TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES WILL START BACK UP A SECOND LATER, SOMETIMES NEED TO BRING IT TO A FULL STOP, TO RESTART THE TRUCK. IT WILL DO IT AT RANDOM NO MATTER WEATHER TYPE OF DRIVING, IT WILL JUST DO IT.
2012 Dodge RAM 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2012 Dodge RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 275.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 2500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
179 reports with mileage · 104 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.
- 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.
Unknown Or Other complaints
14 reportsWIN IGNITION MODULAR SUDDENLY WENT BAD. CAN GO OUT WHEN DRIVING. DOES NOT ALLOW KEY TO BE REMOVED. CAN DRAIN BATTERIES (FOUND THIS OUT AFTER REPLACING BOTH BATTERIES). FORTUNATELY, VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, BUT LEFT ME STRANDED.
MY WIFE WAS GETTING INTO THE TRUCK AND STEPPED ON THE STEP BOARD AND THE BOARD FELL OFF THE TRUCK. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM,BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS OUT O WARRANTY. LUCKILY ME DID NOT GET HURT. TWICE A WEEK I PICKUP AN ELDERLY LADY THAT USES A WALKER, IF SHE HAD STE…
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MY WIFE WAS GETTING INTO THE TRUCK AND STEPPED ON THE STEP BOARD AND THE BOARD FELL OFF THE TRUCK. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM,BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS OUT O WARRANTY. LUCKILY ME DID NOT GET HURT. TWICE A WEEK I PICKUP AN ELDERLY LADY THAT USES A WALKER, IF SHE HAD STEP ON IT SHE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HURT BADLY
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKED AND I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR IN ANYWAY WHICH CAUSED ME TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE . THE TRUCK WAS PARKED WHEN THE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND THEN WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT . YES IT WAS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE BUT ALSO A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE IF I WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO BEEN IN A…
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THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKED AND I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR IN ANYWAY WHICH CAUSED ME TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE . THE TRUCK WAS PARKED WHEN THE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND THEN WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT . YES IT WAS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE BUT ALSO A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE IF I WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR IF THE TRUCK WOULD HAVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY AND SAFELY MANNER . MY MAJOR CONCERN WAS BLANTANTLY OVER LOOKED BY DODGE AND I WAS TOLD IT AN INCONVENIENCE AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LIFE SAFETY.
BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2017 I WAS AT WORK AT OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE WHEN I RECEIVED SEVERAL MESSAGES FROM THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE LA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND MY APARTMENT STAFF HAD BEEN DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY RAM 2500, WHICH I HAD NOT DRIVEN IN OVER 10 DAYS, HAD CAUGHT FIRE UNDER TH…
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BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2017 I WAS AT WORK AT OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE WHEN I RECEIVED SEVERAL MESSAGES FROM THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE LA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND MY APARTMENT STAFF HAD BEEN DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY RAM 2500, WHICH I HAD NOT DRIVEN IN OVER 10 DAYS, HAD CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD IN ITS PARKING SPOT NEAR MY APARTMENT BUILDING. MY FIRST THOUGHT AFTER BEING COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE FACT THAT A LIGHTLY USED TRUCK THAT HADN'T EVEN BEEN DRIVEN COULD SPONTANEOUSLY CATCH ITSELF ON FIRE WAS THAT THANK GOODNESS THE TRUCK WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND NOT IN MY GARAGE. WHEN I GOT TO MY TRUCK I SAW THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS MELTED AS WELL AS ALL THE WIRES LEADING TO AND FROM THE FUSE BOX. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL RAM DEALERSHIP AND I CONTACTED RAM AND CHRYSLER SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS WHO REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY DETAILS OTHER THAN THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.
UPON PLACING MY SEATBELT ON I LOOKED AT THE SILVER PART THAT IS THE OUTER PORTIONS OF THE CONTROLS , RIGHT NEXT TO THE 4W DR BUTTON AND THERE WAS A CIRCULAR ACTUAL MELTED AREA, WHEN TOUCHED WAS ROUGH/BURNT, COULD SEE THE BLACK PLASTIC UNDERNEATH . NO OTHER AREAS NOTED. . TOOK TO DODGE, AND THEY STATE, AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK 4 DA…
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UPON PLACING MY SEATBELT ON I LOOKED AT THE SILVER PART THAT IS THE OUTER PORTIONS OF THE CONTROLS , RIGHT NEXT TO THE 4W DR BUTTON AND THERE WAS A CIRCULAR ACTUAL MELTED AREA, WHEN TOUCHED WAS ROUGH/BURNT, COULD SEE THE BLACK PLASTIC UNDERNEATH . NO OTHER AREAS NOTED. . TOOK TO DODGE, AND THEY STATE, AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK 4 DAYS , THEY STATEMENT AS TO CAUSE IS, " THAT IT IS A DIRECT SUN BURNED PORTION ZEROED IN THRU THE BACK WINDOW THAT HEATED IT UP, MELTED THE CIRCULAR AREA AND IS NOT UNDER WARRENTY. WE HAVE A MEGA CAB, ALL TINTED, WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY WHICH IS COVERED W/TALL FIR TREES. WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 24 YRS. WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE AS DODGE WOULD NOT LOOK FOR THE CAUSE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & WE WHERE TAKING IT IN FOR ANOTHER AIR FLOW DETECTOR AS THIS HAS BEEN THE 3RD ONE REPLACED, R/T SMOG GAGETS. WE R BOTH RETIRED AND DO NOT TAKE ANY TRIPS, D/T MY AND MY HUSBANDS CONDITIONS
WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE IT WILL UNEXPECTEDLY TURN OFF, WHEELS LOCK UP, STEERING LOCKS UP, ENGINE STOPS COMPLETELY NO MATTER WHAT I AM DOING. AS OF LATE THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. AFTER RESEARCH WAS DONE, IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM THAT WILL CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. THIS TRUCK HAS DONE THIS ON THE INT…
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WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE IT WILL UNEXPECTEDLY TURN OFF, WHEELS LOCK UP, STEERING LOCKS UP, ENGINE STOPS COMPLETELY NO MATTER WHAT I AM DOING. AS OF LATE THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. AFTER RESEARCH WAS DONE, IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM THAT WILL CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. THIS TRUCK HAS DONE THIS ON THE INTERSTATE, HWY, AND CITY STREETS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS TIMES. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE AND IS USED TO DRIVE MY 4 CHILDREN AROUND, AGES 17 TO 1YR OLD.
LEAKING EXHAUST AT THE HEAD. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET INDICATE A RECALL MAY BE NECESSARY DUE TO DANGER OF ASPHYXIATION.
EXHAUST SMALL IN CAB WIN USING THE ENGINE BRAKE.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH, I ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED MY IGNITION WITH MY KNEE AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOTIFY DODGE OF THIS VIA THEIR WEBSITE BUT DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. I DRIVE A 2012 RAM 2500 AND NOTICED IT WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR THE IGNITION RECALL. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO, I WOULD HATE FOR …
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH, I ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED MY IGNITION WITH MY KNEE AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOTIFY DODGE OF THIS VIA THEIR WEBSITE BUT DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. I DRIVE A 2012 RAM 2500 AND NOTICED IT WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR THE IGNITION RECALL. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO, I WOULD HATE FOR THERE TO BE A FATALITY BECAUSE OF THIS OVERSIGHT.
Official recalls
417V821000 · 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
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: 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
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: 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.
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
1EA19001 · 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.
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