2004 Dodge RAM 1500 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 53about this part
- Share
- 5%of 1,099 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 35,600miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 53 complaints about the brakes of the 2004 Dodge RAM 1500, 5% of the 1,099 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 35,600 miles. 8 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Began to slow down for a traffic light and my truck stalled while moving almost causing me to rear end the person ahead of me since I lost all control of my brakes and power steering. From what I'm reading this had happened to many people with the same year, make and model vehicle without any type of recall and its too dangerous of a situation.”
NHTSA complaint #10481017, filed 2012-10, 42,656 miles“I was driving on the bypass and was turning on to the off ramp went to slow down because of red light and other traffic brakes would not respond had to swerve into the ditch to keep from hitting other traffic brakes would still not engage then I hit a advertisement sign and it stopped me the ambulance came and took me to the hospital where I stayed for 7 days.”
NHTSA complaint #10311732, filed 2010-02, 36,212 miles“I have a 2004 Dodge RAM 1500 quad cab hemi, at 10,000 miles lots of steering wheel vibration while breaking. Took it into the dealer and left it with them just to get a call back telling me to come get it. They told me that there wasn't anything wrong with it just that is was from condensation (lol). The at 14,000 miles called them and took it back in and we got the same story. …”
NHTSA complaint #10174398, filed 2006-11, 10,000 miles“2004 Dodge RAM 1500 quad cab hemi. At 10,000 miles lots of steering wheel shudder while braking. Dealer replaced rotors, pads and calipers under warranty. At about 17,000 I start getting the same problem. Dealer repaced again. This seems to be an epidemic and I see people are getting charged to fix this obvious manufacturers defect.”
NHTSA complaint #10121130, filed 2005-05, 10,000 miles“Rotors: rotors: rotors, I have a 2004 Dodge RAM 1500 (hemi) and at 11,000 miles both my front and rear rotors were warped and rears were grooved like a record player. Dealer replaced the rotors but not the pads. I now have an additional 5,000 miles on the vehicle and again my rotors are warped.”
NHTSA complaint #10098086, filed 2004-11, 11,310 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10012317Jan 6, 2005Brake shudder or vibration.
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 51 | 7% |
| 2011 | 26 | 4% |
| 2010 | 16 | 3% |
| 2009 | 34 | 5% |
| 2008 | 27 | 5% |
| 2007 | 21 | 4% |
| 2006 | 39 | 5% |
| 2005 | 40 | 3% |
| 2004 | 53 | 5% |
| 2003 | 73 | 6% |
| 2002 | 36 | 4% |
| 2001 | 59 | 5% |
| 2000 | 31 | 6% |
| 1999 | 56 | 9% |
| 1998 | 64 | 12% |
| 1997 | 53 | 15% |
| 1996 | 46 | 15% |
| 1995 | 27 | 13% |
| 1994 | 11 | 9% |
| 1993 | 3 | 50% |
Other parts of the 2004 Dodge RAM 1500
368 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
181 complaintsEngine cooling
116 complaintsElectrical system
99 complaintsSteering
86 complaintsEngine
74 complaintsSuspension
66 complaintsFuel system
62 complaintsBody and structure
50 complaintsOther or unknown
37 complaintsExterior lighting
29 complaintsVehicle speed control
26 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 Dodge RAM 1500
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology