If replacing the steering linkage or drag link inner tie rod assembly at the pitman arm on a vehicle built before Febuary 14 th, 2008, verify that the pitman arm part number is 68039930AA. The part number is embossed on the pitman arm.~If the pitman arm is not a 68039930AA, it must be replaced with a 68039930AA.~ Issue 2: For 2003 to 2007 MY only. If the OE steering linkage has been replaced with 52122362AA, 52122362AB, 52122362AC, 52122362AD, 52122362AE, or 52122362AF and pitman arm 68039930AA the following service parts are available.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Dodge Ram 1500 suspension problems
severe 32 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $900 · see suspension across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
32
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
3crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 32 suspension complaints filed for the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 32 suspension complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA suspension complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 16 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering suspension on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Suspension failures on these Ram 1500s range from dangerous to disabling. Front wheel bearings fail and sometimes completely detach—at least two owners experienced wheels separating from the bearing while turning, causing the vehicle to drag on pavement. Another owner's front passenger wheel fractured from the axle at highway speed; another's front driver-side axle and wheels fractured at 45 MPH.
Driveline and driveshaft separations happen too. One owner heard humming, then a loud pop and sudden fishtailing at 45 MPH when the rear driveline separated from the differential. Another experienced driveshaft separation at 25 MPH with the pinion jammed and oil leaking—neither vehicle was repaired.
Shock and strut failures are widespread and happen early. Owners report both front shocks leaking or blown out starting at 12,000 to 24,000 miles. When shocks fail, tires deteriorate and go flat, the truck bounces uncontrollably on bumps, and it can't hold a lane safely. One owner had the right shock replaced, then the left failed two weeks later—parts were backordered with no delivery date.
Steering and suspension geometry problems trigger violent shaking at highway speeds—what some owners call "death wobble"—particularly after hitting bumps. Tie rods, ball joints, sway bar links, and CV axles fail prematurely. Dealers often can't replicate the shaking or dismiss it as normal, and alignments and tire rotations don't fix it. Driveway damage from leaking shocks isn't covered; Chrysler has declined responsibility. Many failures fall outside of recalls—owners were never notified despite knowing issues exist elsewhere in the fleet.
Same Dodge Ram 1500 suspension reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Rear driveline separation and differential seizure
Rear driveline separated from the rear differential, causing the differential to seize. Occurred at highway speed (45 MPH) with initial humming noise, followed by loud pop and loss of control (fishtailing).
When: Highway driving at 45 MPH; symptoms appeared after leaving house, approximately half a mile into drive on 11/24/25
Symptoms owners cite: humming noise in morning before incident; loud pop sound; fishtailing and loss of control; sliding sideways
Repairs/costs cited: Not repaired; vehicle available for inspection but dealership refused to inspect under recall due to VIN not being listed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated VIN not on preexisting recall; contact directed to manufacturer directly; no inspection by manufacturer as of 11/26/25
Front wheel bearing failure and wheel detachment
Front driver-side wheel bearing failed, then failed again after repair. On second occurrence, wheel detached completely from the wheel bearing while turning at 30-35 MPH, causing vehicle to spark and drag on concrete.
When: Approximately 186,000 miles; recurring issue after first repair
Symptoms owners cite: abnormal noise from front driver-side wheel; wheel detachment while turning; vehicle sparking and dragging on pavement
Repairs/costs cited: First repair replaced wheel bearing; second diagnosis found driver-side brake line and wheel bearing failure, repaired at independent mechanic
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer notified; VIN not included in recall; no further assistance provided
Front strut leaking
Both front struts leaking fluid. Covered under extended warranty but parts on national backorder with Chrysler. Causes front tires to deteriorate and go flat regularly, and compromises vehicle stability and lane maintenance.
When: Not specified in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: strut fluid leaking; premature front tire deterioration and flat tires; vehicle bounces out of control on uneven road surfaces; difficulty maintaining lane in traffic; poor handling over potholes and road deterioration
Repairs/costs cited: Parts on national backorder with Chrysler; tire replacements not covered under warranty become owner expense
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Part covered under extended warranty but unavailable due to national backorder; issue confirmed nationwide by multiple service managers
Front wheel fracture from axle
Front passenger wheel completely fractured from the axle while driving at highway speed, causing loss of control and whiplash injury to driver.
When: Highway speeds; failure mileage not available
Symptoms owners cite: wheel completely fractured from axle; sudden loss of vehicle control; no warning lights or warning
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to yard; not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer provided case number and stated they would investigate; vehicle not included in NHTSA campaign 10E040000 (wheels); uncertain if related to recall G02 (front wheel bearings); awaiting manufacturer response
Front shock leaking and suspension instability
Both front shocks leaking, causing excessive front tire shaking on uneven surfaces, excessive vehicle lean during turns, and increased braking distance.
When: 24,000-25,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: shocks leaking; front tire shaking on uneven road surfaces at 15 MPH; excessive vehicle lean during turns; increased stopping distance
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer advised replacement of both front shocks but parts not available; no repairs completed; problem reported fixed in April (per update)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer could not provide estimated availability of replacement parts
Driveshaft separation from rear differential
Driveshaft separated from the rear end while driving at 25 MPH after abnormal winding noise at 35-45 MPH. Pinion jammed and oil leaked from differential.
When: 102,010 miles
Symptoms owners cite: abnormal winding noise at 35-45 MPH; winding noise increased at 25 MPH; abnormal banging noise; driveshaft on ground; oil leaking; pinion jammed
Repairs/costs cited: Rear end and driveshaft needed replacement; vehicle not repaired at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not contacted
Rear wheel seizure and loose wheel nut
Rear wheels seized at 40 MPH causing vehicle to drive into ditch. Diagnosed as loose nut on rear driver-side wheel. Failure recurred after repair; no failure found on second visit.
When: Mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: loud banging noise; rear wheels seized; vehicle drove into ditch
Repairs/costs cited: Loose nut on rear driver-side wheel tightened; failure recurred but not repaired on second visit
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware of failure
Tie rod and bolt joint failure
Bolt joint and tie rod needed replacement. Occurred five times. Abnormal noise from front driver side at 30 MPH that became severe when brakes applied; vehicle shaking.
When: Approximately 115,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: abnormal noise from front driver side at 30 MPH; noise became severe when brakes applied; vehicle shaking; failure occurred five times
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnosis by dealer confirmed by independent mechanic; vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure
Suspension fracture
Suspension fracture occurred when steering veered to the right independently while driving at 55 MPH, causing crash into ditch.
When: Approximately 77,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: steering veered to right independently; vehicle crashed into ditch; airbags failed to deploy
Repairs/costs cited: Suspension fracture diagnosed and vehicle repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware; vehicle received notification of NHTSA campaign 15V313000 (airbags) but failure had previously occurred
Violent shaking and lane shift on bumps
Vehicle shakes violently and shifts into adjacent lane when driving at highway speed over bumps. Failure experienced numerous times. Dealer unable to duplicate failure and claimed suspension designed tightly with nothing wrong.
When: 10,000 miles initially, continuing to 48,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: violent shaking at 65 MPH or over bumps; vehicle shifts into next lane; failure experienced numerous times
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer filed case number 21400501; dealer unable to duplicate and claimed design is normal
Poor shock and suspension road handling with jumping/skipping
Shocks blown at 12,000 miles. Vehicle jumps or skips over potholes, asphalt/cement seams, and uneven surfaces. Skips sideways on wet pavement; one instance of spinning out. Poor handling evident from purchase.
When: 12,000 miles; poor handling from new
Symptoms owners cite: jumping or skipping over potholes and seams; skipping sideways on wet pavement; one spin-out incident; blown shocks at 12,000 miles
Repairs/costs cited: Shock replacement needed; no aftermarket support available
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dodge denied problems, stated vehicle rides normally by design
Popping and grinding noise in steering
Popping noise when turning wheel slightly at slow speed. At tight turns, grinding or shearing sound from steering components. Owner concerned about component integrity degrading with repeated occurrence.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: popping noise on slight wheel turns at slow speed; grinding or shearing sound on tight turns; sounds like components breaking or shearing off
Repairs/costs cited: No incident to report; preventive concern
Wheel bearing failure without recall notification
Front wheel bearing failed at approximately 89,000 miles and was replaced, but owner never received recall notification. Owner concerned about front end failure while driving with family.
When: Approximately 89,000 miles (failed two years prior to complaint)
Symptoms owners cite: wheel bearing failure
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel bearing replaced; owner still has original failed bearing part
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall notification issued; owner received notification for airbag and gas filler tube recalls but not for wheel bearing or front suspension
Shock failure recurring after repair
Right shock replaced by dealer. Two weeks later, left shock failed with defective leaking fluid. Parts on backorder with no specific date provided.
When: 1,753 miles initially; failure at 23,222 miles
Symptoms owners cite: shocks defective and leaking unknown fluid; left shock failed two weeks after right shock repair
Repairs/costs cited: Right shock replaced; parts for left shock on backorder
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not contacted regarding left shock failure
Outer tie rod end failure
Both outer tie rod ends failed at 48,000 miles causing steering vibration. Replaced at owner expense. Front end alignment performed. Slight pull to left remained after repair.
When: 48,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: vibration in steering; slight pull to left after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Outer tie rod ends replaced and front end aligned at owner expense
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No safety recall found; dealership confirmed multiple other owners experienced same problem
Front end vibration at highway speed
Front end vibrates at 70 MPH. Vibration persisted after alignment and new tires installed. Vehicle shakes vigorously over bumps. Dealer recommended replacing entire front end.
When: 76,000 miles; continued to 81,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: front end vibrates at 70 MPH; shakes vigorously over bumps; vibration persisted after alignment and tire replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer recommended front end replacement; not completed
Defective wheel hub
Loud noise from front driver-side wheel hub at 137,000 miles. Dealer diagnosed wheel hub as defective and needing replacement.
When: 137,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: loud noise from front driver-side wheel hub
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel hub replacement needed; vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware of failure
Death wobble
Vehicle experiences death wobble over series of bumps at speed or single larger bump, causing uncontrollable shaking until speed is reduced. Occurs at 30,000 miles (3 years old). Owner identified this as known common problem with Dodge trucks.
When: 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: uncontrollable shaking over bumps at speed
Rear pop sound and vibration
Abnormal pop sound from rear of vehicle when accelerating from stop. Vibrating motion at 35 MPH.
When: Approximately 140,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: pop sound from rear during acceleration from stop; vibration at 35 MPH
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure
Widespread front end component failure
Entire front end failing including tie rods, sway bar end links, CV axles, upper and lower ball joints.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: tie rod failure; sway bar end link failure; CV axle failure; upper ball joint failure; lower ball joint failure
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple front end component replacements needed
Violent front end shaking at highway speed
Front of truck shakes violently while traveling on interstate, visible to other vehicles. Risk of loss of control without good steering control.
When: Interstate driving
Symptoms owners cite: violent front end shaking at highway speed
Violent shaking, tight steering, and involuntary pull to right
At 45 MPH, truck begins shaking violently, steering becomes tight, and truck involuntarily pulls to right, forcing driver onto shoulder. Occurred twice (July 2009 and 9/5/09).
When: 45 MPH; incidents in July 2009 and 9/5/09
Symptoms owners cite: violent shaking at 45 MPH; tight steering; involuntary pull to right; forced onto shoulder
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer claims unable to duplicate; implied tires were underinflated
Truck shifts right on bump at highway speed
When hitting bump at 55-65 MPH on interstate, truck shifts to right. Recurs multiple times. Dealer suggested rotating tires. Owner scared by repeated occurrences.
When: 55-65 MPH interstate speeds
Symptoms owners cite: truck shifts to right when hitting bump at highway speed; multiple occurrences
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer suggested tire rotation
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer dismissed concern; no investigation
Front axle and wheel fracture
Front driver-side axle and wheels became fractured while driving at 45 MPH.
When: 67,000 miles; driving at 45 MPH
Symptoms owners cite: front driver-side axle fractured; wheels fractured
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to impound lot but not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure
Failed tie rods, stabilizer bar, ball joints, and leaking rack/pinion with loud popping
Multiple suspension component failures: tie rods, tie rod ends, stabilizer bar control link, and lower ball joints failed. Rack and pinion leaking. Vehicle pops loudly when turning or driving over potholes/bumps.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: tie rod failure; tie rod end failure; stabilizer bar control link failure; lower ball joint failure; rack and pinion leaking (visible); loud popping when turning; loud popping over potholes and bumps
Front end bouncing excessively over rough road
At freeway speeds over 50 MPH on rough road, front end bounces 2 to 24 feet left or right depending on road surface angle. Occurred at least 8 times. Friend has same truck with same problem.
When: Freeway speeds above 50 MPH
Symptoms owners cite: front end bounces 2 to 24 feet left or right over rough road; at least 8 occurrences
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer had no idea of problem
Rear shaking and vibration
Vehicle shaking and vibrating in the rear.
When: Mileage not available
Symptoms owners cite: rear shaking and vibration
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified
Both front shocks failed and leaking
Both front shocks blew out and leaked all fluid. Owner rarely drives truck; shocks should not have failed. Leaking shocks damaged owner's driveway. Chrysler refused to cover driveway damage.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: both front shocks blew out; complete fluid loss from shocks; driveway damage from leaked fluid
Repairs/costs cited: Shocks need replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler refused to cover driveway damage; manufacturer should recall and redesign front shocks per owner
Wheel bearing assembly separation during turning
Wheel bearing assembly came apart while driving under normal conditions. While turning a curve, tire and part of wheel assembly broke off from vehicle.
When: Normal driving conditions
Symptoms owners cite: wheel bearing assembly came apart; tire and part of wheel assembly broke off during turn
Both front shocks blown out with fluid leak
Both front shocks blew out and leaked all fluid. Ride became very poor.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: both front shocks blew out; fluid leak; poor ride quality
Repairs/costs cited: Shocks need redesign and recall per owner
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer should recall and redesign front shocks
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4: the outer tie rod ends went at 48,000 miles. I started getting vibration in the steering. Had to have them replaced and the front end aligned at my expense. Checked for safety recall and there was nothing. Have heard from dealership that several other people have had the same problem. Also tires are rotated every 5,000 miles when the oil is changed. Still have a…
Had suspension trouble with your 2008 Dodge Ram 1500?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the suspension problem on the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500?
It's a meaningful issue. 32 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Across the 26 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most suspension failures cluster between 11,989 and 117,000 miles, with the median around 67,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 11,989; a quarter make it past 117,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Dodge/Ram 1500.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.