RAM 2500 Problems by Year
RAM 2500 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 2500 year: 2014, 2017, 2018. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2018 2500: 2,605 complaints, 9 recalls
- 2017 2500: 698 complaints, 11 recalls
- 2014 2500: 344 complaints, 14 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2009 2500: 5 complaints, 1 recall
- 2026 2500: 27 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2023 2500: 49 complaints, 8 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common RAM 2500 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems | 2,420 | 15 | 33 |
| Electrical System problems | 961 | 14 | 14 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 578 | 12 | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 514 | 12 | 8 |
| Power Train problems | 456 | 14 | 26 |
| Engine problems | 422 | 15 | 6 |
| Steering problems | 386 | 14 | 16 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance problems | 314 | 12 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 196 | 13 | 0 |
| Suspension problems | 140 | 14 | 6 |
| Structure problems | 107 | 11 | 5 |
| Air Bags | 97 | 13 | 34 |
| Wheels | 73 | 13 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 72 | 8 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 72 | 4 | 4 |
| Exterior Lighting | 62 | 13 | 1 |
| Tires | 52 | 11 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 43 | 12 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 42 | 12 | 6 |
| Visibility/wiper | 39 | 13 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 32 | 11 | 2 |
| Back Over Prevention | 27 | 9 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| Equipment | 13 | 8 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| Seats | 12 | 8 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 10 | 6 | 1 |
| Visibility | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Communication | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
RAM 2500 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2022: electrical system (61) · power train (50)
- 2018: service brakes (1,842) · electrical system (476) · service brakes, hydraulic (461) · vehicle speed control (342) · forward collision avoidance (225) · steering (87) · power train (75) · service brakes, air (59)
- 2017: service brakes (412) · electrical system (121) · service brakes, hydraulic (97) · vehicle speed control (72) · forward collision avoidance (63)
- 2016: power train (64) · engine (53)
- 2014: steering (87) · engine (62) · power train (62)
All RAM 2500 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 2500 | 27 | 8 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 2500 | 63 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 2500 | 59 | 5 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 2500 | 49 | 8 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 2500 | 181 | 12 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2021 2500 | 108 | 8 | 4★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 2500 | 162 | 10 | 4★ | Fuel/propulsion System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2019 2500 | 193 | 12 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2018 2500 | 2,605 | 9 | 4★ | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 2500 | 698 | 11 | 4★ | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 2500 | 258 | 12 | 4★ | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 2500 | 215 | 13 | 4★ | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 2500 | 344 | 14 | 4★ | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 2500 | 178 | 14 | — | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2012 2500 | 0 | 0 | 3★ | — | |
| 2011 2500 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2010 2500 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2009 2500 | 5 | 1 | — | Steering |
More from RAM: all RAM models · RAM VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which RAM 2500 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2014 (344), 2017 (698), 2018 (2,605) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 2500 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the RAM 2500?
Service Brakes, with 2,420 complaints across 15 model years.
How many recalls does the RAM 2500 have?
66 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.