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317 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the engine was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: engine is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 52,554 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
I purchased a new Dodge Ram 2500 pick-up in march 2008. Within 5 weeks, vehicle started operating poorly. Check engine light would come on, truck would lose power, heavy black smoke from exhaust. Truck was brought back to dealership eight times in first six months. Dodge…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, a strong burning odor of coolant emitted inside the vehicle. The temperature gauge increased rapidly as the engine overheated. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500. While driving approximately 60 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle and the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering assembly…
Was driving at approx 55mph and drove over a patched spot in road and the vehicle began to vibrate/shake uncontrollably until I brake or slowed the vehicle to approx 35 MPH. This has occurred on 3 occassions since the initial event and two times has created a very unsafe…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
This could result in an engine compartment fire.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.0 out of 10 based on 317 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the engine was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: Engine: 32 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 13,000–74,000 mi; Reliability score 7.0/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the steering first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 175 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 72,451 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 317 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is steering. Typical failure occurs around 72,451 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 175 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 72,451 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 72,451 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 317 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.