2011 Ram 2500: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
298 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 298 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 19.87
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Vehicle was parked and turned off for 4 days. Spontaneously combusted from the engine bay. Local fire department extinguished. No open recalls found, indicating an un-fused component failure.
Approximatly 6 years ago My TIPM failed on my 2011 dodge ram 2500. It was not under warrenty so I replaced it myself not knowing this was an ongoing problem with dodge products. My TIPM is again failing. What can be done with it? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The steering became uncontrollable and wobbled so violently I could not keep my hands on the wheel. It will be open for inspection at any time. The safety of all other road users and pedestrians were put in grave danger. Due to the complete loss of steering control. This has happened to other ram owners I have talked with as well. The problem was addressed by my local mechanic. He recommended replacing the en…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 11V350000 | Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 DODGE RAM 2500/3500 4X4, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 14, 2008, THROUGH MARCH 28, 2011; MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 DODGE RAM 3500 CAB CHASSIS 4X2, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 14, 2008, THROUGH MARCH 28, 2011; AND MODEL YEAR 2008 DODGE RAM 1500 MEGA CAB 4X4, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 14, 2008, THROUGH AUGUST 15,… |
| 13V529000 | Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break. |
| 14V635000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel | Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat. |
| 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… |
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 $3,450 (estimate)
EPA has no matched record for this model year: this is the mean EPA figure for a pickup in this dataset at EPA's 15,000-mile assumption. How estimates are labelled.
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.
- Steering210 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Suspension37 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Engine29 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System24 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System17 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Power Train16 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ram 2500?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (210 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Ram 2500 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 298 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Ram 2500's most common problem?
210 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Ram 2500 sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 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 2500 cost to run per year?
About $6,317 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,585 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 2500 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Ram 2500, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/07/2011. 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 2500 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 — 298 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 298 NHTSA complaints on record (19.9/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (19.9/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems