completed on the vehicle he had problems with the horn. He has had a crash with the new recall repair. While backing up the vehicle to the trailer he opened the driver's side door to continue backing up and the horn inadvertently went off. The contact then jumped out of the vehicle and the truck crashed into the trailer. The contact stated that if the vehicle was not in park and he opened the truck door the horn would go off startling him quite a bit, and making him nervous. The contact felt this wasa safety problem. He was a veteran and had issues with startling while backing up. He's never had this problem until the recall repair was done to his vehicle. Updated 03/02/07.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #30

Jan 312007

(reported on)

Ram 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
2004 Dodge Ram pickup regarding recall.* the consumer was informed that other customers were not having the alarm installed as it was not necessarily a safety issue. The dealer attached an alarm system to the horn to alert the consumer that the vehicle was not in park.

- Columbus, MT, USA

problem #29

Sep 062006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,679 miles
: the contact stated when the vehicle was placed into reverse or when the door needed to be opened for greater visibility while backing or connecting a trailer, the parking alarm sounded. The service dealer and manufacturer were notified and refused to remove the alarm due to federal mandate of recall # 05V462000 (E17) for the power train: Automatic transmission, park alarm.

- Pitman, NJ, USA

problem #28

Oct 272006

Ram 3500 4WD Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles

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

: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked without the keys in the ignition, or while driving various speeds, the out-of-park alarm horn blew without warning. A NHTSA recall, #05V462000 was performed on the vehicle concerning the automatic transmission; however, the recall did not remedy the problem. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who was able to duplicate the problem, but would not remove the out-of-park alarm. The manufacturer was alerted.

- Mechanicsville, VA, USA

problem #27

Aug 142006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles
2004 Dodge Ram 3500. Out of park. Vehicle does not go all the way into park, and the vehicle will roll away when you get out. We had a recall on this problem only to now have the horn blair when you are backing up and you have the door open to gage the distance. This startled my husband when backing into a very close garage space, making him hit the accelerator and smash into the side of the garage. We have been told by Dodge it is not a problem with the vehicle it is with the operators of the vehicle. But only the operators of 2004 and 2005 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks"??????" not 1500 or any other trucks. It is amazing to me that only owners of 2004 & 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks are idiots.

- Forest Lake, MN, USA

problem #26

Aug 142006

Ram 3500 4WD 8-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle does not always go into park. There has been a recall#E17 to have an alarm to tell you when it is out of park. There fix is to attach it to the horn making the horn blare when you are in reverse and the door is open or ajar. This is very startling and cause my husband to hit the accelerator and hit our garage.

- Forest Lake, MN, USA

problem #25

Jul 102006

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,250 miles
The fix for the park/reverse issue on the Dodge trucks is a joke. The lights blinking and horn blowing is not a fix at all. The transmission needs to be fixed right or some sort of audible alarm needs to be installed versus the horn blowing and waking up the whole neighborhood each time the door is opened when I need to back up. Updated

- Goodlettsville, TN, USA

problem #24

Jun 012006

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,552 miles
My 2004 Dodge Ram 3500, automatic with diesel engine went into reverse without notice on 06-01-2006. The vehicle was put into park before I opened the drivers door. I stepped out of the vehicle and the vehicle was not moving and in park I went to unlock a gate and I noticed the vehicle going backwards with a goose neck trailer attached. The vehicle jack-knifed in the middle of the road and then ended up in the ditch, with damage to the cab twisted and bent, bed and tail gate damaged, windows broken, trailer was also damaged.

- Montgomery, TX, USA

problem #23

May 012006

(reported on)

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Sample of the waiver request for the Dodge recall ***transferred to occ***

- Bluffdale, UT, USA

problem #22

Mar 302004

Ram 3500 Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Employee stopped vehicle and put in park, got out of truck and went inside the tool room and when he came out, he saw the truck moving backwards. He ran to get in it and the truck continued to move and hit a pole. The damage was done to the back left quarter panel, bumper, and tail gate. Needs all new parts for those and taillights. We still have all the old parts. Notification code E17. We received a letter from daimler Chrysler about a recall for this same problem.

- Tifton, GA, USA

problem #21

Jan 252006

Ram 3500 8-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,442 miles
I stop at the ranch at one of our barns to talk to some client about there horse. I placed the truck in park and exited the vehicle. I spoke with them in front of pickup to use the headlights to see. After 7 to 10 min we proceeded to walk through the barn and after we got half way we heard someone yell, then a loud crash!!. we came running only to find our truck 60 yards away from where I left it, stopped only by a tree. The damage was extensive to the right rear of the truck. When we notified Dodge Chrysler about the problem they sent someone out to investigate and there report said they had not heard about this happening before and deemed it to be human error. They stood there and blamed us when all along knowing there was a problem. 3 weeks later we received the a recall in the mail. I called Chrysler right away and they where unwilling to accept any responsibility for damages or there behavior. They only offered to install a parking alarm. It is to little and much to late for us now.

- Clovis, CA, USA

problem #20

Nov 272005

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,660 miles
I parked the vehicle in front of my gate, placed it in park and exited to open the gate. After being out of the vehicle for approximately 2-3 minutes, I noticed the vehicle moving backwards. I tried to catch the vehicle but was unable due to recent a knee injury. The truck hit my neighbor's fence and stopped. The gear shift had moved into reverse while the truck was idling @ gate. This was the second incident, but during the first I thought I may have not put it completely into park. Thereafter, I had always ensured the park position before exiting. I had the vehicle checked @ my Dodge/Chrysler dealer & they said everything ok. I paid for $1,000 in damages to my truck, repairs done by dealers body shop. I received a recall notice on 3/30/06 but daimler Chrysler is refusing to pay damages.

- Los Lunas, NM, USA

problem #19

Oct 042005

Ram 3500 4WD 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge 3500. Incident happened on October 4, 2005. While at work put vehicle in park, got out of vehicle, went away from vehicle, turned around and vehicle was rolling backwards. The contact ran and got back in vehicle. Put it in park and vehicle hit a trailer that was behind it. Vehicle was on private property. Consumer remembered this F failure happened approximately 2 weeks ago. No police reports. No fire no injuries. 10/11/2005 - consumer reported that they fell while try to catch the truck as it was rolling away. Consumer had an appointment with chiropractor to check for source of lower back pain that he was experiencing..

- Toledo , OH, USA

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