RAM 3500 Problems by Year
RAM 3500 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 3500 year: 2014, 2017, 2018, 2022. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2018 3500: 805 complaints, 10 recalls
- 2017 3500: 313 complaints, 12 recalls
- 2014 3500: 202 complaints, 15 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2009 3500: 3 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2008 3500: 4 complaints, 1 recall
- 2007 3500: 6 complaints, 1 recall
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 3500 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems | 767 | 14 | 23 |
| Electrical System problems | 374 | 16 | 6 |
| Power Train problems | 327 | 15 | 11 |
| Engine problems | 246 | 15 | 3 |
| Steering problems | 214 | 16 | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 204 | 13 | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 198 | 7 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 136 | 12 | 2 |
| Wheels problems | 132 | 12 | 6 |
| Suspension problems | 122 | 14 | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 96 | 10 | 4 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 63 | 8 | 1 |
| Tires | 56 | 14 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 47 | 11 | 21 |
| Structure | 40 | 11 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 36 | 11 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 34 | 15 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 26 | 3 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 21 | 9 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 18 | 10 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 15 | 11 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| Equipment | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Seats | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 2 | 2 | 0 |
RAM 3500 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2022: power train (114)
- 2018: service brakes (501) · service brakes, hydraulic (144) · electrical system (136) · vehicle speed control (108) · forward collision avoidance (60)
- 2017: service brakes (143)
All RAM 3500 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 3500 | 27 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 3500 | 43 | 5 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 3500 | 45 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 3500 | 17 | 5 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 3500 | 190 | 12 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2021 3500 | 62 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 3500 | 116 | 11 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | More complaints than other years |
| 2019 3500 | 137 | 14 | — | Fuel System, Diesel | More complaints than other years |
| 2018 3500 | 805 | 10 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 3500 | 313 | 12 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 3500 | 134 | 14 | — | Steering | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 3500 | 137 | 14 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 3500 | 202 | 15 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 3500 | 115 | 16 | — | Steering | More complaints than other years |
| 2012 3500 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2011 3500 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2010 3500 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 2009 3500 | 3 | 2 | — | Power Train | |
| 2008 3500 | 4 | 1 | — | Steering | |
| 2007 3500 | 6 | 1 | — | Electrical System |
More from RAM: all RAM models · RAM VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which RAM 3500 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2014 (202), 2017 (313), 2018 (805), 2022 (190) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical 3500 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 3500?
Service Brakes, with 767 complaints across 14 model years.
How many recalls does the RAM 3500 have?
62 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.