1994 Dodge RAM 2500 Problems
- Complaints
- 168filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 114,000miles, 29 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 13 mpgcombined, 5.2L 8-cyl RWD · 11 city / 16 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this 1994 Ram 2500 most often write about brake behavior — hard pedals, intermittent loss of power assist, and pulling to one side — and about a front-end shake that starts over bumps or rough pavement and only settles at low speed. Many complaints come from trucks with well over 100,000 miles, so wear and deferred maintenance are part of the picture, though several reports describe the problems recurring after parts were replaced.
- Exterior lighting
Headlights cutting out, switch and connector melting
- 13 complaints (8%)
- median 160,945 mi at 15.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2020
Owners report headlights blinking or going out entirely while driving at night, sometimes with a burning smell in the cab. On inspection, several found the headlight switch and its plastic connector melted or the wiring burned; one owner said a dealer told them the switch should be replaced together with an updated wiring harness. Others describe fogged, dim plastic lenses that make night driving difficult. Mostly reported between roughly 100,000 and 350,000 miles, often noticed during night driving.
What to check: Turn on the headlights and inspect the switch and connector behind the dash for discoloration or a burnt smell; ask whether the headlight switch and harness were replaced, and check lens clarity.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I was driving home at night with $105 worth of groceries and all of a sudden my headlights just quit working and it was pretty dark couldn't see anything so I had to pull over and stop and wait for someone to come pick me and all my groceries up because I couldn't drive home without headlights”
NHTSA complaint #11383351, filed 2020-12, 88,956 miles“Driving during the day with lights on (low beam) and smoke and the smell of burning plastic began pouring out of the upper left portion of the dash. The failure was the light switch which was burnt and so was the plastic connector. The Dodge dealer was aware of the problem and I was told by the parts person that if I just replaced the switch with out putting in an updated wiring harness that there was a 100 % probability that this incident would occur again. …”
NHTSA complaint #10140915, filed 2005-10, 248,400 miles - Suspension
Front-end shake or "wobble" at highway speed
- 17 complaints (10%)
- median 85,700 mi at 10.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2014
Complaints describe the front of the truck shaking violently after hitting a bump, pothole, or rough patch, sometimes at 40-70 mph, and settling only after slowing to about 25 mph or stopping. Owners report the steering feels loose afterward, and some say the front end was rebuilt multiple times with the shake returning. Dealers in several reports could not duplicate the problem or told owners a service bulletin did not apply to their truck. Reported from about 85,000 to 190,000 miles, typically at highway speeds over bumps or rough pavement.
What to check: Drive the truck at highway speed and over a rough patch to see whether the front end shakes; check tie rods, drag link, track bar and steering box play, and ask whether the front-end parts were replaced and with what.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The front left tire came into contact with a small bump while slightly turning left. It violently started wobbling making it nearly impossible to maintain control, and will only stop when your speed reaches under 25 MPH. The death wobble was very unpredictable when it first started happening, but now it is constantly threatening. I took the truck to auto nation Dodge ram on arapahoe rd in colorado back in may of 2014. I asked them to fix all recalls, and described to them what was happening. …”
NHTSA complaint #10654544, filed 2014-11, 100,000 miles“Driving along I-70 I ran into a rough spot in the road. The truck ,steering wheel, steering column,front end,drive train,it felt like the whole truck started shaking so violently I thought it would fly apart. To get it to stop I had to pull over and come to a complete stop”
NHTSA complaint #764198, filed 2002-07 - Brakes
Hard brake pedal and intermittent loss of power assist
- 10 complaints (6%)
- typically at 4.3 yrs old
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2001
Owners describe the brake pedal going hard and braking ability dropping away, sometimes with the ABS light coming on, often after pumping the brakes a few times or while backing with a trailer attached. Some reports mention a failed vacuum pump or check valve on diesel trucks, and one says a vacuum accumulator was offered as a fix at the owner's cost. Several owners say the dealer told them the behavior was typical for the system. Spread across the sample with no single mileage pattern; several reports involve repeated brake applications at idle or low speed.
What to check: With the engine idling, press the brake pedal several times and note whether it firms up and stays firm; ask whether the vacuum pump, check valve, and brake hydraulics have been serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“With engine in idle and applying brakes more than twice, the third time loss of power brakes will occur. Dealer has installed new check valve, but defect keeps occurring. Consumer feels diesel engine does not produce enough vaccum while in idle , 800 rpms. Chrysler has now developed a fix to install a vaccum accumalator at consumer costs.”
NHTSA complaint #893522, filed 2001-08“When backing up with a trailer attached, and applying brakes for the forth time, it caused pedal to harden and lost brakes. Both brake and ABS lights would come on within 10 seconds or more between brakes return, and then loss of brakes again. Dealer notified, and informed consumer that was normal. Please provide any further details.”
NHTSA complaint #869070, filed 2000-08 - Electrical system
Air bag deploys without a crash
Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints
Complaints describe the driver's air bag going off with no impact — while turning in a parking lot, after turning the key to on, or after shifting into drive — with owners reporting facial injuries and a burning smell from the steering wheel afterward. Separately, one owner reports the bag not deploying in a frontal collision. Most say the vehicle was not inspected or repaired afterward. Reported from about 106,000 to 300,000 miles in the sampled complaints, with no clear pattern of weather or driving conditions.
What to check: Ask whether the air bag system has ever been serviced or the warning lamp checked, and have a shop scan the air bag module for stored codes before relying on it.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I exited a department store;got into my vehicle,put my key in the ignition ,and when I turned the key to the on position my drivers side air bag deployed.I received numerous abrasions to my chin and neck,broken nose,black eye,and a head concussion.”
NHTSA complaint #10676558, filed 2015-01, 127,627 miles“While turning in parking lot driver's air bag deployed for unknown reason. Dealer / manufacturer were not notified at this time. Feel free to provide any further details on this matter.”
NHTSA complaint #895759, filed 2001-09
Buying note. These are old, high-mileage trucks, so condition and service history matter more than the model year itself. Have a shop inspect the front steering and suspension, brake hydraulics, and headlight wiring before buying, and budget for repairs to whichever of these shows up on the test drive.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 168 consumer complaints for the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500. 29 of the complaints include a mileage, and 17% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 114,000 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 5 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes42 25%
- Steering15 8.9%
- Electrical system14 8.3%
- Exterior lighting14 8.3%
- Suspension14 8.3%
- Body and structure13 7.7%
- Vehicle speed control13 7.7%
- Fuel system12 7.1%
- Air bags11 6.6%
Also reported: Engine cooling (9), Latches, locks and linkages (6), Tires (6), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (4), Equipment (1), Other or unknown (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “Brake system on Dodge RAM 2500 causes a dangerous pulling condition. I have nearly been in several accidents when pulling a trailer, as the additional weight causes the pulling condition to become very severe. I feel this is a security risk to myself and other motorists.”
NHTSA complaint #10028493, filed 2003-07, 125,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “The transmission mount failed causing the drive-shaft counter ballance to move approx. 4 to the left. This caused the drive-shaft counter ballance to wear a hole about 3' long and 1' wide in the fuel tank. The result was lost fuel spraying under truck, coating rear tires and brakes. This could have caused a fire or possible explosion.”
NHTSA complaint #10378371, filed 2011-01, 350,000 milesSteering: “Experienced an extreme loss of control due to a wobble/vibration that would only stop when you slowed to a speed under 25 MPH. The death wobble would go away but a slight vibration associated with a loose feeling in the steering is now constant. #94v202000, 94v097000, 93v173000, and 01v037000 all need replacing. The last recall mentioned here is the speed control throttle cable, and so far it has not been a problem. The possible effects due to its failure urges me to replace this part.”
NHTSA complaint #10658464, filed 2014-11, 100,000 milesElectrical system: “After driving approximately 30 min, the headlamps intermittently lose power, sometimes staying off until the switch is manipulated to re-establish the electrical connection. Slight burning odor accompanies incident.”
NHTSA complaint #10372460, filed 2010-12, 344,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
17% of the 29 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 85,700 and 168,347 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ram 2500 Pickup 2WD | 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 11 | 16 | 13 | $5,150 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 2WD | 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 11 | 15 | 13 | $5,150 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 2WD | 5.9L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 11 | 15 | 13 | $5,150 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 2WD | 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 11 | 15 | 12 | $5,600 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 4WD | 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 11 | 15 | 12 | $5,600 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 4WD | 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 11 | 14 | 12 | $5,600 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 4WD | 5.9L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 11 | 15 | 13 | $5,150 |
| Ram 2500 Pickup 4WD | 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 10 | 14 | 12 | $5,600 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
- PE00048Loss of throttle controlClosed · Dec 11, 2000
- PE99026Front suspension spring/shock absorberClosed · Apr 16, 1999
- PE98002Headlight circuit failureClosed · Jan 14, 1998
- PE96044Alleged fuel tank leakageClosed · Jun 27, 1996
- PE94072Trans hose separationClosed · Oct 3, 1994
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 5 on record; the latest 5 are shown.
- 10148823Jun 11, 2018Suspension. This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly…
- 10148822Jun 11, 2018Transmission and drivetrain. This SKU is an Automatic Transmission Oil Cooler Line. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for improperly crimped hose fittings. Improperly crimped hose…
- 10191460Feb 26, 2016Engine cooling. Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
- 10139596Sep 3, 2014Equipment, Body and structure. Part Description: Insulator on Lever Assy Manual Valve - Valve Body - RWD Transmission Issue Description: The manual valve insulator, attaching rivet and instruction sheet are now available as a…
- 10139009Feb 13, 2013Engine cooling, Electrical system, Equipment. 68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$ - Gasket, Cylinder Head Cover Before replacing injectors for Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, and/or P0206…
Other model years of the Dodge RAM 2500
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 283 | 52,498 | 4 | — | — | 61 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 298 | 43,059 | 4 | — | — | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2010 | 236 | 50,000 | 4 | — | — | 37 · Typical | Falling |
| 2009 | 214 | 55,000 | 5 | — | — | 49 · Typical | Rising |
| 2008 | 317 | 60,000 | 7 | — | — | 69 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 362 | 60,000 | 8 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 670 | 78,000 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 422 | 82,700 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 582 | 70,000 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 661 | 77,100 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 155 | 68,500 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 469 | 84,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2000 | 211 | 80,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 313 | 90,490 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 225 | 92,200 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 213 | 97,360 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 291 | 145,000 | 0 | — | 13 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 267 | 121,336 | 0 | — | 13 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 168 | 114,000 | 0 | — | 13 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1993 | 39 | 107,200 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 32 | 118,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 16 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
All Dodge RAM 2500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500?
Owners of this 1994 Ram 2500 most often write about brake behavior — hard pedals, intermittent loss of power assist, and pulling to one side — and about a front-end shake that starts over bumps or rough pavement and only settles at low speed. The issues reported most often: Headlights cutting out, switch and connector melting; Front-end shake or "wobble" at highway speed; Hard brake pedal and intermittent loss of power assist.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 have?
NHTSA recorded 168 consumer complaints for the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 42 complaints (25% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 24.
Has the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 get?
The EPA rates the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 (Ram 2500 Pickup 2WD, 5.2L 8-cyl) at 13 mpg combined, 11 city and 16 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1994 Dodge RAM 2500 reported?
Among the 29 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 114,000 miles and the middle half falls between 85,700 and 168,347 miles; 17% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.