1999 Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
769 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Ram 1500, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 86,708 miles.
Below average
Where 1999 sits among all 1500 years
What owners report
“Was driving down the road about 48 mph and the hood flew up and bent my hood hinges.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
“While appempting to stop the brakes did not stop the vehicle (vehicle has anti-lock brakes on rear wheels only), the seat belt did not hold the passenger causing him to move forward and hit both knees on the dash, the seat belt grabbed yanking passenger back into door and the passenger hit head on…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
“1999 dodge ram 1500 with dissintigrating dash board leading to electrical malfunctions. When multiple dealers were asked about the problem the answers given were always "because it is not a mechanical problem, then it is not a warrenty issue." was also told that since it was not a mechanical…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
“The air bag warning light stays on all the time. The dash cracked and pieces fell into the electrical systems. The ball joints failed. All around 120,000 to 130,000 miles. The fuel injectors began to fail at 120,000 miles.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
“The truck improperly downshifts into a passing gear mode with little or no notice while on a slight incline. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
“Entire dash is cracking and falling apart. Chunks are getting into electrical wiring harness and may cause safety malfunction. Front window defroster not able to work correctly causing visual impairment. I am a ph.d. Polymer chemist and this is obvious safety - manufacturing defect”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 406 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 86,100 miles. Half of those reports fall between 54,000 and 111,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Fix: K&N WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006.
Technical service bulletins
17 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 1999 Ram 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Ram 1500 reliable?
The 1999 Ram 1500 drew 769 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 1999 Ram 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Ram 1500 are body & structure (241 complaints), brakes & stability (70), and other (69).
At what mileage do 1999 Ram 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Ram 1500 problems around 86,100 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 54,000 and 111,000 miles.
Does the 1999 Ram 1500 have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1999 Ram 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.