2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Safety Rating — NHTSA Crash Tests
The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 5 stars for the driver, 5 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 4 for rollover resistance. Check a specific Ram 1500’s crash and title history below.
Has this Ram 1500 been in a crash since it was tested?
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2008 Dodge Ram 1500— By the Numbers
- Frontal crash — driver
- 5★
- Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
- 19.8%
- Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
- 12
- Owner complaints
- 579
Frontal crash — driver
Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
Owner complaints
Quick Answer
- What is the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 safety rating?
- The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 5 stars for the driver, 5 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 4 for rollover resistance. These are results for the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
- Did NHTSA test every part of the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500?
- No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
- Does the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 have recalls or complaints on file?
- NHTSA's record for this version lists 12 recall campaigns, 579 owner complaints and 3 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
What NHTSA did — and did not — test
A star rating is only as complete as the tests behind it. This is which of NHTSA's four crash tests the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 actually went through.
No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
2008 Dodge Ram 1500 crash-test ratings
Rated under NHTSA's older program, this truck carries frontal and rollover results only, and the side-impact entries are blank for the Regular Cab and Extended Cab alike.
The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 5 stars for the driver, 5 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 4 for rollover resistance.
With stability control listed as optional and no side test on file, the stars describe only part of the truck. What a particular example has fitted has to be checked by hand, and the long recall list has to be checked against its VIN.
Recalls, complaints and investigations
NHTSA keeps these alongside the crash-test results for the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab. They answer a different question: not how the vehicle was built to perform in a crash, but what owners and the agency have reported since.
A recall campaign covers a range of vehicles; whether the repair was done on a particular car is a per-VIN question. Check open recalls by VIN.
The rating is for the Ram 1500NHTSA crashed. Check the one you’re buying.
Salvage and rebuilt brands, reported accidents and odometer records follow the VIN.
Inspecting a used 2008 Ram 1500
The ratings describe the Ram 1500 as it left the factory. A car that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt, or had its airbags replaced is no longer the car NHTSA tested.
Find out whether this truck has stability control: look for a stability switch or indicator in the cluster, and confirm its lamp lights at key-on and then clears.
Check whether side curtain airbags are fitted, using the airbag markings along the headliner edge or pillar trim, and make sure the airbag warning lamp behaves normally at start-up.
Run the VIN for open recalls and ask for dealer paperwork showing which campaigns were completed. On a truck with a recall file this long, the paperwork answers questions a test drive cannot.
Every rated version of the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
NHTSA rates body styles and drivetrains separately, and the results are not always the same. Match the version to the car you are looking at.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab | — | 5 | — | 4 | 19.8% |
| 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular Cab | — | 5 | — | 4 | 19.8% |
Why these stars come from different tests than a newer model's
NHTSA announced new NCAP crash tests and rating criteria in July 2008, including a new overall rating that combines the frontal, side and rollover results. It then postponed the change by a year: the new criteria apply to vehicles tested beginning with model year 2011, not 2010 as first announced.
In NHTSA's own words, its rollover resistance ratings “estimate the risk of rollover if a vehicle is involved in a single-vehicle crash.”
One limit applies to every vehicle here. NHTSA notes that the frontal crash rating “depends on vehicle mass, and cannot be compared across vehicle weight classes” — a full-size truck's frontal stars and a compact car's are not the same measure.
- Federal Register, 73 FR 79206 (Dec. 24, 2008) — new NCAP criteria begin with model year 2011
- Federal Register, 73 FR 40016 (July 11, 2008) — NCAP testing and rating changes, including the overall rating
- Federal Register, 68 FR 59250 (Oct. 14, 2003) — NCAP rollover resistance ratings
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Compare and keep going
Ratings from before model year 2011 compare only with each other.
Rated before the current program
Rated before the current program
Rated before the current program
Rated before the current program
Whether a recall was repaired on one specific car.
Reported crashes and damage after the car left the factory.
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2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Safety FAQ
What NHTSA’s record shows for this model year, and what it cannot tell you about one car.
What is the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 safety rating?+
The 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 5 stars for the driver, 5 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 4 for rollover resistance. These are results for the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
Did NHTSA test every part of the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500?+
No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
Does the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 have recalls or complaints on file?+
NHTSA's record for this version lists 12 recall campaigns, 579 owner complaints and 3 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
Can I compare the 2008 Dodge Ram 1500's stars with a newer model?+
Not like for like. NHTSA changed its crash tests and rating criteria starting with model year 2011 and added an overall score, so a star from before then was earned under different tests. Compare it with vehicles rated under the same program.
Does a good safety rating mean a used Ram 1500 is safe to buy?+
A rating describes the vehicle as it left the factory. A used Ram 1500 that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt from salvage, or had an airbag replaced is no longer the vehicle NHTSA tested. A VIN check reads its title brands, salvage and accident records from NMVTIS.
Five stars at the factory. What about since?
A crash rating can’t see a salvage title, a rebuilt frame or a replaced airbag. The VIN record can.
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