Problems · by component

1996 Dodge Ram 1500 air bags problems

47 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 cite air bags, 5% of all 936 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
47
5% of all complaints
Crashes
34
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISING TO BOTH OF ARMS FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH NOR WAS THERE ANY IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2013Air bagsODI 10513238
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V023000 (AIR BAGS) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2013Air bagsODI 10504360
“AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON FREQUENTLY. HAVE HAD SERVICE WHEN IT HAPPENS, HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DURHAM DODGE "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT'S NOTHING!" IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR THIS TO OCCUR AND I FEEL UNPROTECTED WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON. NO INJURIES YET, NO CRASH YET. DO I HAVE PEACE OF MIND THAT I CAN RELY ON MY AIR BAG ???? NO!!! *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2007Air bagsODI 10199867
“CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A T-BONE COLLISION AT 40 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS WERE DELAYED 3 SECONDS OR MORE BEFORE DEPLOYING. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S HEAD TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SUSTAIN RIB INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS NOT TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED.*AK *BF *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2005Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10113213
“WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL, AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK... THE OTHER DRIVER, A LADY WAS CITED FOR IMPROPER BACKING OUT. CONSUMER'S GRAND SON FIRST HIT HER, THEN WENT THROUGH A YARD, HITTING A TREE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2005Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10113662
“CONSUMER STATES ENGINE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A MOUNTAIN, CONSUMER LOST ALL CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT OFF A 300 FT REVENE, VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED AFTER STRIKING A TREE HEAD ON, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES, A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED ON VEHICLE REGARDING BLOWER AND IGNTION, CONSUMER WAS LATER INFORMED OF ADDITIONAL RECALLS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED ON VEHICLE, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NEVER GIVEN ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT WHAT WAS REPAIRED/REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 8, 2001Engine and engine cooling, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 898967

Showing 6 of 47 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.