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Dodge RAM 5500Model year report

2008 Dodge RAM 5500 Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
56,000miles, 10 complaints with mileage
Recalls
32 do-not-drive
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500. The part named most often is steering, with 16 complaints (84% of the total), followed by air bags (1) and electrical system (1). 10 of the complaints include a mileage, and 40% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 56,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns (2 marked do-not-drive) and 38 technical service bulletins for this model year. Steering complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the tie rod assembly and 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Air bags complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns covering the inflator module filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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.

Example complaints

Steering: “-the contact owns a 2008 Dodge RAM 5500. While the contact was driving approximately 60 MPH the vehicle steered into the left and right direction without assistance. The steering wheel required excessive force applied to function properly. The brakes were engaged and the vehicle slowed down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the service repair consisted of replacing the front tires, steering box, and steering arm. Also, realignment was performed on the vehicle. The failure continued after the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred to the dealer. …”

NHTSA complaint #10326402, filed 2010-04, 400 miles

Electrical system: “My lights started to fail then all of a sudden my trucks electrical all went out while going down the highway and would not start back up with no power I had to struggle to get the truck stopped the fuse box caught fire nothing else was damaged. The dealership ways it is the bed manufactures fault. This bed manufacture cm in madil ok services all trucks not just Dodge and has not had this issue on any but Dodge the fuse box over loads and shorts out. I have to spend 1300 dollars in repairs not to mention a week of no pay as my truck makes me money.”

NHTSA complaint #10267141, filed 2009-04, 59,000 miles

Engine: “The contact owns a 2008 Dodge RAM 5500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle started smoking from under the hood and electrical system failed. The vehicle caught fire and all warning indicators were illuminated continuously. The engine stalled but failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10682716, filed 2015-02, 20,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

40% of the 10 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 30,000 and 83,000 miles.

10%0–1010%10–2520%25–5030%50–7510%75–10020%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (10 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 56,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

2009201020112014201562016
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

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. 38 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 38 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge RAM 5500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20124029,0009——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
20112346,0004———Stable
2009754,4243———Not enough data
20081956,0003———Stable

All Dodge RAM 5500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 16 complaints (84% of the total), followed by air bags with 1.

Has the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Dodge RAM 5500 reported?

Among the 10 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 56,000 miles and the middle half falls between 30,000 and 83,000 miles; 40% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

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.