Major Problems with RAM 3500 Derived from Complaints & Recalls

Learn about the common problems with a used RAM 3500 to avoid purchasing a bad year of the model.

RAM 3500 complaint overview

851 recorded complaints across model years
Years covered 2012–2019
Most recorded categories STEERING (326), POWER TRAIN (117), ENGINE (117)
Highest recorded count 328 in 2012

Complaint counts are reports, not confirmed defect rates. Older model years have had more time to accumulate reports, and sales volume and reporting coverage differ by year. A higher count does not by itself make a year the least reliable, and these figures are not a failure probability.

Compare two model years

Year A Year B

Problem category

RAM 3500 FlawScore

Best and Worst Years for RAM 3500

Explore the chart showing how many complaints have been filed for each year of RAM 3500.

Model Year	Complaints
2019 3500	2
2018 3500	37
2017 3500	61
2016 3500	85
2015 3500	92
2014 3500	157
2013 3500	89
2012 3500	328

Worst 3 RAM 3500 complaints

2014 RAM 3500 AIR BAGS Victims: 5 Mileage: 75000 miles

2012 RAM 3500 WHEELS Victims: 2 Mileage: 42000 miles

2014 RAM 3500 AIR BAGS Victims: 2 Mileage: 33000 miles

Browse RAM 3500 complaints by category

Problems with STEERING, POWER TRAIN and ENGINE are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from RAM 3500 owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
STEERING hit a dip in the road at the end of a bridge and vehicle started shaking severely. i believe this...	326 ~ 18900 miles
POWER TRAIN while leaving the lot i go to accelrate and the truck slowly increases speed and then starts to move. this...	117 ~ 31053 miles
ENGINE traveling in right lane of 4 lane highway at 55mph. another vehicle pulled out from the right into my lane...	117 ~ 23587 miles
SUSPENSION hit a dip in the road at the end of a bridge and vehicle started shaking severely. i believe this...	98 ~ 36337 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM when attempting to cross multiple lane divide highway while synchronizing the timing of the crossing i had to let up...	94 ~ 51248 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM while under attempted hard acceleration the gas pedal becomes unresponsive for several moments. several times this almost caused an accident	71 ~ 24207 miles
WHEELS vehicle is designed and constructed with non adjustable camber for the front wheels. this is causing uneven wear to the...	63 ~ 45218 miles
SERVICE BRAKES the oem trailer brake controller does not work as designed. there has been number or times that i came close...	55 ~ 34756 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER entered my truck to go to work. shut the drivers side door and the rear drivers side rear door window...	55 ~ 45521 miles
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL traveling in right lane of 4 lane highway at 55mph. another vehicle pulled out from the right into my lane...	40 ~ 28466 miles
AIR BAGS drove the truck about 25 miles to work the morning of oct. 9 2014 parked the truck in a parking...	32 ~ 39613 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL i have had an ongoing problem with throttle response since new. there is a 1-2 second lag when attempting to...	18 ~ 5570 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE i get a bad vibration around 76-86 mph. i originally bought a 2013 dually longhorn diesel brought back 5 times...	16 ~ 41961 miles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING tl* the contact owns a 2014 dodge ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v294000 (air bags...	15 ~ 73967 miles
TIRES cpsc:i1530237a. 2015 dodge ram 3500. consumer stated the camber adjustment issue is causing uneven and premature tire wear. *ln the	12 ~ 14680 miles
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL has severe dead pedal. if i have to let off the gas pedal for a second to merge into traffic...	9 ~ 102219 miles
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v562000 (engine and engine...	8
DIESEL > ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. while driving 65 mph the vehicle stalled and all the warning lights...	8 ~ 13629 miles
SEAT BELTS tl* the contact owns a 2014 dodge ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v460000 (air bags...	7 ~ 36253 miles
VISIBILITY/WIPER tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact stated that while driving about 65 mph the vision fuel...	6 ~ 54549 miles
TREAD/BELT > TIRES tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500 equipped with nexen rodian ht xrx5 tires size: lt235/80/r17 (na). while driving...	4 ~ 10100 miles
SEATS tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v533000 (seats) however the...	4 ~ 19156 miles
TIE ROD ASSEMBLY > LINKAGES > STEERING received a recall in december 13v529000 dated 11/06/2013 on my ram 3500: took to dealer for inspection and the truck...	3 ~ 46667 miles
FRONT > SUSPENSION tl* the contact owns a 2013 ram 3500. while driving 35 mph over a speed bump the vehicle became difficult...	2 ~ 78000 miles
COOLING SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 17v562000 (engine and engine...	2
EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl* the contact owns a 2015 ram 3500. the contact stated that while driving the vehicle there was an...	2 ~ 51500 miles
RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. > ELECTRICAL > EQUIPMENT tl* the contact owns a 2015 dodge ram 3500. the contact stated that the radio failed in the vehicle. the...	2 ~ 37950 miles
PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS > TIRES the tpms (tire pressure monitoring system) quit reading the tire pressure on my truck within the first few hundred miles...	2 ~ 15200 miles
POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS > VISIBILITY driver side control for power windows/power locks - smoldered smoked and then started small fire. lots of smoke - to...	2 ~ 70000 miles
HEADLIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2012 dodge ram 3500 laramie. consumer states problem with the brake controller *tgw the consumer stated a dealer helped him...	2 ~ 4000 miles
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2012 dodge ram 3500 laramie. consumer states problem with the brake controller *tgw the consumer stated a dealer helped him...	2 ~ 2750 miles
RIM > WHEELS the chrome trim in the center console of the 2012 dodge ram 3500 laramie longhorn edition catches the sunlight and	2 ~ 39000 miles
DIFFERENTIAL UNIT > DRIVELINE > POWER TRAIN tl* the contact owns a 2015 ram 3500. the contact took the vehicle to carlock chrysler dodge jeep ram fiat...	1 ~ 173000 miles
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES tl* the contact owns a 2016 ram 3500. the contact received notification for nhtsa campaign numbers: 17v562000 (engine and engine...	1
WHEEL BEARING > FRONT > SUSPENSION tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact stated that the front passenger side wheel bearing fractured without...	1 ~ 173198 miles
SWITCH > BRAKE LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING tl* the contact owns a 2018 ram 3500. while driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal...	1 ~ 5000 miles
GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) > AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN truck in park stationary but running jumped out of gear due to faulty shifter and rolled down an embankment. extensive...	1 ~ 77416 miles
LINKAGES > STEERING drag link failed without warning. apparently threads stripped out in the coupler nut resulting in total steering loss. *dsy...	1 ~ 54000 miles
HUB > WHEELS tl* the contact owns a 2012 ram 3500. while driving approximately 70 mph and towing a 2017 wood deck trailer...	1 ~ 127900 miles
EQUIPMENT tl* the contact owns a 2017 ram 3500. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 17v562000 (engine and engine...	1
CATALYTIC CONVERTOR > EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM tl* the contact owns a 2015 ram 3500. while driving the vehicle stalled and the check engine indicator illuminated. the...	1 ~ 20000 miles
SOFTWARE > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2017 lexus es 350. consumer writes in regards to flaw in the software which resulted in an accident. *ld the...	1
LATCH > DOORS > LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES tl* the contact owns a 2016 ram 3500. while driving 70 mph both headlights failed to operate. the contact had...	1 ~ 158000 miles
SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY > VISIBILITY tl* the contact owns a 2016 dodge ram 3500. while driving 30 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. in addition...	1 ~ 9000 miles
IGNITION > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM tl* the contact owns a 2012 ram 3500. while driving various speeds the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was...	1 ~ 144000 miles
FOG LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING tl* the contact owns a 2015 ram 3500. after driving the vehicle the contact stated that the fog lamp glass...	1 ~ 15000 miles
SIDEWALL > TIRES tl* the contact owns a 2016 ram 3500 equipped with nexen tires size: lt23580r17e (na) the contact stated that the...	1
LOWER BALL JOINT > CONTROL ARM > FRONT tl* the contact owns a 2012 ram 3500. while the vehicle was being reversed the driver side lower ball joint...	1
NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM) > ELECTRICAL > EQUIPMENT tl* the contact owns a 2014 ram 3500. the contact stated that the gps in the vehicle would not work...	1 ~ 28447 miles
DOOR > BODY > STRUCTURE tl* the contact owns a 2015 ram 3500. the contact stated that the doors would not lock manually with the...	1 ~ 7000 miles
WIRING > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM tl* the contact owns a 2013 dodge ram 3500. while driving various speeds the passenger side low beam and high...	1
ACCELERATOR PEDAL > VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL tl* the contact owns a 2014 dodge ram 3500. the contact stated that there was a delay when the accelerator...	1 ~ 4600 miles
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM tl* the contact owns a 2013 ram 3500. while driving over 20 mph over a pothole the vehicle steered to...	1 ~ 24700 miles
GLASS, SIDE/REAR > VISIBILITY entered my truck to go to work. shut the drivers side door and the rear drivers side rear door window...	1 ~ 600 miles
EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2012 dodge ram 3500. consumer writes in regards to front end tie rod recall part issues. *smd the consumer stated...	1
WINDSHIELD > VISIBILITY tl* the contact owns a 2012 dodge ram 3500. the contact stated that while reversing the passenger's side tie rod...	1 ~ 7000 miles
BRAKE LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING tl* the contact owns a 2012 ram 3500. the contact stated that water built up in the rear brake light....	1 ~ 3000 miles
NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY > AXLE > REAR 2012 dodge ram 3500 laramie. consumer states problem with the brake controller *tgw the consumer stated a dealer helped him...	1
VISIBILITY crew cab truck. exterior ambient temperature is -22f. interior temperature approximately +20f and rising defrost setting fan speed is set...	1 ~ 35 miles
STRUCTURE we have tried since the recall to get this fixed. we pull a forty foot fifth wheel that is our...	1
FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY > TRAILER HITCHES we have tried since the recall to get this fixed. we pull a forty foot fifth wheel that is our...	1

FAQ

What year RAM 3500 is the most reliable?

Speaking of the models produced in the last 8 years, RAM 3500 models of 2019, 2018, 2017 year of manufacture have had the least number of complaints.

What year was a bad year for RAM 3500?

RAM 3500 models of 2012 and 2014 are probably the years to be avoided like the plague due to a higher than an average number of issues reported.

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