Model year report

2000 Dodge RAM 1500: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500

On the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500, the failure owners report most often is other body or interior problem, and the reports cluster around 78,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 60,000 miles. Overall it scores 66 out of 100, high risk for a 2000.

High risk for a 2000 — 165th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. 641 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 58 named failure modes on the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500, and the three most-reported carry 46% of everything filed.

Other body or interior problem leads with 252 reports, about 22 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 50k to 100,000 miles.

Other powertrain problem follows with 23 reports, usually reported between 38k to 75,000 miles.

Other electrical problem follows with 23 reports, usually reported between 92k to 115,000 miles. 4 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into body (254), cooling (40) and transmission (39).

The mileage the reports cluster at

355 of the reports on the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 78,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 23% by 50,000 miles, 70% by 100,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 8 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 70,000 and 80,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.

12% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 59k, control arm, ball joint or bushing failure around 60k, other body or interior problem around 78k and other electrical problem around 102k.

Median

Other body or interior problem

78k
Other powertrain problem

59k
Other electrical problem

102k
Other suspension problem

160k
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure

60k
Other engine problem

56k
Other wheel or tire problem

95k
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash

109k
Cooling fan failure

114k
Radiator or coolant leak
no odometer readings given
—
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure

100k
Torque converter failure

74k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 58. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 78k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 8 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 26 mention a crash, 18 a fire and 26 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.83, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and other suspension problem at $350–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

18% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other body or interior problem	body	252	164	50k	78k	100k	22.2	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	23	9	38k	59k	75k	2.0	$400–$4,500	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	23	11	92k	102k	115k	2.0	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	19	7	—	160k	—	1.7	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	17	13	20k	60k	78k	1.5	$400–$2,200	High
Other engine problem	engine	16	5	—	56k	—	1.4	$300–$4,000	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	15	7	—	95k	—	1.3	$200–$1,500	High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	14	9	38k	109k	135k	1.2	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Cooling fan failure	cooling	10	1	—	114k	—	0.9	$350–$1,300	Moderate
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	9	0	—	—	—	0.8	$350–$1,900	High
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	9	3	—	100k	—	0.8	$700–$2,600	High
Torque converter failure	transmission	8	7	—	74k	—	0.7	$1,100–$3,200	High
Complete transmission failure	transmission	7	4	—	60k	—	0.6	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	7	6	—	91k	—	0.6	$700–$3,000	High
Other visibility problem	glass	7	1	—	195k	—	0.6	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Engine bay fire	engine	6	0	—	—	—	0.5	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	6	6	—	400	—	0.5	$400–$3,500	High
Heater core failure	cooling	6	4	—	97k	—	0.5	$700–$2,400	Moderate
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	6	6	—	45k	—	0.5	$400–$3,500	High
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	6	2	—	65k	—	0.5	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	6	2	—	62k	—	0.5	$300–$1,800	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	6	5	—	113k	—	0.5	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	6	5	—	135k	—	0.5	$250–$2,000	Critical
Water pump failure	cooling	5	3	—	90k	—	0.4	$500–$2,200	High
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	5	3	—	119k	—	0.4	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	5	5	—	69k	—	0.4	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	5	1	—	2k	—	0.4	$600–$2,500	Critical
Other steering problem	steering	5	2	—	164k	—	0.4	$350–$2,400	High
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	4	1	—	124k	—	0.4	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Thermostat failure	cooling	4	0	—	—	—	0.4	$250–$900	Moderate
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	4	0	—	—	—	0.4	$500–$2,400	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	4	2	—	168k	—	0.4	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Stalling while driving	engine	3	3	—	20k	—	0.3	$300–$2,500	Critical
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	3	3	—	183k	—	0.3	$450–$2,200	High
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	3	2	—	49k	—	0.3	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	3	2	—	73k	—	0.3	$0–$0	Critical
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	3	1	—	110k	—	0.3	$200–$900	High
Differential or transfer case failure	drivetrain	2	2	—	57k	—	0.2	$900–$4,200	High
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	2	0	—	—	—	0.2	$450–$1,600	High
Audio or connectivity failure	infotainment	2	0	—	—	—	0.2	$150–$900	Low
Loss of braking	brakes	2	1	—	37k	—	0.2	$400–$3,000	Critical
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	2	2	—	118k	—	0.2	$450–$2,200	Critical
Brake line, hose or caliper failure	brakes	2	2	—	103k	—	0.2	$250–$1,600	Critical
Parking brake failure	brakes	2	2	—	89k	—	0.2	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Power steering pump or fluid leak	steering	2	2	—	126k	—	0.2	$350–$1,600	Moderate
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	2	0	—	—	—	0.2	$100–$900	Moderate
Wiper or washer failure	glass	2	0	—	—	—	0.2	$120–$800	Moderate
Other fuel system problem	fuel	2	2	—	136k	—	0.2	$300–$2,200	High
Dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure	transmission	1	1	—	74k	—	0.1	$1,800–$5,500	High
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	1	1	—	60k	—	0.1	$300–$1,600	High
Cruise control failure	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Alignment fault and uneven tire wear	suspension	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$150–$1,200	Moderate
Paint peeling or clear coat failure	body	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$600–$6,000	Low
Seat, track or recliner failure	body	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$300–$2,200	High
Air conditioning failure	hvac	1	1	—	100k	—	0.1	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	1	1	—	31k	—	0.1	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Other seat belt problem	airbag	1	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Unclassified problem	other	69	33	45k	74k	103k	6.1	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 draws about 56 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 96th percentile of complaint rates among 2000 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 11,373 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2000 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Recalls on the 2000 model year

NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500, affecting an estimated 12,974 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover engine and engine cooling, tires and air bags. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

06E024000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

44,386 vehicles 2006-03-15

Defect: Certain replacement k&n fuel performance kits, p/nos. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, and 57-1530. Also, a small percentage of these kits were sold under the mopar performance parts brand name (p/nos. P5007069 and p5007070). All kits were manufactured from april 20, 1999, through september 23, 2004. These assemblies were manufactured as replacement equipment for certain dodge pickup trucks and suvs. A small piece of material from the tube wall could be sucked into the engine throttle body, which could cause the throttle to become jammed in the…
Consequence: A jammed open throttle could cause unintended acceleration of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash or increased stoping distances when braking.
Remedy: K&n will provide owners with a free repair kit along with repair instructions. The recall began on april 20, 2006.

03V504000

TIRES

214 vehicles 2003-12-10

Defect: On certain 4x4 pickup trucks equipped with the snow plow preparation package, the tires supplied on some vehicles may have gross axle weight ratings that slightly exceed the maximum tire load capacity as defined in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Remedy: Dealers will provide replacement p245/75r16 tires to meet the load carrying capacity specified on the vehicle certification label and accommodate the addition of a commercially available snow plow and hardware. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.

01V153000

AIR BAGS

216,100 vehicles 2001-05-08

Defect: Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11th VIN position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11th VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11th VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through…
Consequence: When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began june 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, will also be included in this campaign. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2000 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2000 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 2000 sits in the model line

High risk for a 2000 — 165th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 17 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2002 comes out best at 62 and 2004 worst at 74, with 2000 itself at 66.

If the model year is negotiable, 2002 scores lower than 2000 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 1996–2001 generation specifically, 2000 is the strongest year at 66 and 1998 the weakest at 71.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 1996-2001 generation, 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 scores best at 66 and 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 worst at 71.

Where to spend the inspection money

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: control arm, ball joint or bushing failure from about 20k, airbag failed to deploy in a crash from about 38k, other powertrain problem from about 38k and other body or interior problem from about 50k.

On a 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether control arm, ball joint or bushing failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

641 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 641 reports, 355 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 55% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500?

The most-reported failures are other body or interior problem (252 reports, median 78,000 miles), other powertrain problem (23 reports, median 60,000 miles) and other electrical problem (23 reports, median 100,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 problems start?

Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 60,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 40,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 78,000 miles.

Is the 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 reliable?

It scores 66 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 165th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2000 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Dodge RAM 1500 is best?

Within the 1996–2001 generation, 2000 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 1998 worst at 71. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed