2020 RAM 3500 Problems: Fuel system (113 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2020 RAM 3500 is Fuel system (40% of 113 owner reports). There are 11 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 113 complaints · 11 recalls
What problems show up on the 2020 RAM 3500?
45 of 113 filings named Fuel system (40% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (14 reports).
There are 11 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Electrical, Wheels, Engine, Fuel system, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2019 has 128 reports on file; this year has 113. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Fuel system 45 complaints · 39.8% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 6
- Fires 6
- Injuries 4
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 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.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 45 | 39.8% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 14 | 12.4% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 11 | 9.7% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 7 | 6.2% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Wheels (WHEELS) | 6 | 5.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 5 | 4.4% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 5 | 4.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Tires (TIRES) | 4 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 2 | 1.8% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 41 | 36.3% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 21V398000 was reported 203 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V439000 was reported 227 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V880000 was reported 443 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 22V835000 was reported 381 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 22V904000 was reported 582 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V043000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V207000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V511000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V191000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V398000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V439000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V880000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V035000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V140000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V835000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V904000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE21021 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA23001 |
Safety Recalls (11)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Electrical, Wheels, Engine, Fuel system, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame.
-
Recall campaign 20V043000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- The leaking transmission fluid may contact the turbocharger or another ignition source within the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission valve body separator plate and reprogram the powertrain control module. The recall began March 2, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W03.
-
Recall campaign 20V191000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.
-
Recall campaign 20V207000
Safety recall 20V207000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A bed step that unexpectedly fails while in use increases the risk of injury to the user.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the bed step support brace, free of charge. The recall began on July 9, 2020 (RAM 2500) and began on October 6, 2020 (Ram 3500). Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's numbers for this recall are W24 and W44.
-
Recall campaign 20V511000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A damaged engine block may leak oil, which can contact hot engine or exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the engine calibration software to enhance the engine warm up protection, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W57.
-
Recall campaign 21V398000
Wheels
- Report date
- Component:
- Wheels (WHEELS)
- Consequence:
- Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y36 owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y26 owner notification letters were mailed on December 1, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.
-
Recall campaign 21V439000
Engine
- Report date
- Component:
- Engine (ENGINE)
- Consequence:
- Low oil can damage the engine, causing an oil leak or a punctured engine block, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the engine calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y21.
-
Recall campaign 21V880000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the HPFP, update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, and inspect and replace additional fuel system components as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters to inform owners of the safety recall were mailed on January 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 17, 2022. Phase 2 owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 2, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y78.
-
Recall campaign 22V035000
Glass / wipers / cameras
- Report date
- Component:
- Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
- Consequence:
- Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will tighten the wiper nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2022. This recall is an expansion of recall number 20V-208. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z08.
-
Recall campaign 22V140000
Safety recall 22V140000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
-
Recall campaign 22V835000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- Leaking transmission fluid may contact an ignition source within the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the transmission dipstick and transmission vent assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is ZA3.
-
Recall campaign 22V904000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- An unintended tailgate opening while driving may result in a loss of unsecured cargo, possibly creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect the tailgate striker alignment to the box latch and adjust, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is ZB8.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 8 of 113 complaints · page 1 of 5
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly experienced reduced speed and hesitation, and there was a rattling noise coming from the engine as the RPMs increased above 1,500. The vehicle was driven slowly to a local dealer, where the contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) had likely failed. The exact cause of the failure had not yet been determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and was experiencing the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 300,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was in a single-vehicle accident on July 20th, 2026 and hit an oak tree head-on center and my airbags didn't deploy. I have a fractured neck and whiplash, not to mention other minor injuries. I am now able to type in order to report it. I have photographs.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera displayed an upside-down or distorted image. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine overheated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cooling fan module had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the gear shifter shifted into drive independently, causing the vehicle to roll away. The vehicle stopped before crashing. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and the engine was turned off, the gear shifter shifted into the drive position when the contact's minor [XXX] child entered the vehicle to retrieve an item using the steering wheel and gear shifter to enter, causing the vehicle to roll down a hill and collide with a tree. The impact resulted in significant damage to the passenger side door, bumper, and truck bed. Although a child was inside the vehicle at the time of the incident, no injuries were reported following the collision. No air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it had notyet been inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
After normal operation, I shut off the vehicle, and within seconds it caught fire without any external cause. Our insurance company and Look Larson Dodge investigated the incident over approximately 3½ weeks but could not determine a definitive cause of the fire.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2020 RAM 3500?
Owners named Fuel system most often — 45 of 113 reports (40%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2020 RAM 3500?
NHTSA lists 11 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Electrical, Wheels, Engine, Fuel system, Glass / wipers / cameras, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2020 RAM 3500?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
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
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.