Problems · by component
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical system problems
55 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 cite electrical system, 9% of all 579 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
55
9% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2008 RAM 1500 4 door p/up truck. Factory radio/ . Noise coming from CD player when radio was playing . Saturday morning , radio off . Radio screen lights up like the inside of a bread toaster . Orange Lines appear on the screen. and get hot to the touch . looks like melting wires . I Pulled over and disconnected the battery negative . looked for a Radio fuse in the fuse panel . but was unsuccessful . There was a Burning smell coming from the radio or dashboard still hot to the touch after unsuccessfully locating a Radio Fuse Anywhere . I reconnect the battery negative and noticed the same problem is occurring and then disconnected the negative and Call for assistance . Please help.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR WINDOWS AND REAR DOORS CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. RON TONKIN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM FIAT (16800 SE MCLOUGHLIN BLVD., MILWAUKIE, OR 97267 (503) 258-5800) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.”
“MY TRUCK HAS RANDOMLY BEEN MALFUCTIONING FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS, WHILE DRIVING THE POSTED SPEEDS 45-75MPH THE TUCK HAS STALLED OUT CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL POWER WITH MY INFANT DAUGHTER I HAVE RUN INTO A DITCHED, NEARLY ESCAPED OTHER PASSENGER COLLISONS I HAVE HAD THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT TIME ON NON-LIT ROADS FORCING ME OFF THE ROAD THANKFULLY NO IMJURIES HAVE OCCURIED, IT IS ALL DUE TO A FAULTY TIPM THAT DODGE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND WONT FILE A RECALL YOUR COMPANY CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO SAFETY DEFECT TO WARRANT A RECALL FROM THE TIPM, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DIE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN FOR DODGE TO FIX THE ISSUE, IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE I WONT PUT MY CHILD BACK IN THE TRUCK AND I WONT DRIVE IT BY MYSELF, ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TO STEER MY VEHICLE WHEN I LOSE ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING DOING 65MPH HOURS ON A FREEWAY, IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM STILL ALIVE AND HAVENT BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND IM NOT WILLING TO KEEP TAKING THE RISKS”
“AFTER I REFUEL, WHETHER IT'S 10 GAL. OR TOP IT OFF, THE TRUCK WILL STALL EVERYTIME AS I DRIVE JUST THE FIRST SEVERAL MILES(MAYBE AS SOON AS 100 YARDS OR UP TO 10-12 MILES OR SO). IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN I COME TO A STOP, LIKE AT A RED LIGHT OR AT LOW SPEED MAKING A TURN. IT ALWAYS STARTS BACK UP, NOT ALWAYS EASILY THOUGH. OF COURSE WHEN THIS HAPPENS, POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING IS LOST. THIS HAS PUT ME IN A COUPLE OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHILE MAKING A TURN AND SUDDENLY LOSE POWER STEERING. AFTER IT'S STALLED SEVERAL (4-5) TIMES, IT SEEMS TO RECOVER UNTIL I REFUEL AGAIN AND WE START ALL OVER. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO FINALLY FIX THIS RECURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME NOW. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST 40,000 OR SO MILES. IT NOW HAS 65,000 MILES AND THIS PROBLEM RE-OCCURS WITH EVERY SINGLE REFUEL.”
“ABOUT 40% OF THE TIME WHEN LOCKING/UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE (EITHER FROM THE DOOR CONTROL SWITCH OR THE REMOTE), THE LOCKING MOTOR CYCLES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I'VE TAKEN IT TO A COUPLE OF DODGE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH A TECHNICIAN WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THIS COULD POTENTIALLY OVERHEAT AND CATCH FIRE! THIS STARTED HAPPENING WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW.”
“DISCOVERED MANUFACTURING DEFECT AT ELECTRICAL PLUG THAT SITS ABOVE LEFT BANK WHERE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD MEETS THE EXHAUST PIPE. FURTHERMORE, THE CONNECTOR SITS RIGHT BETWEEN THE BLOCK AND THE FIREWALL. THE CONNECTOR AND IT'S WIRING HAVE AN EXTREME TURN OFF OF THE PLUG AND CREATED SUCH TENSION THAT THE PLASTIC CONVOLUTED TUBING WAS PULLED BACK FROM THE WIRING. ALL OF THE WIRING TO APPROXIMATELY 6' BACK FROM THE CONNECTOR IS BARE AND THE WIRES ARE TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER. I FEEL THAT IF THE ROUTE OF THE WIRING HAD LESS OF AN EXTREME BEND AND THERE WAS SOMETHING TO SECURE THE WIRING WAS IN PLACE, THERE WOULDN'T BE THIS CONCERNING ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE FCA AND THEY REFUSE TO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT CHARGING ME MONEY. I AM AN ELECTRICIAN BY TRADE AND I FEAR THAT THIS COULD AFFECT A MULTITUDE OF VEHICLES. THE TRUCK WILL RANDOMLY SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING REGARDLESS OF SPEED,, AND WHEN SITTING IDLE AT TIMES. ALSO, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO REACT TO THE COMMANDS GIVEN WITH THE GEAR SELECTOR. I'M UNSURE WHETHER THIS IS RELATED OR NOT.”
Showing 6 of 55 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.