Ram 1500 Complaints (2021)

685 consumer complaints on file.

#11774477October 29, 2026
ENGINE
The engine oil pan severely corroded and over 30% of the 18 gauge steel scaled away. For an 18-gauge steel oil pan (nominal thickness of 0.0478 inches or 1.2 mm), the threshold where rust becomes hazardous is remarkably thin—literally and figuratively. Because an oil pan holds hot, chemically active fluid and is subjected to constant vibration and thermal cycling, the margin for corrosion safety is very small: 1. The Pinhole and Leak Threshold (25% to 30% Loss) * The Limit: If deep rust pitting or scaling eats away more than 0.012 to 0.015 inches (roughly 25% to 30% of the wall thickness), the metal is no longer structurally sound enough to contain the oil under thermal expansion and vibration. * The Hazard: At this stage, microscopic or sudden pinhole leaks will form. Even a slow weep can drain enough oil over time to starve the engine, or worse, spray atomized oil onto a hot exhaust pipe, creating a severe fire hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11774505October 29, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission issues are a known problem in the 2021 Ram 1500 and have been for a while, with no recalls. Slipping of gear. Delay or jerking into reverse. Putting it in reverse and it telling me to put it into park or it auto-correcting itself into park. While driving twice and going from complete stop after the auto correcting went to pull off & the vehicle did not go into gear the RPM was raised and the truck moved forward but would not go into gear. The smell of transmission fluid and possible coolant seem to be in truck through vent. The Malfunction Indicator light came on. Had a Shop check code said it showed Valve Body. All these are known issues with the transmission and should be recalled as this is very dangerous for driving as it could stop in road, loose power going up hill on interstate and if there are leaks it could cause a fire. There should have been recalls and investigations. Manufacture knows these issues are and have been happening but does not want to spend the money to fix problems. Ignores and hopes warranty will be gone before it happens so it will be on the owner. That is what they did with me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772120October 19, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
Original incident occurred in March 2026. While traveling at highway speeds my 2021 Ram 1500 lost all power and engine shutoff. I was able to get the truck to the side of the interstate due to it's momentum. Once I come to a stop, the e-brake is automatically applied and the vehicle will not restart or respond to any inputs from the keyfob. Vehicle is towed to nearest dealer, am told that the issue is related to an open recall that they have fixed and is now operating as normal. Less than one week later, the exact same thing occurs again, once again while traveling at highway speeds. Is towed into another dealer for service, and it is identified that the RF Module/Hub will need replaced due to a water leak. Repair is completed and vehicle returns to normal operation. 10/16/26 I attempt to start the vehicle with no success. After evaluating for a dead battery the vehicle is once again towed to a dealer (the same one that serviced it the first time). It is again identified that the RF Module/Hub will need replaced again due to a water leak around the back glass. I point out the Warranty Bulletin D-23-17 that would cover my vehicle and pertains to back glass water leaks. Am told by the dealer and Ram customer care that it does not in fact apply to my vehicle based on manufacturing date, despite it directly conflicting with the dates reflected on the notice. The TSB and the Warranty Bulletin appear to have conflicting dates for manufacture on them. This is incredibly deceptive behavior by Ram and should be looked into further. I have identified at least 8 previous complaints submitted to the NHTSA pertaining to the water leak/RF Module issue within the last 18 months along with acknowledgement from multiple service advisors at the dealerships that it is a known issue, yet no recall has been issued for it. Due to the potential and documented history of this leading to sudden power loss, it is merely a matter of time before this results in severe injury or loss of life.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770664October 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Rear Differential failure requiring rebuild including ring and pinion gear. The vehicle was not used to tow and was rarely used off road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769940October 8, 2026
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the HVAC system was activated to defrost the window, and there was a failure with the heater core which caused the windshield to become foggy with chemical steam inside the cabin of the vehicle, severely affecting the visibility. The contact constantly pulled over and used napkins and towels to wipe the windshield, and even after turning off the heater. The contact stated that the windshield was still foggy. The dealer was contacted by phone. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769033October 5, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My 2021 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel previously had the federal high-pressure fuel pump safety recall completed (Recall Z96 / NHTSA Campaign 22V767000) on February 12, 2024, where remedy part CSSMZ461-AA was installed. Recently, the vehicle suffered a complete loss of motive power due to a sudden, catastrophic internal failure of this replacement fuel pump. The dealership service department has officially diagnosed the truck and confirmed that the replacement fuel pump blew up internally, sending metal shards throughout the entire fuel system and requiring a complete $9,080 replacement of the fuel loop. This is a complete failure of a federal safety recall remedy, duplicating the exact highway stalling hazard the recall was issued to fix. Stellantis/FCA must investigate why these replacement remedy pumps are continuing to fail and creating dangerous conditions for drivers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767504September 28, 2026
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:SUN VISOR
The driver's side sun visor falls out of its anchor point and dangles from its internal wiring above the dashboard height, severely obscuring the driver's vision. This is a very unsafe condition that has happened to me while driving on several occasions. Forward vision required for safety is substantially obscured, and moving the visor from your vision or attempting to put it back in its anchor is an unsafe distraction and creates an extremely hazardous driving condition. At highway speeds, this could assuredly result in a fatal collision potentially affecting numerous nearby vehicles on the highway. I took the truck into the dealership today, and they said they had to order another visor (no idea if this is an improved version that doesn't fall out), and it was going to cost me over $400. The service technician admitted that I was the third truck THAT DAY to come in for a sun visor falling out, and it was only 9 AM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764603September 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am writing to express my concern about vehicle warranty coverage being provided by RAM (Stellantis NA) on their vehicles. I have a 2021 Ram 1500 which has a motor generator unit (MGU) which has failed due to a defect with the bearings. This has been diagnosed by the dealership and identified as covered under the emissions warranty. This diagnosis was made by Kolosso Ram in Appleton, Wisconsin in June of 2026. At this time I was advised that it could be a 6 to 8 month wait for parts because of a parts shortage due to the demand for the replacement part. My vehicle has been out of service since April while I maintain loan payments, depreciation of value, insurance and have no vehicle for transportation. A call to Ram was unsuccessful on two occasions to obtain any kind of relief in form of loaner vehicle or faster procurement of the part. Ram continues to build vehicles with this MGU unit while customers are stuck with inoperable vehicles some of with are still under original warranty or covered by the emissions warranty. The failure of Ram to ensure that customers have working vehicles is causing undue stress both emotionally and financially. This is also a potential safety issue as failed parts could put operators in an unsafe position.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763927September 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, AIR BAGS
Unknown, my Ram has a glue issue with the dashboard especially the passenger side of the vehicle which may affect the airbag operating correctly the dashboard is coming apart do to glue not properly installed on 2021 Ram truck.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763700September 11, 2026
STEERING
Purchase vehicle new and report issue with steering vibration and wandering feel after purchasing on multiple occasions when having the vehicle serviced by dealership. No issues found was the response each time, but condition continued. Front tire wear indicated something wasn't right. Replaced tires with OEM Goodyear tires even though symptoms persisted. While traveling this past winter in inclement weather vehicle lost traction while crossing a bridge as safe speed. Manage to correct but ended up in the guardrail. Report issue to Stellantis/RAM who investigate and reported no issues. Vehicle was repaired by dealer body and repair shop. Upon pickup vehicle was not drivable due to "Wobble of Death". Shop determined it was a bad wheel. Vehicle drove okay but front-end vibration returned. Spoke with shop manager and stated tires has flat spots. Truck was parked for service a long time. Purchase a new set of tires, Michelins thinking it may be the brand that was issue. Condition persists with vibration wear showing tires already,
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762650September 8, 2026
ENGINE
I own a 2021 Ram 1500 with the 3.0L EcoDiesel Gen 3 engine. The vehicle has experienced diagnostic trouble code P00AF, indicating a turbocharger/variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) boost-control performance problem. I have already taken the vehicle to a Ram dealership for this same issue. The dealership performed a computer/software update in an attempt to correct the problem, but the P00AF issue continued afterward. I returned to the dealership and was told they could not reproduce the problem during their test drive and therefore could not repair it. The problem remains unresolved. I am concerned this may involve a premature failure or defect involving the turbocharger, electronic VGT actuator, or VGT control mechanism on the Gen 3 EcoDiesel. This is particularly concerning because I use the vehicle to tow an approximately 8,000-pound travel trailer. A turbocharger/VGT failure while towing could cause sudden loss of engine power, particularly under heavy load or while climbing grades, potentially creating a dangerous situation in traffic. The intermittent nature of the problem makes it difficult for the dealership to reproduce, but the fault continues to occur during actual vehicle operation. A software update has already been attempted without resolving the issue. I request that NHTSA investigate whether there is a pattern of premature turbocharger/VGT actuator or VGT mechanism failures resulting in P00AF on 2020–2023 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel Gen 3 vehicles. I can provide dealership repair documentation, diagnostic information, photographs, mileage, and other supporting information if requested.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762835September 8, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BULLITIN TSB 23 098 23 SLIDING REAR WINDOW LEAK PROBLEM FOR 2019-2021 DODGE RAM 1500. DEALER CHARGED $1,247.51 FOR THE REPAIR OF REPLACING THE WINDOW AND FRAME. ALSO THE WIRELESS CONTROL MODULE UNDER THE BACK SEAT ZAPPED OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED FROM THE WATER DAMAGE COSTING US $2,395.28. BULLITIN STELLANTIS ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION XL1 ALONGSIDE THIS BULLETIN EXTENDING THE BACKLITE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 8 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES FROM THE ORIGINAL IN SERVICE DATE. WE WERE TOLD OUR VIN NUMBER NOT INCLUDED BUT SAME PART NUMBER OF THOSE COVERED UNDER THE BULLITIN, OUR VEHICLE SAME PROBELM AND IS A 2021 DODGE RAM 1500
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761860September 3, 2026
SEAT BELTS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Driver side seatbelts issues, issues locking the buckle. Also car has engine light come up after emergency braking system error. Goes in to reduced power mode. If shut off and turn back on, truck is fine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761686September 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the instrument panel lights illuminated but the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the RF Hub had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761142August 31, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This vehicle was subject to NHTSA Recall 22V-767 / Stellantis Recall Z96 for a defective Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) known to fail and release metal debris into the fuel system. The recall remedy (HPFP replacement) was performed at an authorized Stellantis/Ram dealership on 3/29/2024. On 8/9/2026, while driving the vehicle suddenly lost engine power and blocked the road in the left lane. The vehicle failed to restart and needed to be towed. The vehicle was independently inspected at Saddleback Automotive Service Center, Santa Ana, CA (RO# 130026). The technician documented diagnostic trouble codes P0087 (fuel pressure governor deviation, low pressure), P025C (fuel pump module control circuit low), and P016F (closed-loop fuel pressure control at limit, pressure too low) — all consistent with the same CP4.2 HPFP failure mode the recall was intended to remedy. Photographic and video documentation confirms metallic contamination in the engine oil and fuel filter screen. This failure occurred more than two years after the recall repair, and Stellantis (Case #97888077) has denied consequential-damage coverage citing the standard 24-month Mopar parts warranty on the replaced pump. I am filing this complaint because the recall remedy performed in March 2024 appears to have been inadequate: the vehicle experienced a recurrence of the same fault codes associated with the recalled component, and the resulting metal contamination caused catastrophic engine damage. I believe this indicates the recall remedy did not fully address the underlying defect and that other vehicles that received the same recall remedy may be at risk of the same outcome. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether the 22V-767/Z96 recall remedy is adequately preventing this failure mode in vehicles that received the HPFP replacement, and that this complaint be associated with any existing investigation into recurring CP4.2-related failures post-remedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760353August 28, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I purchased a new 2026 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4x4 from the John Heister Dodge Ram dealership, in [XXX] on XXX. The following day, I day i was notified of an open safety recall (NHTSA 26V-531) affecting the vehicle's rear visibility/backup camera system, which under certain conditions may fail to display the rearview image during a backing event. I later confirmed that this recall was posted on XXX -- four days before I purchased the vehicle. The dealer, John Heister Dodge Ram, did not disclose this open recall at any point during the sale, and the vehicle was sold to me with the defect unrepaired. This is a known safety-related defect, as new vehicles are required to have open recalls repaired before delivery. The recall remedy has not yet been performed on my vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760173August 27, 2026
AIR BAGS, ENGINE
Air bag light on. Needed temp start
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759110August 24, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Service Electronic Steering Control", "Service Transmission", and the "Continue to Drive - Do not Shift or Turn off Engine" messages were displayed on the instrument panel, before the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the message "Shift to Park and Back to Drive", "Rear Braking Assist Unavailable", and "Self-Park Assist Disabled" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under an unknown recall associated to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was unknown. The dealer stated that the failure might be electrical. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758255August 20, 2026
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I initiated a turn and the steering wheel suddenly and forcefully moved in the opposite direction of my steering input. The steering wheel was pulled out of my hand. I was unable to maintain the intended steering direction and the vehicle was involved in a collision. This was not an intentional steering maneuver or ordinary loss of traction.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756871August 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Multiple times this has happened when I engaged in reverse the screen will be blank and can't see anything. It will take a couple of times of driving,parking and turning on and off the truck before it turns back on. This is a major safety concern as i can not see anything as i reverse. This does not happen every time but does happen often. I haven't had it checked out professionally because it hasn't been permanent but I do have Multiple videos of the problem recurring that I can send.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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