2011 Ram 1500: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
689 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
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. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 689 complaints, score 77/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Ram 1500: air suspension, EcoDiesel and the 2019 launch, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 689 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 45.93
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, and there was a loud popping and breaking sound coming from underneath the vehicle, causing the rear wheels to lock up. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the rear driveshaf…
Refused to perform recall T79 and customer satisfaction notice L41 emmisons. Received text message as evidence that said They are not obligated to repair my vehicle under recall, and that I would have to pay for the repairs.
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to purchase a new camper. While the vehicle was parked, the dealer made the contact aware that the passenger’s side turn signal and brake lights were inoperable on the rear towing electrical system, and that the integrated fuse box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact researched an…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 13V038000 | Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit | Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009… |
| 18V160000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks currently, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.… |
| 17V821000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the… |
| 10V656000 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Spindle | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RAM 1500 TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH DECEMBER 2010. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCE A NOISE (GROWL, GRIND) COMING FROM THE REAR AXLE BEARING WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY SEIZE. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a pickup of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
Fuel is an estimate here (EPA has no record for this exact model year); it is carried from the nearest EPA-covered year of this nameplate or the class mean, and labelled as such above.
What it costs to run
Est. annual fuel cost $3,850 · 16 MPG (estimate)
Carried over from EPA's 2013 Ram 1500 record, the nearest model year EPA covers; the exact 2011 trim can differ by a few MPG.
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System214 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train176 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine151 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System128 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other46 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering45 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Ram 1500 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ram 1500?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (214 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Ram 1500 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 689 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Ram 1500's most common problem?
214 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Ram 1500 sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Ram 1500 cost to run per year?
About $7,212 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $36,062 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Ram 1500 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Ram 1500, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/02/2013. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other pickups of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Ram 1500 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 689 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 689 NHTSA complaints on record (45.9/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (45.9/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems