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2011 Dodge RAM 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

491 reports with mileage · 197 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 175 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 151 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

28 crash reports7 fire reports17 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

46 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2016
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY TRUCK, SO I JUMPED IT WITH A BOOSTER PACK AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I PUT A NEW BATTERY IN AND WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN IT BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALER AND THEY FOUND A FLASH FOR WCM THAT STATES FIXES INTERMITTENT START ISSUE AND REPROGRAMMED WCM. …

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I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY TRUCK, SO I JUMPED IT WITH A BOOSTER PACK AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I PUT A NEW BATTERY IN AND WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN IT BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALER AND THEY FOUND A FLASH FOR WCM THAT STATES FIXES INTERMITTENT START ISSUE AND REPROGRAMMED WCM. IT WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN AGAIN BEGAN HAVING ISSUES STARTING AGAIN. I READ ONLINE THAT IF I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN TRY STARTING IT WILL WORK. THIS SEEMS TO WORK BUT IT IS ANNOYING AND I AM WORRIED IT WILL LEAVE ME STRANDED OR WORSE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10934433

72,600 miles · Sep 21, 2016
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

9-16-16: VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND HAD TO BE "JUMPED". 9-17-16: NEW BATTERY INSTALLED BUT LATER IN THE DAY, STARTING PROBLEMS WENT ON. 9-19-16: VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER; INITIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING NEW FUEL PUMP AND PLUGS. LATER, THIS WAS THEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A FAULTY "TIPM" AND THAT COST WOULD BE OVER $2000.…

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9-16-16: VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND HAD TO BE "JUMPED". 9-17-16: NEW BATTERY INSTALLED BUT LATER IN THE DAY, STARTING PROBLEMS WENT ON. 9-19-16: VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER; INITIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING NEW FUEL PUMP AND PLUGS. LATER, THIS WAS THEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A FAULTY "TIPM" AND THAT COST WOULD BE OVER $2000.00 (THAT INCLUDED A NEW FUEL PUMP. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS APPARENTLY BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE ACTION TO ISSUE A RECALL. IN REALITY, DID WE BUY A VEHICLE WHICH THE MANUFACTURER KNEW TO CONTAIN DEFECTIVE PARTS? PARTS, WHICH IN REALITY, CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES? SHAME ON THEM! I THOUGHT THAT I HAD A QUALITY VEHICLE. I PAID OVER $45,000 FOR THIS TRUCK AND IT WAS BUILD WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART? HELP ME OUT HERE AND HELP OUT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI #10908495

14,000 miles · Sep 8, 2016
Unknown Or Other

BOUGHT NEW. HAD ONLY HAD FEW MONTHS AND ENTIRE DASH HAD TO BE PULLED BECAUSE AIR CONDITIONING COIL EXPLODED AND COATED WINDSHIELD WITH OIL CAUSING DRIVER TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT 2 WEEKS FOR THIS. SINCE THEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR NON WORKING AIR CONDITIONER MULTIPLE TIMES AND I AM HAVING TO PAY $100 EACH …

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BOUGHT NEW. HAD ONLY HAD FEW MONTHS AND ENTIRE DASH HAD TO BE PULLED BECAUSE AIR CONDITIONING COIL EXPLODED AND COATED WINDSHIELD WITH OIL CAUSING DRIVER TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT 2 WEEKS FOR THIS. SINCE THEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR NON WORKING AIR CONDITIONER MULTIPLE TIMES AND I AM HAVING TO PAY $100 EACH TIME TO GET SHOP TO EVEN LOOK AT IT AND IT STILL ISN'T WORKING. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT REPAIR PROBLEM. I PAID $2600 FOR MAX CARE WARRANTY AND SHOP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE IT. STILL SAME PROBLEM. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY A CENT BECAUSE THIS IS ALL THE SAME PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW.

NHTSA ODI #10904673

75,557 miles · Jul 31, 2016
Air BagsSteeringUnknown Or Other

TAKATA RECALL. MY 2011 DODGE RAM HEMI SPORT. THE STEERING WHEEL HORN PAD OVER MY SRS AIRBAG IS CRACKED AND CRACKING MORE EACH DAY. IM AFRAID THAT IT WILL MAKE MY AIRBAG POP OR SHOW AND INJURE MY SELF OR OTHERS DRIVING. IT JUST STARTED A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND HAD TO HIT THE HORN.

NHTSA ODI #10891935

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2016
Unknown Or Other

S10 DIRECT REPLY- REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH THE FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOTIVE (FCA) BUY BACK PROGRAM. *SMD

NHTSA ODI #10838310

30,100 miles · Jan 18, 2016
SteeringSuspensionUnknown Or Other

RAM BUYBACK CASE HANDED DOWN IN JULY OF 2015. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE IS AFFECTED IN THIS BUYBACK PROGRAM. FRONT SUSPENSION, STEERING, AND REAR AXLE ARE AFFECTED.

NHTSA ODI #10820769

70,000 miles · Nov 22, 2015
Unknown Or Other

TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE)

NHTSA ODI #10795310

49,000 miles · Nov 8, 2015
Unknown Or Other

TIPM MODULE FAILED. ALMOST GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF IT. CAR STALLED ON ROADWAY CAR ALMOST REAR ENDED ME!!! I HEARD THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALREADY FILED BUT DO NOT KNOW IF MY CAR IS COVERED. IT HAS THE SAME TIPM MODULE IN IT.

NHTSA ODI #10789098

33,000 miles · Aug 8, 2015
Unknown Or Other

AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THE MASSIVE RECALL/BUY-BACK OF RAM 1500 TRUCKS DUE TO STEERING COLUMN AND REAR AXLE ISSUES, I CALLED MY RAM DEALER IMMEDIATELY. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE $105M RECALL AFFECTING NEARLY 1.5M VEHICLES AND DIRECTED ME TO CALL CHRYSLER CORPORATION. I CALLED SEVERAL OTHER RAM DEALERSHIPS AND T…

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AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THE MASSIVE RECALL/BUY-BACK OF RAM 1500 TRUCKS DUE TO STEERING COLUMN AND REAR AXLE ISSUES, I CALLED MY RAM DEALER IMMEDIATELY. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE $105M RECALL AFFECTING NEARLY 1.5M VEHICLES AND DIRECTED ME TO CALL CHRYSLER CORPORATION. I CALLED SEVERAL OTHER RAM DEALERSHIPS AND THEY STATED THE SAME--CALL CHRYSLER DIRECTLY. CALLED CHRYSLER CORP AND GOT A BUSY SIGNAL. TRIED A DIFFERENT NUMBER AND GOT DISCONNECTED. CALLED A THIRD NUMBER AND GOT DISCONNECTED AGAIN. CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND GOT THE SAME WITH ALL 3 TELEPHONE NUMBERS. I EVEN TRIED TO LOOK UP ANY RECALL INFO ON CHRYSLER'S WEB SITE USING MY VIN, BUT CHRYSLER'S WEB SITE SHOWED ZERO RECALLS FOR MY RAM 1500. IT'S BEEN A WEEK SINCE THIS ALL TOOK PLACE AND CHRYSLER'S WEB SITE STILL SHOWS NO RECALLS EVEN THOUGH THE RECALLS ARE LISTED ON THE NTSB WEB SITE. CANNOT GET ANY RESOLUTION OR ASSISTANCE FROM CHRYSLER CORP OR DEALERSHIPS! NTSB SHOULD FINE CHRYSLER ANOTHER $105M!!!

NHTSA ODI #10747228

30,500 miles · Aug 5, 2015
Unknown Or Other

AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS TRUCK HAS VIBRATION. THOUGHT MAYBE RIM HAD LOST COUNTER WEIGHT. NOT THE CASE AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER HAS NOT DONE ALL HOMEWORK ON THE LATEST RECALL WHICH I HAD KNOWN NOTHING ABOUT UNTIL THIS BIG ISSUE WITH THE BUYBACK. OF COURSE MY TRUCK HAS NO RECALLS WHAT SO EVER. MY TRUCK WAS MANUFAC…

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AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS TRUCK HAS VIBRATION. THOUGHT MAYBE RIM HAD LOST COUNTER WEIGHT. NOT THE CASE AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER HAS NOT DONE ALL HOMEWORK ON THE LATEST RECALL WHICH I HAD KNOWN NOTHING ABOUT UNTIL THIS BIG ISSUE WITH THE BUYBACK. OF COURSE MY TRUCK HAS NO RECALLS WHAT SO EVER. MY TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED IN MARCH 2011. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ RECALL COVERS TRUCKS MANUFACTURED THROUGH DECEMBER 2011. NOT SURE THAT MY TRUCK HAS PINION NUT ISSUES BUT SOUNDS LIKE THE SYMPTOMS. ANYONE OTHER OWNERS RUNNING INTO THIS?

NHTSA ODI #10746445

Official recalls

4

18V160000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Mar 8, 2018

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks currently, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Exposure to environmental conditions such as water mixed with road salt may cause the front fuel tank strap frame "T-Slot" bracket to corrode, possibly causing the fuel tank to drop and make contact with the ground.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fuel tank were to drop and contact the ground, a fuel leak may result. Additionally, in the event of a crash, the fuel tank may not remain secured to the vehicle, possibly causing a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence in an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will bolt a bracket reinforcement to the frame, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U04.

17V821000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Dec 20, 2017

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.

13V038000 · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit

Feb 6, 2013

Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009 Chrysler Aspen trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008; and model year 2009 Dodge Durango trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008. The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.

Remedy: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N08.

10V656000 · Suspension:rear:axle:spindle

Dec 24, 2010

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RAM 1500 TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH DECEMBER 2010. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCE A NOISE (GROWL, GRIND) COMING FROM THE REAR AXLE BEARING WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY SEIZE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A FAILURE OF THE BEARING COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL INSTALL AN OIL PORT INSERT INTO THE REAR AXLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA19001 · Electrical Overstress

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.