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

What owners actually said

283 reports

135,000 miles · Feb 19, 2020

Suspension

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED THE TRACK BAR BUSHING FELL APART AND CAUSED EXCESSIVE SHAKING WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ODI #11310198

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2019

Electrical System

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ON NOV 23 2019, WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK IT SUDDENLY DIED. I PULLED OVER AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES THAT DAY ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY. SINCE THEN IT HAS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WITH THE ISSUE HAPPENING WHILE IN MOTION AND ALSO WHILE STATIONARY. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT I'M NOT ALONE WITH THIS ISSUE. I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORUMS WITH A LOT OF OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE IGNITION MODULE, WIN. CLEARLY THIS ISN'T A COUPLE ISOLATED INCIDENTS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY RAM. I WOULD FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A FAULTY WIN THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN ISSUE AND MODIFIED IN NEWER VEHICLES WOULDN'T BE A SAFETY RECALL. FROM WHAT I GATHER THIS PARTICULAR WIN IS ABLE TO GET DIRTY ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THUS CAUSING A FAILURE IN THE CONNECTION AND RAM KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11288065

127,000 miles · Jul 11, 2019

Electrical System

MY IGNITION SWITCH FAILED YESTERDAY (7/10/2019) WHILE DRIVING,I WAS DOING 50 MPH IN A MODERATE CURVE WHEN IT FAILED LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER STEERING OR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES I SLAMMED THE BRAKES ON WHICH PUT ME INTO A 180 DEGREE SPIN WINDING UP IN THE OTHER LANE FACING WHERE I CAME FROM WHEN THE SWITCH FAILED IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SHU…

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NHTSA ODI #11230954

200,000 miles · Jul 9, 2019

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE WIRES, WHICH CAUSED THE SMOKE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V739000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT CALLED ALLEN SAMUELS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM WACO (LOCATED AT 201 W LOOP 340, WACO, TX 76712, (254) 848-6200) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ODI #11230566

50,000 miles · Apr 2, 2019

Power TrainSuspensionWheels

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLES SEIZED AND THE REAR TIRES SLID WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SLID OFF THE ROAD DUE TO THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT WAS A MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FILL PLUG AND NEW GEAR OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER FILL COVER FOR THE FILL PLUG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11193335

111,000 miles · Mar 18, 2019

Engine

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED UNIVERSITY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM OF FLORENCE (LOCATED AT 2354 FLORENCE BLVD, FLORENCE, AL 35630, (256) 766-7324) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

NHTSA ODI #11187493

170,000 miles · Mar 11, 2019

Electrical System

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD INDEPENDENTLY TURN OFF ONCE THE VEHICLE STRUCK A BUMP OR A POTHOLE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR IT TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEAM ONE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM OF GADSDEN (1149 1ST AVE, GADSDEN, AL 35901, (256) 543-9583) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11185908

10 miles · Mar 11, 2019

Steering

FRONT END HAS POPPING NOISE IN IT. DEALER TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE STEERING LINKAGE REPLACE SOON. I SEE THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY YEAR/MODEL TRUCK BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. SHOULD I NOT BE DRIVING IT MUCH BECAUSE OF THIS RECALL? THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THEY JUST MENTIONED IT IN THE LA…

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NHTSA ODI #11185749

57,800 miles · Mar 11, 2019

Electrical System

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I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET DOING 40MPH WHEN I HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD AND MY TRUCK JUST TURNED OFF SAYING ON THE MESSAGE CENTER SCREEN KEY IN IGNITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES NOW SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK. I HAVE SPOKE TO MY LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE WEB, AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT RAM KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE AT HAND AND HAS MADE A 2ND GENERATION WIN MODULE AND COST OF THE PART IS ROUGHLY $500 PLUS NEW KEY FOB AND PROGRAMING. BUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THIS IS NOT A ROAD SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN MADE A RECALL. I AM IN MOTION WHILE DRIVING AND MY TRUCK STOPS RUNNING AND I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN DOING 60MPH AND WELL THERE GOES POWER STEERING AND BREAKS DEATH WILL HAPPEN AT SOME POINT. VERY DISTURBED MOPAR FAN.

NHTSA ODI #11185744

250,000 miles · Mar 4, 2019

Electrical System

THE KEY IGNITION SWITCH CRANK UP AND THEN DIES ABOUT 5 TIME THE S RUN GOOD LIKE YOU THINK GO TO PULL OUT ON THE ROAD AND THE TRUCK DIES BECAUSE OF THE KEY SWITCH ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF IT LUCKY THE TRUCK DRIVER SAW ME SITTING IN THE ROAD

NHTSA ODI #11184196

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.