Summary
The Dodge Ram 1500 has 5 recalls covering 2005 through 2012, with the most serious being a rear axle pinion nut that can loosen on 2009-2012 trucks, allowing the axle to lock up or the driveshaft to detach with little warning and causing sudden loss of vehicle control.
A related pinion nut issue affects 2005 models, where an undersized spline on the pinion gear can cause the nut to loosen, seize the rear axle, or allow the driveshaft to separate from the vehicle entirely. On 2009-2012 trucks registered in certain northeastern and midwestern states, corrosion can weaken the fuel tank mounting straps and allow the tank to drop and contact the ground, creating a fuel leak risk both during normal driving and in a crash. The 2011 model year has a separate rear axle bearing issue where growling or grinding sounds from the rear axle can precede a bearing seizure that stalls the engine while driving. A narrow slice of 2012 production, covering trucks built over just two consecutive days in January 2012, has a spare tire that does not match the specifications on the tire placard, meaning if that spare is installed, it can trigger the electronic stability control system unexpectedly and reduce its effectiveness.
