Steering. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports12 fire reports4 injury reports

Steering complaints

109 reports

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826,260 miles · Oct 10, 2016

Steering

TRUCK GOT THE DEATH WOBBLES ON FREEWAY AT FULL SPEED ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND RAM IS REFUSING TO FIX IT WITH OUT CHARGE....THEY CLAIM OUT OF WARRANTY.... FROM ALL CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS AND WHAT IS ON THE WEB I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE COVERED.THEY ARE TELLING ME TRUCK IS NOT DERIVABLE IN IT CURRANT STATE

NHTSA ODI #10915133

40,000 miles · Sep 19, 2016

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainSteering

FRONT END VIBRATION LOOSE STEERING. OVER 60MPH VERY BAD VIBRATING ALMOST FEELS AS IF THE TRUCK WAS BEING PUSHED ONE WAY AND GOING THE OTHER. BRAKING ALSO CAUSES THE STEERING TO WOOBLE OR PULL DEPENDING ON THE SPEED, WHEN HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD WAY IS THE WORST I NEVER KNOW WHERE I MAY END UP. ALL HIGHWAY AND TURNING INTO COMP…

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NHTSA ODI #10908020

60,000 miles · May 2, 2016

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRACK BAR LINK MOUNT BRACKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RE…

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NHTSA ODI #10862491

120,000 miles · Dec 21, 2015

Electronic Stability Control (esc)SteeringWheelsCrash

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STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND RUN INTO SIGN . PAID $60000 FOR THIS TRUCK AND I HAVE HAD TO PUT 30K BACK INTO IT FOR REASONS I HAD NO CONTROL OF> THAN CHRYSTLER OFFERED ME 22000 FOR THE TRUCK WHICH IS 4000 BELOW WHAT IS OWED ON TRUCK BIGGEST MISTAKE I MADE WAS BUYING A DODGE VERY UNPROFESSIONAL HOW THEY ARE HANDLINFG THESE BUYBACK TRUCKS SELLING U GARBAGE IS ONE THING THAN TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE ON THE BUYS BACKS ON RECALLED TRUCKS IS UNCALLED FOR

NHTSA ODI #10811474

70,000 miles · Nov 30, 2015

Steering

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THIS TRUCK HAS HAD ISSUES WITH STEERING SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS STEERING RELATED RECALL (13V529000) FIXED YET THE STEERING STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I HAD BROUGHT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST SUNDAY I TURNED ON TO A TWO LANE ROAD AND AT A CRUISING SPEED OF ABOUT 35 MPH MY STABILITY CONTROL STARTED GOING CRAZY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, A LOUD POP. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT REACTING TO MY TURNING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS ON A SLIGHT RIGHT CURVE AND VEERING INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE WITHOUT STEERING AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES JUST BEFORE HITTING A PARKED VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I AVOIDED A HEAD-ON COLLISION ONLY BY CHANCE THAT THERE WASN'T A VEHICLE COMING THE OTHER DIRECTION. WITH THE KNOWN STEERING ISSUES OF THE TRUCK I AM NERVOUS THE EXISTING RECALL DIDN'T PROPERLY FIX THE TRUCK'S STEERING PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE STEERING RECALLS. I HAD A BROKEN DRAG LINK TERMINAL AND PITTMAN ARM (NEITHER UNDER WARRANTY). MY TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON-ROAD ONLY AND UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT CONDITIONS FOR ALL THE MILES. IN MY OPINION THESE CRITICAL COMPONENTS SHOULD NEVER BREAK ESPECIALLY AT ONLY 70K MILES ON A SUPPOSEDLY HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, THIS EVENT COULD HAVE ENDED MUCH MUCH WORSE. WE ARE THANKFUL.

NHTSA ODI #10807581

Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 2015

SteeringSuspension

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MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE RAM TRUCK REPURCHASE UNDER RECALL N49. FCA US SENT ME AN OFFER FOR MY TRUCK THAT I RECEIVED OCTOBER 26. I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK AND E-MAILED IT TO THE LISTED ADDRESS. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY, OCTOBER 27 AND FCA US VERIFIED THEY HAD RECIEVED MY DOCUMENTATION. THEY SAID A CHECK FOR THE REPURCHASE HAD BEEN REQUESTED. I WAS INFORMED THIS WOULD ONLY TAKE 2-3 DAYS TO ISSUE A CHECK. I CALLED BACK ON NOVEMBER 17 BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM FCA US FOR THREE WEEKS. AT THIS POINT FCA US CLAIMED THEY WERE WAITING ON MY DOCUMENTS. I TOLD THEM THEY HAD ALREADY VERIFIED RECEIPT OF SAID DOCUMENTATION ON OCTOBER 27. THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID " LET ME LOOK" AND AFTER LOOKING VERIFIED FCA US DID HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION AND STATED THEY WOULD REQUEST A CHECK FOR THE REPURCHASE. I ASKED HOW LONG UNTIL I COULD EXPECT TO HERE FROM THEM AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ARE NOT GIVING TIMES. I QUESTIONED THE FACT THAT THEY TOLD ME 2-3 DAYS 3 WEEKS AGO AND WAS TOLD "THAT'S NOT TRUE, WE ARE NOT GIVING TIMES". IS FCA US GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE ANY INTENT IN PAYING ME OR MY FAMILY FOR OUR UNSAFE VEHICLE. THIS RAM 2500 IS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE AND I CANNOT REPLACE IT UNTIL FCA US PAYS US WHAT IS OWED AND THIS BEING OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE WITH FAULTY STEERING THAT COULD BREAK AND CAUSE US TO CRASH.

NHTSA ODI #10794536

15,000 miles · Nov 17, 2015

SteeringSuspension

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I HAVE A 2012 RAM 2500 WITH 20,000 MILES. WHENEVER YOU GO OVER A BUMP OR RAILROAD TRACK THE TRUCK STARTS TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY TRAVELING AT 70 AND HIT A BUMP AND COULDN'T EVEN SEE STRAIGHT IT WAS WOBBLING SO BAD. HAVE BROUGHT TO DEALER WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD STEERING DAMPENER WAS REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MY WIFE WILL NOT USE THE TRUCK BECAUSE IS TERRIFIED OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED MANY RAM TRUCKS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER COULD RESULT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10794524

44,000 miles · Nov 2, 2015

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A TIRE ROTATION, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V529000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF…

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NHTSA ODI #10787666

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2015

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V529000 (STEERING) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FA…

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NHTSA ODI #10780563

42,600 miles · Oct 5, 2015

Steering

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MY GRANDSON AND I WERE TAKING MY 2012 DODGE RAM TO THE DEALER FOR WARRANTY WORK WE WERE DOING AROUND 60 MPH WHEN WE CROSSED A RAIL ROAD CROSSING THE VEHICLE STARTED WOBBLING SO BAD I THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE EVERYTHING ON THE DASH AND CENTER CONSOLE FLEW ON THE FLOOR ANYTHING IN THE BACK SEAT WENT UNDER THE FRONT SEAT IT SCARED BOTH OF US. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING BUT AXLE SEALS LEAKING BUT DID,NT HAVE TIME TO FIX THEM. I WORK IN THE NORTH DAKOTA OIL FIELDS I HAVE TO HAVE THIS VEHICLE SO I GOT AN APPOINTMENT AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP 100 MILES AWAY THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG INCLUDING THE AXLE SEALS AND CHARGED ME 96.30. I TOOK THIS VEHICLE 1150 MILES TO NORTH DAKOTA WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS HOWEVER ON THE WAY BACK WAS ANOTHER STORY. MONTANA RAISED THEIR SPEED LIMIT TO 80 MPH AT SLIGHTLY OVER THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED WOBBLING OUT OF CONTROL WHEN I WENT ACROSS ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BUMPS ON A BRIDGE I DID NOT THINK I WAS GOING TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL BEFOR I WENT OFF THE ROAD OR IN TO THE GUARD RAIL IT DID THIS TO ME THREE MORE TIMES BEFOR I GOT HOW. I STOPPED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. I CALLED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A WOREN TIRE OR IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I FIND OUT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST DODGE FOR THIS AND THEY RISK MY LIFE AND MY FAMILIES LIFE NOT TO MENTION THE PEOPLE I COULD HAVE KILLED IF I HAD BEEN PASSING A TRUCK OR ANYONE ELSE ON THIS FREEWAY AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED AT 80 MPH SOMEONE USUALLY DIES IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY KIND OF SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS PICKUP.

NHTSA ODI #10779761

Official recalls

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.

15V459000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jul 22, 2015

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option. The affected vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub against the driver air bag module retainer spring.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: This abrasion may result in an electrical short that could cause driver's frontal air bag to unexpectedly deploy. Inadvertent deployment of the air bag may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R36.

14V635000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel; Fuel System, Diesel

Oct 8, 2014

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Diesel

Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel

Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

13V529000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Nov 6, 2013

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler notified owners on January 16, 2014 that dealers would inspect vehicles and replace the steering linkage assembly, if necessary. On or about February 27, 2014, Chrysler ceased its recall remedy program due to parts quality concerns, and then re-initiated it on or about April 14, 2014. 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 N49.

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

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.