2021 RAM 3500 Problems and Recalls (60 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2021 RAM 3500 is Electrical (20% of 60 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 60 complaints · 9 recalls
What problems show up on the 2021 RAM 3500?
12 of 60 filings named Electrical (20% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (10 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Wheels, Electrical, Airbags, Transmission / driveline, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2020 has 113 reports on file; this year has 60. 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: Electrical 12 complaints · 20.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 0
- Fires 4
- Injuries 0
- 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 12 | 20.0% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 10 | 16.7% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 7 | 11.7% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Wheels (WHEELS) | 6 | 10.0% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 4 | 6.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) | 2 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 2 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 2 | 3.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 1 | 1.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 15 | 25.0% | 0 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 22V835000 was reported 234 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 22V904000 was reported 462 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V060000 was reported 160 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V163000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V398000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V798000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V925000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V140000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V835000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V904000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V060000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V765000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA23001 |
Safety Recalls (9)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Wheels, Electrical, Airbags, Transmission / driveline, and Body / frame.
-
Recall campaign 21V163000
Safety recall 21V163000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Customers are advised to not park these vehicles inside of buildings or structures, or near other vehicles until the vehicle has the final repair completed. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y08. This recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-798.
-
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 21V798000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Owners are advised to park these vehicles outside of buildings or structures, and not near other vehicles, until the vehicle has been remedied. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. This recall has been superseded by 23V060.
-
Recall campaign 21V925000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An air bag that deploys improperly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y99.
-
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.
-
Recall campaign 23V060000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- An electrical short in the relay can result in an engine compartment fire with the ignition on or off, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the relay, free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2023 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers on or about 3/23/2023 and begin notifying owners on or about 4/5/2023. Phase 2 will include 2022 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2021 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers and owners on or about 4/27/2023 for Phase 2 and 5/11/2023 for Phase 3. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed March 28, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 13A. This recall is an expansion of and supersedes recall number 21V-798.
-
Recall campaign 25V765000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
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 7 of 60 complaints · page 1 of 3
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, occasionally while activating the left turn signal to make a turn, the rear driver’s side turn signal failed to operate as intended. The message related to the brake light and turn signal was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear driver’s side brake light failed to operate as intended while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, while shifted into reverse(R), the reverse warning light fail to illuminate as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign: 24V197000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500 . The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available and were on backordered. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 RAM 3500. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the vehicle stalled and could not be restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the entire fuel system needed to be replaced due to the high-pressure fuel pump exploding after metal shavings were found throughout the entire system. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); 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
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. While the contact's husband was driving at 55 MPH, the driver's rear wheel detached. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while a pickup box trailer was hitched to the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the wheel bolts had detached. The contact was informed that the rear wheel studs had sheared off into the wheel hub. The contact was informed that the rear wheel studs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Brake system is not functioning as designed. Rear axle braking is not being fully applied and is most noticeable and concerning during heavy haul usage. Vehicle has to be operated carefully and with an alternate braking method utilized to obtain adequate braking. The problem can be and has been reproduced and verified by dealer but not in writing. Dealer is not wanting to fully diagnose and/or commit to finding/acknowledging a fault. Manufacturer has been notified in writing and unresponsive. There are no messages displayed/stored. Disproportionate brake wear between front and rear axle braking is observed.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Both front ball joints wore out at 20,000 miles The 3rd break light leaks into the cab at 26,000 miles & won't be warrantied even though there's an active recall for our same truck, same part just different model
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2021 RAM 3500?
Owners named Electrical most often — 12 of 60 reports (20%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2021 RAM 3500?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Wheels, Electrical, Airbags, Transmission / driveline, 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 2021 RAM 3500?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. 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.