2012 Dodge RAM 2500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAM 2500 years
- About as many complaints as other years 11th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 283 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Dodge RAM 2500. That ranks 11th out of 18 RAM 2500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (109 complaints, 39%), typically at around 42,300 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 12 fires, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 283owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Dodge RAM 2500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 109 | 39% | 42,300 | “tie rod” (23%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 51 | 18% | 93,500 | “win module” (16%) | — |
| Engine | 44 | 16% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 35 | 12% | 48,250 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 24 | 8% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 22 | 8% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 14 | 5% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 5% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 4% | 71,994 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 3% | 48,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 3% | 55,834 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 8 | 3% | 61,550 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 3% | 82,576 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 2% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 76,552 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 262,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Dodge RAM 2500 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option. The affected vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub against the driver air bag module retainer spring.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel; fuel system, diesel
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Risk: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Risk: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler notified owners on January 16, 2014 that dealers would inspect vehicles and replace the steering linkage assembly, if necessary. On or about February 27, 2014, Chrysler ceased its recall remedy program due to parts quality concerns, and then re-initiated it on or about April 14, 2014. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N49.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Electrical overstress (EA19001) — opened Apr 19, 2019, closed Sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V024.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The switch to start the vehicle has to be pushed down and turned at the same time. Vehicle starts but shuts the engine down when the key returns sometimes. On one occasion vehicle shut down while driving.
We purchased our 2012 Dodge Ram heavy duty with tow package new. At just over 152000 miles, the engine started knocking while on vacation. We were not towing at the time. We put in injector cleaner to try and help the knocking. During our vacation, we were on the freeway when we suddenly lost…
My passenger headlights keeps going in and out. The wiring harness has been replaced twice and it still does it. My check engine light keeps coming on for the evap system even though its been replaced.
Our 2012 RAM 2500 truck with 135k miles, had it's fuel tank fail. The dealership in Oak Ridge, TN tested the vehicle and found that the gas tank tubes were broken causing us to not be able to fill the tank. The dealership recommended "NEED TO REPLACE GAS TANK". Mopar aka Stellantis does not make…
Recall T79 or 17V-821 or break transmission shift pin stuck in open position. This is the 2nd time this has happened and serious damage has occurred to the vehicle. Dodge won't do anything about it. Vehicle was parked, turned off, no key. I came out of building and it shifted into gear on its own…
Other Dodge RAM 2500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 283 | 4 |
| 2011 RAM 2500 | 298 | 4 |
| 2010 RAM 2500 | 236 | 4 |
| 2009 RAM 2500 | 214 | 5 |
| 2008 RAM 2500 | 317 | 7 |
| 2007 RAM 2500 | 361 | 8 |
| 2006 RAM 2500 | 670 | 6 |
| 2005 RAM 2500 | 422 | 6 |
| 2004 RAM 2500 | 582 | 6 |
| 2003 RAM 2500 | 661 | 6 |
| 2002 RAM 2500 | 155 | 0 |
| 2001 RAM 2500 | 469 | 1 |
| 2000 RAM 2500 | 211 | 1 |
| 1999 RAM 2500 | 313 | 0 |
| 1998 RAM 2500 | 225 | 0 |
| 1997 RAM 2500 | 213 | 0 |
| 1996 RAM 2500 | 291 | 0 |
| 1995 RAM 2500 | 267 | 0 |
See all Dodge RAM 2500 problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Dodge RAM 2500?
Owners most often report steering, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 109 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Dodge RAM 2500?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Dodge RAM 2500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAM 2500 model years, the 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.