Problems · by component

1996 Dodge Ram 2500 power train problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 cite power train, 15% of all 291 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
15% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“AFTER OPERATING VEHICLE UNDER HEAVY LOAD (SNOWPLOWING), THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH LINE RUPTURED WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED AND THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IGNITED ON THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. NOTE: THERE WAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 99V115000 ) ISSUED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR TRUCK WITH A V10 ENGINE VERSES THE V8. THE HEAT FROM THE NEARBY EXHAUST PIPE EXCEEDED THE TEMPERATURE RATING OF THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH LINE MATERIAL CAUSING IT TO RUPTURE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2012Power trainFire reportedODI 10444959
“PULLING LOADED CARGO TRAILER ON A HOT DAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC KIN SAN ANTONIO, TX. ALL A SUDDEN TRUCK STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK. STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDER AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS COMING OUT OF TRANSMISSION ON TO HOT EXHAUST. THE HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID MELTED THE PLASTIC/NYLON MATERIAL AT THE FLUID LINE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSED FLUID TO SPRAY ALL OVER THE EXHAUST AND UNDER SIDE OF TRUCK AND ONTO THE PAYMENT. TRANSMISSION AND LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS RECALL AS I HAD NEVER BEEN CONTACTED. I WISH I HAD, I WOULD HAVE SAVED ABOUT $4000.00!!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2010Power trainODI 10371708
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PLACED IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH. THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE CONTACT WAS PLACED ON HOLD AND EVENTUALLY THE CONTACT HUNG UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED 3 TIMES. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE ON THE FIRST INCIDENT, BUT AN EMPTY PARKED SCHOOL BUS WAS STRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL, RIGHT DOOR AND THE HOOD ON THE SECOND OCCASION. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE BARN AND FEED TROUGH, CAUSING A BROKEN HEADLIGHT AND A DENTED BUMPER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2006Power trainCrash reportedODI 10174762
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PLASTIC TRANSMISSION COOLER FITTINGS MELTED CAUSING ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK OUT VERY QUICKLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 97V084000, REGARDING THE POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: COOLING UNIT AND LINES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2006Power trainODI 10150101
“1996 A518 DODGE RAM TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I HAVE HEARD THAT THEY ARE AWFUL TRANSMISSIONS AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE A518 TRANSMISSION FOR 1996 DODGE RAM TRUCKS!*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2005Power trainODI 10134637
“VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT WITHOUT TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR TO LOWER RPM. DEALER STATES INTERNAL SEAL FAILURE AND TRANSMISSION NEEDS REBUILDING. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2005Power trainODI 10107825

Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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