Is the 2008 Ram 3500 a bad year?
177 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other 3500 years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2008 Ram 3500 are in line with other 3500 years. Steering stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2008 3500 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 66,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 97 (55%) | 42k–110k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Suspension | 24 (14%) | 44k–120k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Electrical system | 19 (11%) | 39k–160k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 14 (8%) | 21k–116k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 10 (6%) | 15k–140k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bags | 18 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exhaust | 10 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 66,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 177 complaints: 9 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 5 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Jun 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2008 Ram 3500: 12
The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may suddenly fail. 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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The left tie rod assembly may break. A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The left tie rod assembly may break. A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
This condition tends to occur during low speed parking lot type maneuvers when the customer is making a tight turn. Additionally, model year 2003-2008 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 vehicles may have received the affected tie rod assembly as a replacement part during normal service. This condition could result in the potential loss of directional stability in the left hand front wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
The pitman arm can fracture and break away from the steering box causing total loss of steering control. Steering loss could result in a vehicle crash possibly resulting in property damage, injury or death.
The heater element in these assemblies may be defective which could cause the unit to create smoke or sparks. This defect could result in a fire.
The steering linkage drag link inner tie rod to pitman arm ball stud may fracture. Also the steering linkage damper attaching the bracket may yield and shift on the linkage. This could result in a loss of steering control and the restricted ability to turn the vehicle in one direction increasing the risk of a crash without warning.
A silencer pad can sag and contact the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler. This could result in an engine compartment fire.
There may be an insufficient weld attaching the hitch channel to the supporting structure. This could result in bending of the hitch channel or the hitch could be pulled off the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as DOT-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle… In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(S) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ram: 165
Repair instructions Ram sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2008 Ram 3500. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Transfer Case Gear Motor/Actuator Installation Guidelines
ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) Engineering is seeking information regarding OFA leaks
Service Four Piece Oil Pan Gasket All Cummins Equipped Vehicles ONLY The replacement oil pan gasket can be a four piece gasket rather than a single piece gasket
2014 KL 9-Speed service transaxle with 2015 common hardware This 9-speed transaxle must be ordered thru Mopar's Powertrain Service Center…
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Chrysler's execution of 13V-528 & 529
Outer Tie Rod Failure
Neighbouring years
2007 3500: 216 complaints, keep it · 2009 3500: 108 complaints, keep it.
Every Ram 3500 year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All 3500 years side by side
Other Ram models: Ram 1500 · Ram 2500 · Ram 5500 · Ram Promaster. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2008 Ram 3500 a bad year?
177 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other 3500 years. At 66,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ram 3500?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: steering (97), suspension (24), electrical system (19), engine (14), transmission and drivetrain (10).
How many recalls does the 2008 Ram 3500 have?
12 recall campaigns list this model year: Electrical system (NHTSA 16V-739), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-352), Air bags (NHTSA 15V-313), Steering (NHTSA 13V-529) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.