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Back in December 2007, I bought a brand new 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Single Cab SLT with a 4.7 liter engine. I kept this truck until October 2016, and traded it in on a 2016 Dodge Challenger SXT. During the 8 years of ownership I only placed 36,000 miles on this truck. I really had no problems with this truck except for one. The power steering rack developed a very minor leak. This could have been a result of limited driving. I'm retired so I just don't drive much. Overall, I really liked this truck.

I have a 2006. Not one of those problems do I have. In fact I don't have any problems with my dodge at all. 120k still going strong.

Nice video with some really good information. Just one thing i would like to add. If you have a slipping or funny shifting transmission, check your alternator. I had a problem with a slipping transmission on my 2005 4,7 and started some troubleshooting. After 2 days it finally came to my mind to check the voltage of my alternator. See there: 11.2 Volts. Swapped it and everthing's fine for about 3 years now. The solenoids slow down when voltage is low, so the transmission needs more time to shift into another gear.

I bought my 2007 dodge ram 1500 hemi brand new in 2007 and ive had zero issues with it, it just started misfiring the first cylinder after 130,000 miles but im sure its because ive never replaced the spark plugs wich i should have done a while ago. Its been a really good truck over the years i mainly use it as a farm truck, work truck, and hunting truck now. It may have lower mileage but I’ve definitely given it a beating over time, but thats why i love it. It has withstood the beating and now is a perfect work truck.

As you can see in my profile pic, I have an 06’ Ram 1500 mega cab. One thing that was brought up to me and something that I experienced was that my taillights will go out, not the lightbulbs themselves but the OEM circuit board the lights plug into itself will melt so make sure you check those as well as the lights. Rear main seals are another thing as well.

Nothing makes me feel more assured on this vehicle than having John Malkovich teach me about my vehicle.

My 2002 5.9 Magnum is still going strong. Owned it since it was new.

That's right about the milage where everything begins. On my 06 RAM I had to replace the wheel hub assemblies on both sides, water pump, alternator, pcv valve, starter, fuel pump in the dead of winter, serpentine belt tensioner pulley, thermostat, and most every one of these things went out while driving on the freeway during the coldest time of year. Other than those parts which routinely go bad on all vehicles, I have not had any major engine or transmission problems at all and I currently have 230k miles and climbing on my 2006 RAM 1500 5.7l Big Horn. Overall it has been a very reliable work truck that takes a great amount of abuse and keeps ticking.

I bought a 2008 Ram 1500 with 150k miles on the 4.7 hemi for a really good price (under $10k). It had an exhaust leak that came and went but mostly audile at idle. Turns out a common issue is the hemi torque/heat can break the header bolts closest to the firewall over time. I took it to a shop and 2 header gaskets and $400 later they replaced all the header bolts and it's quiet now. One other issue that is common is the low beam can go out on one side (usually passenger). Its the TPMS/under hood fuse box combo unit and they cost almost $900 so for now I just ran a jumper wire between the headlights... other than that very strong engine and trans I tow a 20ft toy hauler trailer no problemo.

Here’s a better list from experience #1 manifolds #2 transfer case shift motor #3 pully wheel #4 transmission #5 O2 censors

Another known major problem with these years of Dodge Rams is the A/C diverter. The diverter flap locate behind the glove box is made of cheap plastic and the clips holding the diverter in place crack, making the diverter hang down and block-off the a/c coming into the cabin. The only way to properly repair/replace it is to remove the entire dash, costing a small fortune in labor charges. Another problem is that Dodge also used this same inferior plastic for a few years on the construction of the entire dash under the windshield. EVERY single 2002-2006? Ram has a cracked or totally shattered dash. Dodge changed to a better plastic in newer models, but even though they acknowledge this problem as their fault, they refuse to recall and replace these inferior parts, since it's not life-threatening, like the recall on both airbags. They hounded me with incessant, non-stop phone calls until I got the airbags fixed, but I'm MUCH more concerned about the a/c and shattered dash, which destroys the resale value.

Good video. Quick tip: Reverse the heater hoses to back flush a plugged up heater core. It works.

Original owner of my 2001 ram with 5.2 other than basic maintenance and a water pump zero issues except for there horrible defective dash which i bought a cover for. Original black paint no rust yet not garage kept. Still looks almost as good as the day I bought it especially for living in NJ. But it has never been driven in the snow and rarely used in the winter for 23 years and never been through a car wash. Hopefully it will many years to come.

My 07 got stuck in "limp mode" one day and it turned out to be the solenoid pack. Wasn't to bad of a fix compared to a new transmission

I’ve had cylinder misfires with my 2006. I also have a lack of AC/cool air coming from my vents, like it’s blocked off. I haven’t had EVAP codes, but my dad’s charger has for years. I’ve also gotten transmission solenoid codes before, and the vehicle has stalled while driving many times. It only has 165,000 original miles and is now toast thanks to a blown head gasket :( This video is actually a pretty accurate representation of 3rd gen problems. I’d highly recommend you avoid these trucks based off of my ownership of 2 of them. Neither made it close to 200k.

thank you there's a few of you guys that do these videos and I don't mean to sound rude but I enjoy and learn how a lot more when you go over things it seems like the other guy left a lot of things out of his conversation. little frustrating but I truly appreciate it your time.

having owned 2 dodges one 2003 2wd with the 4.7 and the 45rfe trans at over 313,000 miles and a 2007 4wd with the 5.7 and the 545rfe trans id like to add to this list. I've seen many problems with the 1-2 shift due to the filter draining back into the pan also on the dodge 9.25 in rear end the pinion seals love to leak a ton. As for the interior, the blend and mode doors will break from so many extreme heat cycles (I'm from Texas) as have mine in both vehicles and requires dash removal.

I love my 04 and this is great info for anyone who like to fix there own vehicles 🤙

Thanks for the video. I own a 2003 1500 Ram and plan on keeping it.

I just bought one yesterday from my friend 2006 93K. So thanks for this video.

I have ran seafoam through the intake on pretty much every vehicle I've owned, (honestly mostly because the absurd amount of smoke is hilarious) and the only time that made any difference was on a 3.7. It had a clatter when cold that I thought was piston slap. Must have been carbon. Still hear it a bit but 100x better after seafoam.

Helped me out so much I have a 2002 Dodge Ram and I’m having these exact same issues

ac condenser fan is a known problem as well

I own a 2003 Ram 1500 that my grandfather handed down to me and I can say that, among the work I’ve done, I’ve had to replace my purge valve and clean out my throttle body due to stall issues.

A1 Auto the best on youtube Nice & clear and right to the point

08 Ram 1500 4.7 just hit 240,000 miles I drive 102 miles a day 51 to work and 51 home.... best truck I’ve ever owned

That crazy I’ve dealt with those issues with my 2004 4.7 the evap (it’s was the hose from the gas filler to the tank), the trans solenoid(replaced the solenoid) and every now and then I’d deal with the misfire like rarely tho (I use seafoam gas treatment and replace the coil pack and spark plugs)

There is only one solenoid , Transmission shift solenoid. I had to replace mine in my '05 Ram 5.7V8. Went ahead and replaced the Transmission filter and I'm pretty sure they're was some gasket work to be done, if I'm remembering correctly. I want to say I had to scrape the old gasket off and replaced it with both a new paper gasket and a tube of gasket maker cream, put all hundred and twenty five (kidding) bolts back in plenum , sealed it all up, poured fresh Transmission fluid in and was rolling again within minutes. i tried to pressure wash my mess off the driveway , I just couldn't get it all up off the driveway ...That weekend was just a little challenging for me, she is still running well though-- byby --thanks for putting up video.

2008 1500 5.7 152,000 miles here. Solenoid pack 2 years ago at about 130k. A wheel bearing at about 50k. Water pump leak. Now dealing with a TPS issue. Really no complaints though, love this vehicle.

I actually made a video of me replacing the transmission shift solenoid on my 05 Dodge Ram 5.7, wasn’t too bad. At first I was nervous because ya know it’s a dodge and my transmission was acting weird lol only thing that sucks is that it’s about a $250 to $300 part and it’s time consuming

04 Cummins is what I have. The truck recently started to get stuck in tow mode. I believe it’s the transmission but I’ll check the alternator voltage first. The ac goes out at times but overall I’m a little over 214k miles and it’s still taking me all over the Courtney doing hotshot

Top 5 gen 3 ram problems i see in the shop 1. 3.7 v6 2. 4.7 v8 3. Ball joints 4. Heater core 5. Water pump

My 2007 Mega-cab, Cummins, Laramie 4x4 was in the shop over 30-days during the first 3-months. When steady at 30-MPH the entire truck shook violently front to back (trans' software?). Went back under Texas Lemon Law.

Thank you so very much for making this video. I'm looking at one, and just wanted to make sure that they're not a Don't Buy truck

1A Auto videos are always so helpful!

I have a 2003 Dodge RAM 1500 5.7L V8 HEMI that has over 133K miles. I keep it well maintained and just drove it from Oakland California to Wintergarden Florida. I have performed all the maintenance work myself and really enjoy it. Great video!

I have a 2008 1500 Laramie Big Horn Edition with 5.7L 4x4 with 262K miles on the clock. Just installed new lower control arms, struts, and sway bar links. Did have the stalling issue, so had my throttle body decarbonized. Next up, new fuel injectors and coils. Still a very strong puller.

Rear wheel wells are rusted out, lack of power, vibration (not felt in steering wheel, but coming from the rear), cracked dash, broken wires in door jam conduits, ball joints, worn timing chain tensioners, sagging doors 2002 4.7L 4WD quad cab short bed manual transmission with ~250,000 miles on it.

I have a 2005 ram 1500 rwd 5.7 Hemi and just hitted the 220,000 mile mark

Nice video. Purchased a play truck. 04 Ram 1400 4x4 quad cab hemi. Rear end spiders blew up. Last owner went 4x4 with it. Only other issue was EGR code for blocked tube. Good solid truck. Got new headlights and upgraded to LED. All new all weather floor mats. New bed liner. Replaced a few door switches etc. It has 35s in it. Way too big. Looking for 20 rims and will put nice winter tires on it.

How come you didn't mention rust issues? I have an 07 ram and it's got rust in the wheel wells and the rear passenger doors also.

Read somewhere a few yrs back the 03 was rated the best of the gen3 trucks. I never had an major issue with my 03, well yet. Has 244k. But it does/did have a bad dash, bad dash air box, cond coil fan, ignition switch, rear end bearing when bad and destroyed it. Ball joints, Ujoints. Most just minor maintenance repairs.

My 08 Ram 1500 4x4 5.7 Hemi is at about 67,000 miles (112,000 kms). No major problems, just the right front wheel bearing, back left door won't electric lock, and rust starting at the back box (it was kept for the most part in a garage). But for normal maintenance about $500 dollars to change all 16 spark plugs at a Dodge dealer! Only one more complaint, the tires wore out 😂. But I do love the truck so far. Oh yeah, also I put on a locking gas cap which I think is important.

I have a 03 with the 5.9 runs great only big problems I've had is @ 193000 transmission went out

4:30 so I’m not the only broke person that had to Jb weld they’re throttle body haha

Second gen Rams have fewer problems and actually selling for higher prices if they are well maintained.

Don’t forget get if the heater cord goes bad on these and it does quite often it’s a major job you have to pull the whole dash out and the passenger side inter fender well out to get to some bolts. It’s a major job changing a heater core dealers about $1500.

Thank you so much for this information. I love my 1500.

Most of those are common maintenance items for all 5-10 year old vehicles. The newer Rams are just cheaply built and don't last.

I have an ‘04 5.7 4x4 Sport with 290k miles and she still hauls. Routine oil changes along with plugs and wires per manufacturer suggested. Never any major issues with it other than the 0440 code that I assumed was from my straight pipe dual exhaust (cat-back). I’ve got 35x12.5x17 mud tires and it still will break loose if I gas it hard from a stop. I love my truck. Wouldn’t sell it for anything.

Very professional breakdown- ...now is the 2002 Dodge 1500 4.7 a basket case engine- with a poor design? I've heard mixed opinions- mostly that the Oil Sludge build's up due to faulty design - and Cooling System has design flaws also-? I'm also hearing that transmission typically go out at 100k ? Is that to be expected on HARD driven or ALL 2002 Ram 1500 transmissions?

Got a 2007 ram big horn 4.7 V8 4X4. It’s got 237,000 miles and running strong.

1:40 when your talking about putting cleaner down the intake. Not really supposed to do it before any intake sensors unless its friendly and okay to use. Some people will mimic and it was also not mention about being careful on how to generally use intake cleaners.

The radiator will almost certainly have to be replaced. I have an 07 5.7 thunder road slt hemi and have replaced the radiator twice as well as the water pump. My best advice is use after market parts oem is great but damned expensive. The water pump from dodge was $600. the after market was $250. The problem with the dodge radiators are they have plastic sides and will eventually crack and leak. All things considered I have 145000 miles on my truck and other than having to replace normal ware and tear items it has paid for itself ten times over. In fact my next truck will be a ram.

I own an 2008 1500 changed water pump at 175,000 miles and front wheel bearings at 180,000 still driving it with 183,000 miles.Been a good truck for me.

Mine feels like I'm towing a trailer it has power but nowhere near where it was its slow building speed and when you come to a stop but don't fully stop it feels like it doesn't want to downshift and drags ass until you punch the accelerator to make it jump to passing gear. Trans is serviced every 20k since I got it and has never had burnt looking fluid

Pressure transducer and governer po 748 very common on these years from what hear. I currently need to order mine

EVAP (not the gas cap or purge solenoid) mode 3 door in HVAC system and rust rust rust

This was really good but didn’t mention the infamous death wobble. But that itself needs its whole own video

My 2003 ram has close to 340000 miles with original trans. I did have to replace the engine at 320000 due to a broken valve spring. But other than that really reliable truck.

340,000 miles on my 3rd gen. I have many problems with the truck. but not one of these..

I have an 08 Dodge ram 1500. No problems like that so far changed out the water pump and the radiator. I have over 175,000 miles on it.

I was hoping for the exhaust system.

My uncle bought an 04 1500 with the 4.7 brand new, never a major problem. Gave it to my mom with 111K babied adult driven miles. Now has 122K babied miles and still runs awesome. Would love to see 250K miles on it before we let it go.

most common issue i have had with them.. had 6 3rd gens... under hood fuse pannle, corrosion in the small pins 1000 dollar part. scrap.

Oh the 4.7 Magnum, very good engine if maintained and not overheated, I have one in my 06 Dakota with 100,700 miles no issue. Wish it was still in production, it had a lot of potential still left. Good video!

I have a 2007 Dodge RAM 1500 Bighorn 5.7 Hemi with 273,656 miles, using the ORIGINAL FACTORY SPARK PLUGS. (There actually still in good shape / its a Farm Truck, rarely ever used on the road)

# 1 manifolds # 2 front axle U joints # 3 ABS module #4 ball joints

Number one problem on the list should be TIPM

The RPM GUAGE!!

I do like the 2nd Gen Rams the most, but my 3rd Gen, 05' 5.9L still kicks butt (200k miles)

I have a 2008 Ram 1500 never had any problems, regular maintenance… 180k miles runs awesome

That p0300 code recently popped up on my 07 1500 slt and I’ve had no idea how to fix it gonna try this

my 08 ram decided to say bye bye to cyl 1, new 4.7l is in it now 4k miles going strong...also they clack a lot on cold starts.

When should I change my transmission fluid? At what kms is the recommendation?

Can I yoink that chrome grille? I haven't had one on my truck for about a year and a half now...

When would that stalling happen if your throttle body has build-up? Would it be when you hit the brakes and come to a stop?

I wish I would have seen this 4 years ago. I had the Evap code and just had to get a new gas cap. I had a misfire and needed a tune up. Now my A/C blows hot on full blast and can’t get FREON to cool. I surely has a leak.

Ball joints.

330 000 miles 06 ram 1500 5.7 Still going strong!

AND the master window switch window lockout button going bad. I re-soldered my terminals and it fixed the issue,

TIPM, 4x4 went out 2 times this winter. yeah I’ve had plenty of issues with the my 07 ram 1500

amsoil coolant boost will fix a heat issue. worked for me

I have an 05 with what's a 5.7 hemi when I finally put it down it had well over 350,000 miles on it

I am planning on buying a 2008 Dodge ram 1500 v6 engine with 130000 miles and it already had four own ners should I but it

#6.........R-U-S-T!!!!!!! I had an '06 Hemi and now an '07 Cummins, and no matter how diligent you are at taking care of them, they are 100% going to rust and fall apart. Fender wells, rocker panels, bottoms of doors, bumpers. The best thing about my '07 is what sits between the front wheels.....and that's it.

I keep reading and finding everyone saying the 5.7 hemi has bad lifters and grinds down your camshaft. How common or true is this. I want a Ram but i dont want a money pit.

Will you please do a repair video on the heater core bypass pipe that rusts out at the bottom of the block and requires the removal of the turbo? Thanks!

I have a 08 with the 4.7 with 145,000 miles no issues except that when i fill the fuel tank up she dies out when i come to a stop but starts right back up.I had to change blower moter for a/c at around 140,000 miles and rear driver side power door lock motor.

i have a 2007 1500 5.7 with 180k miles and it runs beautiful, i take care of my truck like it’s my baby yet i drive it like it’s a race truck and don’t have any problems with it

Can you show a video on replacing the oil pump on a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 V8 engine start to finish many thanks?

Thank you for the suggestion.👍 help me out a lot

I’m thinking of a 3rd gen 1500 they are about 5g or less for a decent one but sometimes there is a 4th gen for 5g or less that is more of a ex company truck condition not sure what to get we will see next year when I’m 16

I had a 2002 Ram 1500 regular cab short bed. Had a manual and the 4.7 V8. Over 200k miles and ran perfectly fine. Sadly, I got into a wreck and it was totaled.

my father’s 04 other than oil changes battery nilcho problems just wear n tear bearings to radiator after 200,000. but because they put more electronics more to have issues at some point. she’s pre electronic. why she’s lasted is because she doesn’t have all the modern stuff.

Misfires in most of the hemis I’ve seen is around 60-80kmh, the problem: o2 sensors in the exhaust causing false readings

Na 4.7 v8 2002 dodge ram 8 ft bed wirh cap headgasket!!,Will blow at 250k on the dot!,Mine did and i didn't care it wasn't overheating but the oil cap Was milky as hell, and had blow by!,heat work and ac was cold,Scrap it at 360K,Too rusty and not worth saving.(Michigan for you)

Hi There, I have a 2003 dodge 2500 with 5.7 engine. I recently replaced my transfer case with a same model transfer case, but my 4x4 switch was different and I can't get it to work, any help out there please!!!

My 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 3.7L has a problem with the blower motor not working .. Replaced the ignition switch, resistor and blower motor ...checked the fuses which all look good but blower motor still not coming on ...What's next on the list to replace?