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Ram 1500 Problems by Year

Which Ram 1500 years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Ram 1500, 2019 to 2024 model years
Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 12,082 complaints with NHTSA about the Ram 1500 from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the engine and cooling, the steering and the electrical system. The years with the most complaints are 2014, 2016 and 2019.

Years to avoid

2014

The most complaints compared with other 1500 years.

Safer bets

201820202021

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical 1500 year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

201269820131,28320141,78120151,46120161,5592017885201866720191,4972020643202168620226392023205202478

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2012 1500One of the better years6987Electrical system
2013 1500About average1,28312Steering
2014 1500Among the worst years1,78117Steering
2015 1500Worse than most years1,46118Engine and cooling
2016 1500Worse than most years1,55917Engine and cooling
2017 1500About average88513Steering
2018 1500One of the better years66715Electrical system
2019 1500Worse than most years1,49730Electrical system
2020 1500One of the better years64314Engine and cooling
2021 1500One of the better years68615Engine and cooling
2022 1500Too new to judge63916Engine and cooling
2023 1500Too new to judge20511Electrical system
2024 1500Too new to judge786Electrical system

Similar full-size trucks

Ford F-150Chevrolet Silverado 1500GMC Sierra 1500Toyota Tundra
Compare the 1500 with these side by side

Ram 1500 questions

What are the worst Ram 1500 years?

Compared with its other years, the 1500 years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2014. The most reported problem area across all years is the engine and cooling.

What are the best Ram 1500 years?

The 1500 years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2018, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Ram 1500 problems?

Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the engine and cooling, the steering and the electrical system most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Ram 1500 have?

NHTSA lists 191 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 1500, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.