2013 RAM 2500 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 178 complaints · 16 recalls
Most-reported system: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (27 complaints · 15.2%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 7
  • Fires 7
  • Injuries 4
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2012 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

Component Problem Distribution

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

Component Problem Distribution ELECTRICAL SYSTEM appears in 27 of 178 owner complaints (15.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 27 complaints, 15.2% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 · 15.2% · 3 fire reports ENGINE: 24 complaints, 13.5% of reports ENGINE 24 · 13.5% · 1 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 20 complaints, 11.2% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 20 · 11.2% STEERING: 18 complaints, 10.1% of reports STEERING 18 · 10.1% · 1 crash reports SUSPENSION: 18 complaints, 10.1% of reports SUSPENSION 18 · 10.1% · 1 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 15 complaints, 8.4% of reports POWER TRAIN 15 · 8.4% · 2 crash reports 2 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 12 complaints, 6.7% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12 · 6.7% · 1 crash reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 4 complaints, 2.3% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4 · 2.3% VISIBILITY: 4 complaints, 2.3% of reports VISIBILITY 4 · 2.3% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 36 complaints, 20.2% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 36 · 20.2% · 1 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)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 15.2% 0 crashes · 3 fires
ENGINE 24 13.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 20 11.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 18 10.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 18 10.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 15 8.4% 2 crashes · 2 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12 6.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4 2.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 4 2.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 36 20.2% 0 crashes · 1 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 Jul 2013; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 2013. 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2015-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2015-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2018-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2020-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2013 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 13V122000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V122000 Recall campaign 13V237000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V237000 Recall campaign 13V240000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V240000 Recall campaign 14V635000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V635000 Recall campaign 15V459000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V459000 Recall campaign 15V460000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V460000 Recall campaign 15V461000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V461000 Recall campaign 16E041000 ◆ Recall campaign 16E041000 Recall campaign 16V739000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V739000 Recall campaign 17V302000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V302000 Recall campaign 17V499000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V499000 Recall campaign 17V562000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V562000 Recall campaign 17V821000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V821000 Recall campaign 17V824000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V824000 Recall campaign 18E096000 ◆ Recall campaign 18E096000 Recall campaign 19V347000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V347000 Investigation RQ15004 ● Investigation RQ15004 Investigation PE18016 ● Investigation PE18016 Investigation RQ25003 ● Investigation RQ25003
  • Campaign 14V635000 was reported 292 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V461000 was reported 667 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V739000 was reported 885 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V562000 was reported 1,362 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V821000 was reported 1,194 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18E096000 was reported 1,674 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V347000 was reported 2,053 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 4
2014-Q3 Owner reports 6
2014-Q4 Owner reports 8
2015-Q1 Owner reports 11
2015-Q2 Owner reports 5
2015-Q3 Owner reports 17
2015-Q4 Owner reports 8
2016-Q1 Owner reports 7
2016-Q2 Owner reports 3
2016-Q3 Owner reports 4
2016-Q4 Owner reports 6
2017-Q1 Owner reports 6
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2017-Q4 Owner reports 3
2018-Q1 Owner reports 16
2018-Q2 Owner reports 3
2018-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 5
2019-Q4 Owner reports 6
2020-Q1 Owner reports 5
2020-Q3 Owner reports 4
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2021-Q1 Owner reports 5
2021-Q2 Owner reports 3
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 13V122000
Recall campaign 1 13V237000
Recall campaign 1 13V240000
Recall campaign 1 14V635000
Recall campaign 1 15V459000
Recall campaign 1 15V460000
Recall campaign 1 15V461000
Recall campaign 1 16E041000
Recall campaign 1 16V739000
Recall campaign 1 17V302000
Recall campaign 1 17V499000
Recall campaign 1 17V562000
Recall campaign 1 17V821000
Recall campaign 1 17V824000
Recall campaign 1 18E096000
Recall campaign 1 19V347000
Defect investigation 1 RQ15004
Defect investigation 1 PE18016
Defect investigation 1 RQ25003
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (16)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V122000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    The excessive heat under the engine cover may result in an under hood fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing engine cover with one that is a different design, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed on May 31, 2013. A second letter was mailed to owners with instructions on how to obtain the free remedy on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N19.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V237000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    Without a warning that the turn signal is malfunctioning, the driver would continue to use the vehicle, unaware that other drivers on the road are not being notified that the vehicle is turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Central Body Controller software, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N35.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V240000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    Improper headlight shutter function during high beam use may reduce the drivers visibility and possibly blind oncoming traffic. Either condition may increase the risk of crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reconfigure the Central Body Controller, free of charge. The recall began July 30, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N33.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V635000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V459000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    This abrasion may result in an electrical short that could cause driver's frontal air bag to unexpectedly deploy. Inadvertent deployment of the air bag may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R36.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V460000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    Air bags that unexpectedly deploy increase the risk of a crash or injury.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Restraint Control module calibration, free of charge. The recall began on September 8, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R23.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V461000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    Exploitation of the software vulnerability may result in unauthorized remote modification and control of certain vehicle systems, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify and mail affected owners a USB drive that includes a software update that eliminates the vulnerability, free of charge. Optionally, owners may download the update to their own USB drive from http://www.driveuconnect.com/software-update/ or take their vehicle to a Chrysler dealer for immediate installation. In an effort to mitigate the effects of this security vulnerability, Chrysler has had the wireless service provider close the open cellular connection to the vehicle that provided unauthorized access to the vehicle network. This measure may not have been implemented on all vehicles and does not address access by other means that will be remedied by the software update. The recall began on August 25, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R40.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. 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 →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V739000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the alternator with a revised alternator, free of charge. The recall began on December 23, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S68.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. 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 →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V499000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the wheel fractures, a loss of vehicle control can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    AEV will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wheels with wheels of similar value, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2017. Owners may contact AEV customer service at 1-248-926-0256 extension 500.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V562000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    The leaking water pump can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pumps, 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 T51.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. 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 →

  14. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V824000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18E096000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    The weakened connection may result in a fractured steering drag link, causing a loss of steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Streetcar will notify owners and dealers will inspect and install a new steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact AEV customer service at 1-248-926-0256, extension 500.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  16. 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 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-22
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 178 complaints · page 1 of 8

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 2026-08-22 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.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-22.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources