Ram 1500 Complaints
11,877 consumer complaints on file.
- #11538252August 13, 2023STEERING
My steering column locked up while leaving my driveway. And has not come unlocked since as of August 9th 2023. This had happened once before on the road. It was about three weeks prior I was driving in a 55 mph zone and was on a very gentle right curve and my steering wheel didn't want to turn I pulled a little harder on it and it popped loose and I didn't have any problems with it until the ninth.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538267August 13, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle after driving and shutting off, fails to start. Only having an audible click noise. Truck required to be towed to home. Battery provided sufficient voltage and shows to have continuity from starter relay to solenoid. Disconnected the negative battery connector overnight. After sitting unplugged from battery overnight and reconnecting in morning, the truck started 1st attempt, however now has several codes popping up P1DF3, P2111, P2017 and U0402. (There were no prior issues: as truck would start and drive with no delay and no service engine lights.) After the 3rd attempt to start the truck after previously having the negative cable disconnected, it failed to start and would only have the audible click sound. Vehicle milage is less than 36,000. This is a risk to consumers as the faulty start may leave a party in unsafe environment, or cause financial burden risk due to a required need to tow the vehicle, or may cause damage to components for continued attempts to start the vehicle. In researching this have seen multiple forums that disconnected this to be a large issue for the Dodge Ram, this should be required to be a Recall to fix the ESM/TCM that is causing this issue.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538250August 13, 2023ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I was driving down the road and my truck shutoff and coasted just enough for me to get out of the on coming traffic and then the emergency brake automatically turned on causing my truck to stop in the middle of the road and auto shift put it into park. Fortunately, I was able to get it started again and move out of the road. I very easy could have been killed.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538241August 13, 2023ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
After a cold start, I drove 0.5 miles to an intersection. The engine stalled, the vehicle applied the electric parking brake, and would not move. The dash indicated a shift to park was required. The shift was completed and the vehicle was restarted, but in an unsafe state. The hybrid starter/generator was not charging the battery, and service was required. I have had this truck to the dealer several times for this safety problem but they can't duplicate or fix it. I believe it is the same as 23V-265, but they have not included 2022 models.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538054August 12, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Back window leaks allowing water to seap in and build up mold/mildew under head liner. Dealer says this is a common problem with the ram and manufacturer won't cover after factory warranty. Manufacturer is aware of problem but won't recall or fix issue . Mold can cause a health risk if not detected early enough.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538072August 12, 2023STEERING
The electric power steering on my 2015 ram 1500 Slt v8 5.7L quad cab has went out. I keep calling dodge dealerships and have even contacted NHSTA about the issue and I keep being told there is no recall on the power steering yet I keep seeing news reports all over the internet and TV about ram recalls on electric power steering years 13-16. The power steering went out on me as I was drive home and nearly cause an accident on the highway.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538096August 12, 2023STEERING
The power steering went out while I was driving on the highway At posted speed limit. I was unable to freely steer and navigating through traffic became extremely dangerous. I’ve taken it to two mechanics and they said the rack and pinion needs to be replaced due to the component being part of the steering mechanism. No warning lights came on prior to me driving. The warning light came on while I was driving as soon as the powering steering went out.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538119August 12, 2023STEERING
Power steering system failed with 108500 miles. Unable to turn wheel back to center without fighting it. Almost caused me to crash twice.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538123August 12, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I noticed the rear view window mouldings are cracked inside the cabin of my truck by the 3rd brake light. Everytime it rains or wash my vehicle it’s leaking water inside the cabin onto the back seat. I called the local dealer ship (empire Chrysler jeep ram dodge) and set an appointment to get it fixed under warranty. They made me wait two months after the warranty expire to be seen. Now both corporate and the dealership won’t cover the manufacture issue because my truck is out of the warranty. The rear view glass needs to be replaced in order to fix the issue. I do not have glass coverage, and I will not pay to get it replaced. I do not want mold growing inside the cave of my truck, making me and my family sick. I also had a case number with RAM customer care and they told me the same thing.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538151August 12, 2023STEERING
Towed travel trailer to Yellowstone. While travelling along road south of Yellowstone near Jackson, Wyoming, I completely lost power steering. Warnings on dash to not stop driving vehicle. Fought with steering in traffic, nearly crossing into oncoming traffic. Made it to visitor centre in Jackson. Had to get towed to Rexburg, Idaho. Diagnostic was critical and total failure of electronic power steering. Part $2600. 3 weeks away. Broke CV axles driving without power steering. Had to rent 3/4 ton in Idaho Falls to get our family and trailer back to Canada. Now fixed. $6000 poorer. Had to drive back 700 miles to Idaho to pick up truck.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11538167August 12, 2023STEERING
When I start the engine, the steering wheel icon comes on. It says service power steering. There's no power to turn the steering wheel. After the engine runs and I turn off the engine and start it again, the icon doesn't come on and I now have steering power. This happened 3 times. I currently have the truck in the shop to be serviced. The amount is $4500. I need to know if this is a recall issue. I don't have this amount to spend on this concern. Althea Smith
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537857August 11, 2023STEERING
Power steering failure. Electronic power steering rack failed while driving. Caused vehicle to go off road. Was able to avoid hitting anything but was only lucky.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537900August 11, 2023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact called and referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V475000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving 60MPH, the vehicle shutoff and came to a complete stop in the passing lane. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The throttle body and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the tone wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 99,700.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537943August 11, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
According to Ram, some vehicles have a faulty circuit board that may cause the electronic steering to fail. I'm currently experiencing intermittent steering loss, that jolts the wheel. This seems dangerous and ram should replace it asap.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537979August 11, 2023FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and while making turns, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) had failed and needed to be replaced, and the failure was related to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537983August 11, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving my 2015 Ram 1500 with my children it suddenly with no warning stopped every electrical component went dead and was unable to restart it. Since it is a turn dial gear shift it had to be put in neutral using the pull handle. The truck was completely disabled including the steering wheel. This is a major safety issue as it could cause a serious or even fatal accident because I lost all power and all control of the truck with no way to safely get out of traffic. The dealership has had my vehicle since July 3rd stated that a RF module failed due to water damage caused by a leak from the rear glass/3rd brake light caused by a defect from Dodge. It is now August 11 and they still do not have the parts to replace the module that failed and possibly may have it on the 18th. This is a major safety hazard since there is no warning to the sudden power loss and shut down of the vehicle while driving. This is not a new or isolated issue with these Rams as there is currently a lawsuit in federal court in Michigan Norman v, FCA US LLC for this exact issue and Ram has issued a TSB S2023000024 in April proving they are aware of the water intrusion issue.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537986August 11, 2023STEERING
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the power steering assist failed to operate while starting the vehicle with the "Power Steering Unavailable - Service Required" message displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V812000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537853August 11, 2023STEERING
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537578August 10, 2023STEERING
The Electric Power Steering rack and pinion failed. The old part is not available for inspection now, it was scrapped after I order the new one and replaced it. I was driving home, fortunately near my house, at low speed when the steering became almost locked. I was alone in my car fortunately, but people around and other cars realized I got out of my way. Fortunately I was able to stop the car, and then try to turn the wheel (almost impossible) to get the car out of the way. The problem was confirmed by a technician using a scanner, visual inspection and other test. The old component was not inspected by any organization. There were no previous warnings to this situation, or other signs the could indicate this will happen. I noticed a recent investigation for this kind of damage in the RAM 1500, so I am writing to support in case there is a wrong doing by anyone.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11537581August 10, 2023POWER TRAIN
I believe it is related to the mild-Hybrid (eTorque) setup as this appears to only occur on those models of pickup trucks. Steps to reproduce: - Car sits all day outside my office in Virginia summer heat - Turn on car without A/C so the Start/Stop can engage. - Approach stop light and Start/Stop engages for the duration of the stop - After waiting ~4 minutes for the light to turn, when I release my foot from the brake there is a sharp jolt/lurch and the truck appears to stall or fall out of gear. There are times, where it will not fall completely out of gear, but will jolt violently from a stop as the engine restarts. - The instrument clusters displays "Shift to P and then desired gear" - After applying the break and following the above direction, the truck will resume normal operation Safety Concerns: While this happens to me at a stop light while turning onto a main road, there is nothing stopping this from happening when I attempt to accelerate into traffic or across a busy intersection without a light. Dealer Reproduction: The dealer is aware and has seen the truck many times, but has been unable to reproduce the issue. They have tried various PCM and TCM updates, but, so far, none have resolved the issue. Inspection: The dealer has inspected the vehicle and has found no trouble codes Other notes: - No warning messages or indications prior to this happening. I first noticed this at 34K miles and am now at 46K miles. - I am curious if this is related to: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V265-2735.PDF but slightly less severe in that it doesn't happen while moving. Reports have indicated that cleaning the throttle body may offer some relief which would support this hypothesis. - I have and can provide video of my truck exhibiting these symptoms
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0