RAM 1500 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 2,661 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the RAM 1500 across 15 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (640). The words owners use most often: “electronic power steering” (10% of reports).
- 2,661steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 104mention a crash
- 25mention an injury
- 9related recalls
- $3,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 35%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.
- Electronic power steering: mentioned in 259 of 2,661 complaints (10%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 238 of 2,661 complaints (9%)
- Difficult turn: mentioned in 170 of 2,661 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the RAM 1500 at $3,600, and half of them between $3,000 and $4,250.
Based on 171 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 888 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 2,661 complaints, 104 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 25 an injury.
RAM 1500 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 1500 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2025 1500 | 22 | 6% | 3,400 |
| 2024 1500 | 6 | 8% | — |
| 2023 1500 | 18 | 9% | 88,000 |
| 2022 1500 | 40 | 6% | 44,500 |
| 2021 1500 | 50 | 7% | 38,000 |
| 2020 1500 | 65 | 10% | 62,250 |
| 2019 1500 | 340 | 23% | 19,000 |
| 2018 1500 | 88 | 13% | 74,913 |
| 2017 1500 | 228 | 26% | 65,000 |
| 2016 1500 | 312 | 20% | 70,667 |
| 2015 1500 | 342 | 23% | 76,381 |
| 2014 1500 | 505 | 28% | 83,000 |
| 2013 1500 | 640 | 50% | 92,000 |
| 2009 1500 | 3 | 8% | 58,505 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (9)
Steering:steering control module; air bags:frontal
Model years: 2021, 2022
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side 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 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.
Exterior lighting:turn signal; steering:steering control module
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ram 1500 vehicles. The turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Turn signals that do not function properly may fail to indicate the driver's intention to change vehicle direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2024. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is A1B.
Air bags:frontal:driver clockspring/spiral cassette; steering:column
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ram 1500, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Wagoneer, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Chrysler Pacifica, Ram 3500, Ram 3500 cab chassis, Ram 2500, Ram 4500 cab chassis, Ram 5500 cab chassis, 2023 Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a GVWR less than 10,000 lbs., and Chrysler Voyager vehicles. The steering column control module may not be welded properly, which can prevent the driver's air bag from deploying in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy in a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module, as necessary free of charge. Some owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2024 through June 20, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's numbers for this recall are 14B, 33B, 34B, 35B, 36B.
Steering:steering control module; exterior lighting
Model years: 2023
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2023 Ram 1500 Classic, Ram 3500 Classic, 3500 Cab Chassis, 2023-2024 Ram 2500, 4500/5500 Cab Chassis, and Ram 3500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the high beams to activate when the turn signal is used or activate the turn signal when the high beams are used. In addition, the turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Turn signals and/or high beams that do not function as intended may cause confusion or reduced visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the steering column control module (SCCM) software, and inspect and replace the module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's numbers for this recall are B2A and D5A.
Steering:steering control module; back over prevention:display function
Model years: 2021
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Ram 1500 pickup trucks. The Trailer Reverse Steering Control Module (TRSCM) may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the TRSCM software. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on January 19, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y80. This recall was superseded by 23V-059.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2019
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Ram 1500 trucks. These vehicles may have been built with a contaminated electric power steering (EPS) gear that may short circuit, potentially resulting in an intermittent loss of power steering assist.
Risk: An intermittent loss of power steering assist may cause an inconsistent steering effort, especially during lower speed maneuvers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 12, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is VB8.
Steering
Model years: 2019
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Wrangler and 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles. These vehicles have improperly machined steering column stub shafts that may break, possibly causing the steering wheel to detach from the steering column.
Risk: If the steering wheel detaches from the steering column, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering column, replacing it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 5, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V29.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2019
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles. The battery ground fastener on the driver-side front fender may have been improperly secured, possibly resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
Risk: A loss of power steering could vary the steering effort required, possibly causing vehicle oversteer or understeer, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will properly secure the ground fastener, free of charge. The recall began on February 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V04.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2015, 2016
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured January 22, 2015, to September 13, 2015. Contamination on the Electric Power Steering (EPS) control circuit board may cause a short and result in the loss of power steering assist.
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS unit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 16, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S19.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2015 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and while idling, the power steering assist suddenly became inoperable. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at initial startup. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was…
Electric power steering failure
Steering wheel unable to turn. Steering wheel control system malfunctioning. Service was confirmed by WATAUGA AUTOMOTIVE LLC as defective. Warning light for steering was present on first knowledge of steering wheel not working properly.
San Antonio Tx was driving this morning in a light mist had my son in the truck the vehicle ahead of me came to an abrupt stop and I had to hit my brakes pretty hard and without the abs working properly I am impacted by the ABS controller failure However, I was surprise at how few have files formal…
Power steering is intermittently working. My truck barely made it to the side of the road because it was so hard to steer. If there was more traffic at the time I don't think I would have made it.
Frequently asked questions
Do all RAM 1500s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 2,661 owner complaints about steering for the RAM 1500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the RAM 1500 steering?
Yes: 9 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the RAM 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,600 (half paid between $3,000 and $4,250), from 171 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “electronic power steering”, in 259 of 2,661 complaints, followed by “rack pinion” (238).
Other RAM 1500 problems
- Engine problems (2,391)
- Electrical System problems (2,372)
- Power Train problems (1,447)
- Service Brakes problems (1,092)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,072)
- Air Bags problems (572)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (537)
- Suspension problems (434)
See all RAM 1500 problems.