2005 Dodge RAM 2500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2005 Ram 2500 most often describe a violent front-end shake after hitting a bump at highway speed, usually grouped with worn front-end steering and suspension parts. Airbag warning lights and non-deployment in crashes are also reported, and several complaints concern the shift lever not holding the truck in Park. Many reports come in at higher mileage, though some appear under 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Steering

   Front-end shake ("death wobble") over bumps

   • 104 complaints (25%)
   • median 89,450 mi at 7.1 yrs old (97 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 13 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel and front end shaking violently after the truck hits a bump, expansion joint, or pothole at highway speed, and say they have to slow well below 45 mph before it stops. Some report the truck wandering out of its lane during the event. Complaints mention repeated front-end work — ball joints, steering damper, tie rods, alignment, new tires — with the shake returning afterward, and dealers sometimes unable to diagnose it or attributing it to road conditions. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 250,000 miles, most often at 50-70 mph after hitting a bump or uneven pavement.

   Recall 13V5280002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the truck at highway speed over expansion joints and rough pavement before buying, and have a shop check tie rod ends, ball joints, track bar and steering damper. Ask whether the left tie rod recall (13V528000) was performed and whether the pitman arm part number matches the service bulletin.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On pa 81 hit a bump in the road at 65 MPH. Thought I had a flat tire but was not the case. After looking on the web you tube and asking people I found that I had a death wobble. This was very scary and the kids in the back though we were going to crash as did I. This death wobble should be looked at and fixed before someone gets into a crash.”

   NHTSA complaint #10641128, filed 2014-10, 49,000 miles

   “I was driving on a 2 lane asphalt road at approximately 55mph. I was crossing a bridge and when I got to the end, there was a low spot in the roadway. When the truck hit the bump, the front end started shaking violently and uncontrollably and I had to hit the brakes and slow to 25 MPH before it quit. On 12/17/2010 my wife was driving this vehicle at 70 MPH on I-35. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10373068, filed 2010-12, 95,849 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Truck rolls or shifts out of Park

   • 47 complaints (11%)
   • median 22,878 mi at 2.5 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2022

   Owners describe the shift lever being placed in Park or Reverse and the truck later moving on its own, including rolling down a driveway with the key removed. Complaints mention dealers replacing transmission parts without a lasting fix, or being told the transmission was operating as designed. A related group describes a long delay before the transmission engages after shifting into gear. Reported from a few thousand to over 200,000 miles, often at low mileage in the earliest complaints.

   Recall 05V4620004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test that the shifter clicks firmly into each detent and that the truck holds on a slope in Park with the engine running. Ask whether the column shift recall (05V462000) was performed and whether the delayed-engagement bulletins were addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “(1)I put the shift selector in 'park' got out of my truck, opened the tail gate started to unload cargo (2) the transmission shifted into reverse and the truck tried to run over me (3) I got out of the way and stopped the truck. It has happened many times since then but since I expect and anticipate the incident it is without consequence.”

   NHTSA complaint #10170663, filed 2006-10, 6,000 miles

   “2005 Dodge 2500 4x4 crew cab with cummins diesel does not indicate the transmission is in park even with the shift lever in the park detent position. I complained to the servicing dealer in 12/06 and numerous parts were changed in the transmission. The changes helped temporarily but the problem came back. I returned the truck to the dealer in 2009 for the same issue and was told the transmission was performing to specs and no work was performed to correct the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10439870, filed 2011-12, 35,000 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Front ball joints, wheel bearings and tie rod wear

   • 78 complaints (18%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (68 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,905 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2026

   Complaints describe play in the front wheels, grinding or popping noises at speed, and worn ball joints found during tire rotation or diagnosed by a dealer. Some owners report the parts were replaced and the noise or play came back within tens of thousands of miles. A few mention a broken front ball joint or tie rod while driving or parking. Mostly reported between about 30,000 and 130,000 miles, often noticed during tire or alignment work.

   Recall 13V528000Recall 11V3500002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for recent front-end service records and have the ball joints, wheel bearings and tie rod ends inspected on a lift. Confirm whether the tie rod recall work was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While rotating my tires at 30,000 miles, I discovered some top-to-bottom play on the right front wheel. Thinking this could be possible wheel bearing wear, I took it to the dealer who diagnosed that the right front upper ball joint needed to be replaced. Work to be performed under warranty.”

   NHTSA complaint #10176190, filed 2006-12, 29,820 miles

   “Vehicle just came off the expressway passenger side front steering ball joint broke as vehicle was being parked, the drivers side was replaced by Dodge under recall. They did not want to except liability for the passenger side. It has been a little over a year and the drivers side they replaced under recall is showing a lot of play and needs to be replaced again.”

   NHTSA complaint #11109557, filed 2018-07, 65,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel leaks and diesel smell from engine area

   • 16 complaints (4%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2018

   Owners report a strong diesel smell in the cab, fuel covering engine components, smoke from under the hood, and fuel spraying from a fitting at the top of the fuel pump. Complaints describe diagnosis of a leaking injector line or pump fitting, and in some cases the repair was made at a dealer or independent shop. Reported from about 67,000 to 150,000 miles, often after sustained highway driving.

   What to check: Smell around the engine bay and under the truck after a highway drive, and look for wet or damp spots at injector lines and the fuel pump fittings. Ask whether injector lines or the fuel pump have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving down highway gasoline started spewing under pressure from top of fuel pump, pulled into parking lot away from other vehicles and waited five to ten minutes before gasoline stopped spraying out. I had to have it towed home where I could check to find out if it was only a rubber hose as I expected or something else. I found out it was a fitting at top of the fuel pump which looks like metal connector where the gasoline was spraying out of a pin hole, I lost about 5 gallons of gas in 14 miles of highway driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11110708, filed 2018-07, 138,600 miles

   “Just pulled on to exit ramp lost power and started missing, by the time reached stop sign at bottom pulled over shut off engine and restarted. Barely regained speed to 40 MPH to limp to job site ran injector cleaned limped 25 miles into town to mechanic he replaced left back wiring harness said faulty design of plugs goiing to injectors.”

   NHTSA complaint #10451600, filed 2012-03, 67,330 miles

Buying note. Have a diesel-capable shop inspect the front steering and suspension before purchase and road-test at highway speed over rough pavement, then verify the airbag and tie rod recalls were completed. Also check the shift lever detents and look for fuel leaks around the engine.

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.