2012 Dodge RAM 1500 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 83,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “exhaust manifold” (16% of reports).
- 163engine complaints
- 83,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 58%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 26 of 163 complaints (16%)
- Ticking noise: mentioned in 10 of 163 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 at $2,950, and half of them between $1,600 and $5,650.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 163 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Dodge RAM 1500 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 163 | 23% | 83,000 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 151 | 22% | 100,000 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 61 | 13% | 86,000 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 50 | 7% | 80,000 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 35 | 6% | 79,730 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 35 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 33 | 4% | 95,000 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 76 | 6% | 87,897 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 74 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 21 | 2% | 132,850 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 22 | 3% | 116,500 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 5 | 0% | 171,000 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 3 | 1% | 108,000 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 4 | 1% | 119,430 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 1 | 0% | 202,156 |
| 1997 RAM 1500 | 3 | 1% | 225,000 |
| 1996 RAM 1500 | 2 | 1% | 123,000 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 1 | 0% | 200,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Unknown The engine is bad. Costing me $2500 that I don't have. The lifter needs fixing and probably other things as well. I need help.
My 2012 Dodge developed an engine issue at 129,000 miles. The issue was rough idling and no acceleration. I took it to a Dodge dealer. They diagnosed it as a chronic cam issue with this generation Chrysler hemi engine. I had the cam and replaced at Waldorf Dodge. The cost was at $3400. I believe…
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was flashing, and the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was shaking and continued decelerating. The vehicle was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Dodge RAM 1500s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 (23% of the 698 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 83,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,950 (half paid between $1,600 and $5,650), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Dodge RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “exhaust manifold”, in 26 of 163 complaints, followed by “ticking noise” (10).
Other 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
See all 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 problems or engine problems across all RAM 1500 years.