2021 RAM 1500 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 197 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2021 RAM 1500, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 43,535 miles. The words owners use most often: “emergency brake” (11% of reports).
- 197electrical system complaints
- 43,535median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 21%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.
- Emergency brake: mentioned in 21 of 197 complaints (11%)
- Truck shut: mentioned in 13 of 197 complaints (7%)
- Stop sign: mentioned in 12 of 197 complaints (6%)
- Hand turn: mentioned in 11 of 197 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 24 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 197 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury.
RAM 1500 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 1500 | 49 | 49% | 42,500 |
| 2025 1500 | 188 | 52% | 5,000 |
| 2024 1500 | 28 | 37% | 10,000 |
| 2023 1500 | 69 | 34% | 13,909 |
| 2022 1500 | 197 | 32% | 40,500 |
| 2021 1500 | 197 | 29% | 43,535 |
| 2020 1500 | 164 | 26% | 30,000 |
| 2019 1500 | 382 | 26% | 18,000 |
| 2018 1500 | 159 | 24% | 20,712 |
| 2017 1500 | 109 | 12% | 23,000 |
| 2016 1500 | 192 | 12% | 32,666 |
| 2015 1500 | 159 | 11% | 45,900 |
| 2014 1500 | 246 | 14% | 49,439 |
| 2013 1500 | 227 | 18% | 37,100 |
| 2009 1500 | 6 | 16% | 79,300 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags; electrical system:wiring
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Ram 1500 vehicles. The driver's side air bag may not be connected properly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers secured the connectors for the air bag, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 08C.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I am writing to express my concern about vehicle warranty coverage being provided by RAM (Stellantis NA) on their vehicles. I have a 2021 Ram 1500 which has a motor generator unit (MGU) which has failed due to a defect with the bearings. This has been diagnosed by the dealership and identified as…
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the instrument panel lights illuminated but the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the RF Hub had…
I purchased a new 2026 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4x4 from the John Heister Dodge Ram dealership, in [XXX] on XXX. The following day, I day i was notified of an open safety recall (NHTSA 26V-531) affecting the vehicle's rear visibility/backup camera system, which under certain conditions may fail to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 RAM 1500s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 197 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2021 RAM 1500 (29% of the 682 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 2021 RAM 1500 electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 43,535 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2021 RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “emergency brake”, in 21 of 197 complaints, followed by “truck shut” (13).
Other 2021 RAM 1500 problems
See all 2021 RAM 1500 problems or electrical system problems across all 1500 years.