Ram 1500: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Ram 1500: 14 model years scored from 689 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns. Worst year 2011, best year 2011.
Editor's note
The Ram 1500's record splits by generation. The fourth-generation truck (2009–2018, continued as the 1500 Classic to 2024) carries steady complaints about the air suspension, the electronic shifter, and — from 2013 when the eight-speed arrived — the transmission and the EcoDiesel V6, whose emissions recall and engine failures dominate the 2014–2016 counts. The fifth generation launched in 2019, and that first year has the highest count of the modern truck: the Uconnect infotainment screen delaminating, the eTorque mild-hybrid system, and electrical faults. From 2020 the record settles, and the truck scores in the 60s and 70s. A pre-purchase check on any Ram with air suspension is worth its cost; the coil-sprung trucks are simpler and cheaper to own.
Read the guide
Used Ram 1500: air suspension, EcoDiesel and the 2019 launch — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,480 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,470 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,610 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,890 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,030 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,520 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,660 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,800 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $6,190 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | DATA PENDING | $6,330 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | — | DATA PENDING | $6,470 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | — | DATA PENDING | $6,060 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 77 | BUY | $7,212 | 689 | 4 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
1500 sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the 1500 on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Ram 1500
Across every 1500 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System214 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Power Train176 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Engine151 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System128 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other46 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Steering45 complaints across all 1500 years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What is the most common Ram 1500 problem?
214 of the complaints filed against the 1500 across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04