page_title: Ram pickup
section_title: First generation (1981–1993; D/W)
hierarchical_section_title: Ram pickup / First generation (1981–1993; D/W)
caption_attribution_description: English: 1989 Dodge Ram D100 truck
context_page_description: The Ram pickup is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by FCA US LLC and marketed from 2010 onwards under the Ram Trucks brand. The current fifth-generation Ram debuted at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, in January of that year.
  Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge line of light trucks. The name Ram was first used in 1981 model year Dodge Trucks in October 1980, following the retiring and rebadging of the Dodge D Series pickup trucks as well as B-series vans, though the company had used a ram's-head hood ornament on some trucks as early as 1933.
  Ram trucks have been named Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year seven times; the second-generation Ram won the award in 1994, the third-generation Ram heavy duty won the award in 2003, the fourth-generation Ram Heavy Duty won in 2010 and the fourth-generation Ram 1500 won in 2013 and 2014, and the current fifth-generation Ram 1500 won in 2019 and 2020.
context_section_description: The first-generation Ram trucks and vans introduced in October 1980 feature a Ram hood ornament first used on Dodge vehicles from 1932 to 1954. Not all of the first-generation trucks have this ornament and is most commonly seen on four-wheel-drive models. Dodge kept the previous generation's model designations: D or Ram indicate two-wheel drive while W or Power Ram indicate four-wheel drive. Just like Ford, Dodge used 150 to indicate a half-ton truck, 250 for a three-quarter-ton truck, and 350 for a one-ton truck. The truck models were offered in standard cab, "club" extended cab, and crew cab configurations. They also were offered along with 6.5 ft (2.0 m) and 8 ft (2.4 m) bed lengths and "Utiline" and "Sweptline" styled boxes along with standard boxes. Externally, the first-generation Rams were facelifted versions of the previous generation Dodge D-Series pickups introduced in 1972. The new model introduced larger wraparound tail lamps, dual rectangular headlamps, and squared-off body lines. Engine choices were pared down to the 225 slant-6 and 318 and 360 V8s. The interior was updated and included a new bench seat and a completely new dashboard and instrument cluster with an optional three-pod design - a speedometer in the center, with the two side pods containing an ammeter on the top left, a temperature gauge bottom left, a fuel gauge on the top right and an oil pressure gauge bottom right. Models without the full gauge package had only indicator lights in the place of the temperature and oil pressure gauges. Among the options offered on the Ram were front bumper guards, a sliding rear cab window, air-conditioning, cruise control, tilt steering column, power door locks and windows, AM/FM stereo with cassette tape player, styled road wheels, aluminum turbine-style mag wheels, special paint and stripe packages, two-tone paint, and a plow package for four-wheel-drive models (referred to as the Sno Commander).
  The "Club Cab" was dropped from the lineup after 1982, but Dodge kept the tooling and re-introduced it nearly a decade later in the 1991 models. The four-door crew cab and Utiline beds were dropped after the 1985 model year, to make room on the assembly line for the upcoming 1987 Dodge Dakota, and were never reintroduced in this generation.
  Basic Ram 100 models were reintroduced for 1984, replacing the previous "Miser" trim level available on the Ram 150. A "Ram-Trac" shift-on-the-fly transfer case was added for the 1985 Power Rams, and both the crew cab and Utiline flared bed were dropped for 1986. In 1988 the slant-6 engine was replaced by a 3.9 L (240 cu in) fuel-injected V6 engine. The 5.2 L (318 cu in) engine also received electronic fuel injection in 1988. Because of a new computer controlled fuel injection, ignition and ABS system, more vehicle information needed to be displayed through any warning or notification lights; so inside the cab where a small compartment was once located on the dash, a new "message center" with four small rectangular light spots, contained the check engine light and other tell-tales including one for the parking brake and the ABS if the truck was so equipped. The message center later included "wait to start" and "water in fuel" lights on diesel models. Diagnostic fault codes were stored in the computer's memory, and cycling the ignition key three times allowed the computer to flash the trouble codes through the check-engine light for diagnosis of some problems. Rear ABS became standard equipment in 1989.
  The Ram 100 model designation was dropped and these models folded back into the 150 range for 1990, due to the introduction and sales success of the Dodge Dakota pickup. Additionally, the instrument cluster was slightly revised; the ammeter was replaced by a voltmeter while maintaining the 3-pod arrangement of the speedometer and gauges. Also in 1990, Dodge reintroduced the Club Cab, equipped with fold-out jump seats for the 1991-1993 models. Entry was made through the passenger or driver's doors, as there were no rear doors for this configuration. For 1991 the Club Cab returned,
caption: 1989 Ram D100
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