Problems · by component

2009 Dodge Ram 1500 visibility/wiper problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 cite visibility/wiper, 4% of all 679 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility/wiper

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“STARTED VEHICLE AND THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE LIT AIRBAG, TRACTION CONTROL, ESP BAD, ANTILOCK BRAKE, AND THE WIPERS WOULDN'T WORK, ALSO THE POWER OUTLET THAT ONLY RUN WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED, I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ALL FORE MENTIONED ITEMS WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE LENGTH OF TIME THEY ARE LIT/ NOT FUNCTIONING VARIES FROM A COUPLE OF.MINUTE TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2019Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), Visibility/wiperODI 11231216
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER, DEFROSTER, AND AIR CONDITIONER MALFUNCTIONED. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BUTTE'S MILE HIGH CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (3883 HARRISON AVE, BUTTE, MT 59701,(406) 565-4410) AND REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY FOR A LOANER VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE LIMITATION DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM THEIR HOME TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH DID NOT ACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHTS; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES. THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND WERE REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 11, 2019Power train, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiperODI 11219309
“I HAVE HAD THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE REPLACED TWICE NOW DUE TO FAILURE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE IN DODGES. IT HAS CAUSED MY WINDOW DEFROSTER, WIPERS, DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS RANDOMLY NOT TO WORK. PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING ELECTRICAL. MY PASSENGER AIRBAG GOES ON AND OFF, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. MY ABS BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING AND LOCKING UP ON ME. THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THERE'S COLD WEATHER OR RAIN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DEFROSTER OR WIPERS ARENT WORKING OR MY TURN SIGNAL IS CUTTING OUT. THE TIPM ON OTHER JEEP AND CHRYSLER PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DODGE HASNT ISSUED A RECALL. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FARTHER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2018Electrical system, Service brakes, Visibility/wiperODI 11082637
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE DEFROSTER, BUT THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO FUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SAINT MARYS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 1237 MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY KERSEY, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,643.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2017Visibility/wiperODI 11018968
“WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM WITH MY THREE CHILDREN MY WINDOWS FOGGED UP PREVENTING ME FROM SEEING THE ROAD. I HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN IN THE COLD RAIN SO I COULD HAVE LIMITED VISIBILITY. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND CALLED THE DODGE RECALL 17 NUMBER. I FIGURED IT WAS A BROKEN ACTUATOR THAT KEEPS THE AIR FROM CHANGING DIRECTION. DODGE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE COVERED IF IT WAS PART OF THE RECALL. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WASN'T THE ACTUATOR AND IT WAS THE AIR BLEND DOOR. THE DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST $1,500. TO FIX IT. I TOLD THEM I CANT AFFORD IT. I LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM AND THE ACTUATOR IS BROKEN. ITS A $25 DOLLAR PART AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $1,500 TO FIX IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 23, 2017Visibility/wiperODI 10980013
“THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH EVERYTHING ELECTRICALLY RELATED TO THE TRUCK. THE HEADLIGHTS STAY ON, I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET THEM TO GO OFF. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONSTANTLY REMAIN ON. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS, SEATS, HEAT, A/C, RADIO, DASH LIGHTS, ETC DO NOT WORK. ONCE THE TRUCK STARTS, ALL OF THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. (CHECK ENGINE, ABS, LOW WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID, VOLTAGE, LOW OIL PRESSURE, ETC) THE TRUCK IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND IS A HAZARD TO MY FAMILY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2016Electrical system, Air bags, Visibility/wiperODI 10930103

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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