Vehicle safety record

2009 Ram 3500 Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2009 Ram 3500 with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (1) and the steering (1). It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in January 2018 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2008 has 4 and the 2010 has 0.

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NHTSA data checked yesterday

99/100Safety Index

AFar fewer problems than a typical 3500 year, for its age

#285 most complained-about 2009 vehicle

Complaints: 3
Recalls: 2
Crashes: 0
Fires: 0
Injuries: 0
Deaths: 0

Most common 2009 Ram 3500 problems

Share of all 3 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2009 Ram 3500 recalls 2

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Air bags: inflator module

18V021000Jan 9, 2018328,177 vehicles affected

Do not drive

The problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Chrysler is also recalling certain 2009 RAM 3500, RAM 2500, RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U03.

Electrical system: alternator / generator / regulator

16V739000Oct 13, 201674,811 vehicles affected

The problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Police vehicles, 2007-2013 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2013 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, and 2013 RAM 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may suddenly fail.
The risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the alternator with a revised alternator, free of charge. The recall began on December 23, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S68.

What owners say

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3 complaints about the 2009 Ram 3500

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.

Transmission & drivetrain

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 ram 3500. While driving 45 mph down a hill, the vehicle downshifted from sixth to fifth to fourth gear as the brake system warning indicator illuminated. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and on again for it to resume normal operation. The vehicle was taken to auto farm price chrysler dodge jeep ram (354 ut-55, price, ut 84501, (435) 637-3360) where it was diagnosed that the brake system pressure sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The...

Read the full complaint

vehicle was taken to a second dealer (fletcher chrysler dodge jeep ram, 3099 n morton st, franklin, in 46131, (317) 738-4170) where a second diagnostic test was performed, but no failure was present. The dealer stated that the downshifting was normal when traveling down a hill. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 8,000.

Brakes

Breaks went out while driving on the freeway. Emergency stop lucky not many cars on the freeway at the time. The hydro break booster went out. This was recalled on trucks manufactured earlier in the year and was not recalled for the production date of my truck. Nearly crashed at highway spends.

SteeringSuspension

It has a death wobble so bad my wife just about lost control of the truck as we where going down the highway at 70 miles a hour.

Ram 3500: every year compared

'07 '08 3'09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 '25 '26

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Crashes	Fires	Top problem	Grade
2013	115	18	4	7	Steering	C
2012	0	9	0	0	-	A
2011	0	5	0	0	-	A
2010	0	8	0	0	-	A
2009	3	2	0	0	Brakes	A
2008	4	1	0	0	Steering	A
2007	6	1	0	0	Electrical system	A

All 3500 years

2009 Ram 3500 vs rivals

Vehicle	Complaints	Recalls	Crashes	Grade
2009 Ram 3500	3	2	0	A
2009 Dodge Ram 2500	223	5	6	C	Compare
2009 Ram 2500	5	1	0	A	Compare
2009 Dodge Ram 3500	0	5	0	A	Compare
2009 Ford F-250	0	1	0	A	Compare
2009 Ford F-350	0	3	0	C	Compare
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500	0	5	0	D	Compare
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500	0	6	0	C	Compare
2009 GMC Sierra 2500	0	5	0	C	Compare

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

Questions about the 2009 Ram 3500

Does the 2009 Ram 3500 have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2009 Ram 3500: inflator module (January 2018); alternator / generator / regulator (October 2016). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Ram 3500?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the brakes (1), steering (1), suspension (1).

How many complaints has the 2009 Ram 3500 had?

3 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on September 18, 2017 and the latest on June 13, 2019. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.

Is the 2009 Ram 3500 a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 99 out of 100 (grade A: far fewer problems than a typical Ram 3500 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Ram 3500 years have the most complaints?

2018 (810), 2017 (317), 2014 (202). See every Ram 3500 year compared.

What should I do if my 2009 Ram 3500 has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked yesterday. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data