What breaks most · 1991 to 2003 model years
Dodge Ram Van problems by year
Owners have filed 221 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Dodge Ram Van across model years 1991 to 2003. Three years stand out: 1999 for electrical system complaints, 2001 for electrical system complaints and 2000 for body and structure complaints. The quietest years are 1991, 1992 and 1993.
- Years to check closely: 1999, 2001, 2000
- Fewest complaints: 1991, 1992, 1993
- Complaints on file
- 2211991 to 2003, all trims
- Worst year
- 199947 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 1732 fires · 27 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 64kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 4Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 14 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (3) | |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 16 | 2 | 0 | Speed control and throttle (3) | |
| 22 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (7) | |
| 47 | 6 | 0 | Electrical system (12) | |
| 29 | 4 | 0 | Body and structure (7) | |
| 33 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 14 | 1 | 1 | Body and structure (4) | |
| 16 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (5) |
What fails on the 1999 Dodge Ram Van
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 26% |
12 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 13% |
6 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 11% |
5 | 2 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
5 | 1 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 11% |
5 | 1 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 9% |
4 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 4% |
2 | 2 | — |
| Tires | 4% |
2 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Within two years of ownership, while traveling the van would lose complete power as if someone turned off the ignition. One sensor and a co-pilot was changed by the dealership which also states that they are not able to detect the failure on their computer system. Please describe details. Mr
-
Heater core leaks,and smoke comes out of the vent on the dashboard. The anti-freeze pours out onto the floor of the vehicle. Consumer is concerned about being burned. Anti-freeze film covers the windows.*ak
-
Hvac dripping into right frame horn causing severe rust affecting steering linkage, and loss of vehicle control. No appropriate drain tube to route moisture away from frame was installed at the factory. Very dangerous!
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Dodge Ram Van years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1999, 2001, 2000 carry the most filings on the Dodge Ram Van. The 1999 alone has 47 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Dodge Ram Van problem?
On the 1999 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Dodge Ram Van problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Dodge Ram Van complaints that include mileage is about 64,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.