2016 RAM 2500 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 250 complaints · 14 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (54 complaints · 21.6%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 13
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 10
  • Deaths 1
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 POWER TRAIN appears in 54 of 250 owner complaints (21.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 54 complaints, 21.6% of reports POWER TRAIN 54 · 21.6% · 6 crash reports 1 fire reports STEERING: 36 complaints, 14.4% of reports STEERING 36 · 14.4% ENGINE: 29 complaints, 11.6% of reports ENGINE 29 · 11.6% · 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 20 complaints, 8.0% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 20 · 8.0% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 18 complaints, 7.2% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18 · 7.2% SUSPENSION: 10 complaints, 4.0% of reports SUSPENSION 10 · 4.0% · 1 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 8 complaints, 3.2% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 8 · 3.2% STRUCTURE: 8 complaints, 3.2% of reports STRUCTURE 8 · 3.2% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 8 complaints, 3.2% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 · 3.2% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 47 complaints, 18.8% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 47 · 18.8% · 1 crash 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)
POWER TRAIN 54 21.6% 6 crashes · 1 fires
STEERING 36 14.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 29 11.6% 0 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 20 8.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18 7.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 10 4.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 8 3.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 8 3.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 3.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 47 18.8% 1 crashes · 0 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 Oct 2015; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2015. 2015-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2018-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2018-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2019-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2019-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2021-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Sep 2015 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 15V592000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V592000 Recall campaign 16E041000 ◆ Recall campaign 16E041000 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 18V332000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V332000 Recall campaign 18V486000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V486000 Recall campaign 18E096000 ◆ Recall campaign 18E096000 Recall campaign 19V021000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V021000 Recall campaign 19V347000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V347000 Recall campaign 21V632000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V632000 Recall campaign 25V010000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V010000 Investigation PE18016 ● Investigation PE18016 Investigation EA19004 ● Investigation EA19004 Investigation RQ25003 ● Investigation RQ25003
  • Campaign 17V562000 was reported 690 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V821000 was reported 433 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V332000 was reported 383 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V486000 was reported 751 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18E096000 was reported 934 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V021000 was reported 1,035 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V347000 was reported 1,037 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V632000 was reported 1,959 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 25V010000 was reported 3,212 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2015-Q4 Owner reports 3
2016-Q1 Owner reports 5
2016-Q2 Owner reports 3
2016-Q3 Owner reports 7
2016-Q4 Owner reports 8
2017-Q1 Owner reports 5
2017-Q2 Owner reports 8
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2017-Q4 Owner reports 12
2018-Q1 Owner reports 14
2018-Q2 Owner reports 9
2018-Q3 Owner reports 17
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 9
2019-Q2 Owner reports 14
2019-Q3 Owner reports 11
2019-Q4 Owner reports 4
2020-Q1 Owner reports 12
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 4
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 4
2021-Q3 Owner reports 6
2021-Q4 Owner reports 5
2022-Q1 Owner reports 6
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 4
2022-Q4 Owner reports 4
2023-Q1 Owner reports 4
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 7
2023-Q4 Owner reports 5
2024-Q1 Owner reports 2
2024-Q2 Owner reports 5
2024-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q1 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 5
2025-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q4 Owner reports 3
2026-Q1 Owner reports 7
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 15V592000
Recall campaign 1 16E041000
Recall campaign 1 17V302000
Recall campaign 1 17V499000
Recall campaign 1 17V562000
Recall campaign 1 17V821000
Recall campaign 1 17V824000
Recall campaign 1 18V332000
Recall campaign 1 18V486000
Recall campaign 1 18E096000
Recall campaign 1 19V021000
Recall campaign 1 19V347000
Recall campaign 1 21V632000
Recall campaign 1 25V010000
Defect investigation 1 PE18016
Defect investigation 1 EA19004
Defect investigation 1 RQ25003
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (14)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V592000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    An engine that stalls without warning increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECM, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R52.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. 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 →

  3. 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 →

  4. 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 →

  5. 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 →

  6. 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 →

  7. 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 →

  8. 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 →

  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 19V021000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    A drag link separation can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will check the steering linkage jam nut tightness, replacing the drag link assembly or welding the nut to the adjuster sleeve, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V06.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. 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 →

  13. 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 →

  14. 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 250 complaints · page 1 of 10

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