4th generation (DS) — Dodge-branded portion only · DS · 1,514 complaints, 1,190 with mileage
Owners filed 1,514 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009–2010 Dodge Ram 1500, and 1,190 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 38,720 and 99,000 miles. The median is 66,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (30.6% of complaints, typically around 63,500 miles), the electrical system (11.2% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles), the engine (7.3% of complaints, typically around 84,500 miles).
4 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 463 | 30.6% | 63,500 | 39,200–95,000 |
| Electrical System | 169 | 11.2% | 85,000 | 52,900–105,411 |
| Engine | 111 | 7.3% | 84,500 | 60,000–114,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 80 | 5.3% | 74,450 | 48,000–109,000 |
| Steering | 68 | 4.5% | 68,574 | 50,000–111,000 |
| Structure | 67 | 4.4% | 70,000 | 25,000–93,000 |
| Suspension | 64 | 4.2% | 65,300 | 44,036–90,000 |
| Wheels | 61 | 4.0% | 54,905 | 40,500–81,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 60 | 4.0% | 83,000 | 52,265–120,000 |
| Air Bags | 48 | 3.2% | 68,000 | 32,000–88,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 884 | 724 |
| 2010 | 630 | 466 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 66,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 30.6% of complaints (463 reports, 298 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 63,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,200 and 95,000 miles.
A single system taking 30.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 11.2% of complaints (169 reports, 148 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,900 and 105,411 miles.
The engine accounts for 7.3% of complaints (111 reports, 90 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 84,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 114,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 5.3% of complaints (80 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,450 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 109,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 4.5% of complaints (68 reports, 56 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 68,574 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 111,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 4.4% of complaints (67 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,000 and 93,000 miles.
NHTSA records 4 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (3), the fuel system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 1,514 complaints filed against this generation, 74 reported a crash; 9 reported a fire; 42 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 4.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 38,720 and 99,000 miles, with a median of 66,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 63,500, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Broken exhaust manifold bolts continue into the DS body; MDS-related lifter and camshaft lobe wear on the deactivating cylinders.
Totally Integrated Power Module internal relay failures causing stalling, no-start, and fuel pump or wiper operation with the key off — the same TIPM family that affected other Chrysler products of the era.
Optional rear coil-spring / air suspension setup: air compressor and height-sensor failures on air-equipped trucks.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 18V160000 | 2018-05-02 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting |
| 17V821000 | 2018-02-26 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift |
| 13V038000 | 2013-11-07 | Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit |
| 12V474000 | 2013-06-17 | Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit |