2016 RAM 1500 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 1,516 complaints · 17 recalls
Most-reported system: STEERING (281 complaints · 18.5%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 90
  • Fires 35
  • Injuries 72
  • Deaths 5
Compare with 2015 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution STEERING appears in 281 of 1,516 owner complaints (18.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. STEERING: 281 complaints, 18.5% of reports STEERING 281 · 18.5% · 5 crash reports 1 fire reports ENGINE: 225 complaints, 14.8% of reports ENGINE 225 · 14.8% · 16 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 221 complaints, 14.6% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 221 · 14.6% · 2 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 158 complaints, 10.4% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 158 · 10.4% · 5 crash reports 2 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 155 complaints, 10.2% of reports POWER TRAIN 155 · 10.2% · 32 crash reports 4 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 81 complaints, 5.3% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 81 · 5.3% · 3 crash reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 76 complaints, 5.0% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 76 · 5.0% · 4 crash reports SUSPENSION: 59 complaints, 3.9% of reports SUSPENSION 59 · 3.9% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports AIR BAGS: 31 complaints, 2.0% of reports AIR BAGS 31 · 2.0% · 23 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 304 complaints, 20.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 304 · 20.1% · 14 crash reports 9 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
STEERING 281 18.5% 5 crashes · 1 fires
ENGINE 225 14.8% 0 crashes · 16 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 221 14.6% 0 crashes · 2 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 158 10.4% 5 crashes · 2 fires
POWER TRAIN 155 10.2% 32 crashes · 4 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 81 5.3% 3 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 76 5.0% 4 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 59 3.9% 1 crashes · 1 fires
AIR BAGS 31 2.0% 23 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 304 20.1% 14 crashes · 9 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2016; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2015. 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2017-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2017-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2017-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2017-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2018-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2018-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2018-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2019-Q1: 35 owner reports 35 2019-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2019-Q3: 105 owner reports 105 2019-Q4: 58 owner reports 58 2020-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 2020-Q2: 32 owner reports 32 2020-Q3: 42 owner reports 42 2020-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2021-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2021-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2021-Q3: 25 owner reports 25 2021-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2022-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2022-Q2: 27 owner reports 27 2022-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2022-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2023-Q1: 33 owner reports 33 2023-Q2: 36 owner reports 36 2023-Q3: 63 owner reports 63 2023-Q4: 50 owner reports 50 2024-Q1: 67 owner reports 67 2024-Q2: 43 owner reports 43 2024-Q3: 54 owner reports 54 2024-Q4: 43 owner reports 43 2025-Q1: 75 owner reports 75 2025-Q2: 37 owner reports 37 2025-Q3: 64 owner reports 64 2025-Q4: 52 owner reports 52 2026-Q1: 49 owner reports 49 2026-Q2: 41 owner reports 41 2026-Q3: 26 owner reports 26 Owner reports Oct 2015 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 15V661000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V661000 Recall campaign 15V663000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V663000 Recall campaign 16V167000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V167000 Recall campaign 16E041000 ◆ Recall campaign 16E041000 Recall campaign 16V301000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V301000 Recall campaign 17V198000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V198000 Recall campaign 17V302000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V302000 Recall campaign 17V821000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V821000 Recall campaign 18V332000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V332000 Recall campaign 18V486000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V486000 Recall campaign 19V347000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V347000 Recall campaign 19V757000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V757000 Recall campaign 20V475000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V475000 Recall campaign 21V632000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V632000 Recall campaign 22V406000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V406000 Recall campaign 23V411000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V411000 Recall campaign 25V010000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V010000 Investigation PE16014 ● Investigation PE16014 Investigation EA23001 ● Investigation EA23001 Investigation RQ23003 ● Investigation RQ23003 Investigation RQ25003 ● Investigation RQ25003
  • Campaign 17V198000 was reported 294 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V821000 was reported 566 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V332000 was reported 703 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V486000 was reported 882 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V347000 was reported 1,168 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V757000 was reported 1,002 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V475000 was reported 1,296 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V632000 was reported 1,912 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V406000 was reported 1,925 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 25V010000 was reported 3,165 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 8
2016-Q3 Owner reports 6
2016-Q4 Owner reports 33
2017-Q1 Owner reports 23
2017-Q2 Owner reports 30
2017-Q3 Owner reports 17
2017-Q4 Owner reports 12
2018-Q1 Owner reports 23
2018-Q2 Owner reports 16
2018-Q3 Owner reports 23
2018-Q4 Owner reports 26
2019-Q1 Owner reports 35
2019-Q2 Owner reports 33
2019-Q3 Owner reports 105
2019-Q4 Owner reports 58
2020-Q1 Owner reports 36
2020-Q2 Owner reports 32
2020-Q3 Owner reports 42
2020-Q4 Owner reports 26
2021-Q1 Owner reports 34
2021-Q2 Owner reports 21
2021-Q3 Owner reports 25
2021-Q4 Owner reports 17
2022-Q1 Owner reports 26
2022-Q2 Owner reports 27
2022-Q3 Owner reports 23
2022-Q4 Owner reports 24
2023-Q1 Owner reports 33
2023-Q2 Owner reports 36
2023-Q3 Owner reports 63
2023-Q4 Owner reports 50
2024-Q1 Owner reports 67
2024-Q2 Owner reports 43
2024-Q3 Owner reports 54
2024-Q4 Owner reports 43
2025-Q1 Owner reports 75
2025-Q2 Owner reports 37
2025-Q3 Owner reports 64
2025-Q4 Owner reports 52
2026-Q1 Owner reports 49
2026-Q2 Owner reports 41
2026-Q3 Owner reports 26
Recall campaign 1 15V661000
Recall campaign 1 15V663000
Recall campaign 1 16V167000
Recall campaign 1 16E041000
Recall campaign 1 16V301000
Recall campaign 1 17V198000
Recall campaign 1 17V302000
Recall campaign 1 17V821000
Recall campaign 1 18V332000
Recall campaign 1 18V486000
Recall campaign 1 19V347000
Recall campaign 1 19V757000
Recall campaign 1 20V475000
Recall campaign 1 21V632000
Recall campaign 1 22V406000
Recall campaign 1 23V411000
Recall campaign 1 25V010000
Defect investigation 1 PE16014
Defect investigation 1 EA23001
Defect investigation 1 RQ23003
Defect investigation 1 RQ25003
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (17)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V661000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    If the rear axle shaft was not properly heated treated, it may fracture and a wheel separation could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the axle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 23, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R59.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V663000

    Report date
    Component:
    TIRES
    Consequence:
    Without a heat shield, heat from the exhaust system may damage the spare tire. When used, the damaged tire may have a tread separation or side wall rupture, resulting in a loss of control and an increased risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a spare tire heat shield if the vehicle is missing one. Vehicles that have already been sold with an excess of 50 miles will also have their spare tires replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R58.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16E041000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the seat cover impedes the air bag deployment, the seat thorax air bags may not provide adequate protection in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of a injury.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners to remove the front seat covers and return them for a full refund. The recall began on July 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S30.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V167000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS unit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 16, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S19.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V301000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    A fractured halfshaft may damage underbody components and create road debris, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front halfshafts, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S32.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V198000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    A broken or locked up differential may result in a loss of motive power and possibly a loss of vehicle control. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the differential retaining pin, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T20.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V302000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the rollover side curtain air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash that necessitates activation of these safety systems.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T25.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V821000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V332000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V486000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    Consequence:
    If the tailgate latch releases and the tailgate opens while driving, cargo may fall out, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began September 17, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U74.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V347000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    Consequence:
    If the tailgate opens while the vehicle is being driven, cargo may fall out the vehicle and create a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the tailgate latch, free of charge. The recall began May 23, 2019. Chrysler is expected to notify owners of the expanded population on October 18, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's number for this recall is V44. Note: 2015-2017 MY Ram 1500 pickup trucks with truck beds other than 8 foot, are currently covered under NHTSA recall 18V-486 for this issue.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V757000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. The recall began April 16, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB1.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 20V475000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft position signal is lost, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-2002. FCA US's number for this recall is W58.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V632000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 4, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 26, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y55.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V406000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
    Consequence:
    Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2022. Owner notification letters for were mailed for Jeep Grand Cherokee owners starting January 11, 2024. Owner notification letters for Ram 1500 owners were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLS's number for this recall is Z46.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  16. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V411000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3, 2023. Some owner notification letters were mailed October 31, 2023. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated July 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 66A. This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-475.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  17. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 25V010000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's numbers for this recall are 05C, 09C, and 10C.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 1516 complaints · page 1 of 61

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources