NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Ram 1500. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
I own a 2021 Ram 1500, which I purchased on March 29, 2024, as a certified pre-owned truck, and the primary issue involves a serious failure of the front wheel assembly. On three separate occasions, the front wheels have detached from the truck while it was in motion—on June 14, 2024, February 26, 2026, and most recently on April 17, 2026, when the left front wheel came off. I was driving the vehicle all three times during the incidents. Although the dealership has stated that repairs were completed after each incident, the problem continues to occur, indicating that the defect has not been properly resolved. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request, along with all supporting documentation. This defect creates a severe safety hazard, as losing the front wheels while driving greatly increases the risk of a crash and poses a danger to both me and others on the road. I have reported the issue to the dealership multiple times, and they have evaluated the vehicle, confirming a recurring and unresolved problem, along with additional major mechanical concerns that have not been adequately addressed under warranty. Despite having warranty coverage, I have paid high out-of-pocket costs for repairs, yet the problem has not been fixed. Despite these efforts, no effective or lasting repair has been made. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, or insurance representatives, but I am willing to make it available for further review. Given the repeated and dangerous nature of this failure, I no longer feel safe operating the vehicle and I am requesting immediate assistance and a proper resolution.
The vehicle experienced an overheating condition immediately after being picked up from dealership service on April 11, 2026. Within a short distance of driving, a warning appeared and the vehicle became unsafe to operate, requiring it to be pulled over and towed. The dealership later stated that coolant was low but also reported no leaks. This condition should have been identified and corrected while the vehicle was in their custody prior to release. The failure created a safety risk because the vehicle could not be operated safely on the roadway and required immediate removal from traffic. The issue occurred without prior warning before the failure following service.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had a history of wiring failures and that the air bag wiring harness had been replaced three times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with electrical wiring failure, and the wires were zip-tied in place. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
the reverse camera quit working, trailer reverse function inop, service electric throttle light is on. I have had the recall completed. the programing did not completely correct the issue. the vehicle s at the dealership now - has been there for a week now- no word on what the problem is.
Electrical system shutdown including loss of all safety features (blind spot, emergency braking, abs, traction control, towing), climate control options (AC, Heat, window operations) and user interfaces (U-Connect screen, center gauge cluster). Initial warnings (2) on center cluster on listed- 1. Blind Spot Detection Disabled 2. 115 Volt Cargo Power Outlet On All electronics, controls were then disabled- black screens, inoperable controls. Passenger rear windows, sliding back glass, panoramic sunroof and drivers side mirror are the only working electronics other than speedometer. Upon inspection of all fuses, relays, battery, alternator, and checking all accessible wiring related to blind spot and auxiliary power and finding no defective issues, web searches were performed. Based on numerous other RAM owners on multiple forums on RAM trucks 2020 and newer with blind spot avoidance, we found a likely culprit in the driver's side brake light. Upon inspection of the left rear brake light assembly, a small hairline crack was located with signs of internal moisture/ condensation. After observing the internal moisture the drivers side rear brake housing was removed and disconnected for closer inspection and potential repair. While the driver side brake light assembly was removed, an instance occurred when my wife needed the vehicle. Upon and during the entirety of operation over the next 1.5 hrs driving approximately 63 miles, all electrical options worked as intended minus the blind spot avoidance and a new warning on brake lamps (obvious as tail light had been removed). During this time, the proximity sensor housing was removed from the assembly, water accumulation dried, and allowed to remain open next to a dehumidifier for 4 hours. Epoxy was applied over the hairline Crack, and any area that looked as if could be affected. Unit was reinstalled, however all electronic failure returned. Unit removed again to attempt humidity removal- all electronics res
Losing power steering intermittently.
Our alternator is bad in a 2021 Ram. There are 10,000 on back order and up to a 9 -12 month wait list. There is obviously something wrong with this brand and should be recalled.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was parked, and while inspecting the exterior of the vehicle, the contact became aware that the driver's side rear glass had fractured. The contact stated that the driver’s side rear glass fractured without impact. The vehicle was taken to Safelite Auto Glass. The vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
The rear running lights go out due to a short in the wire harness from the computer module to the tail lights. The short causes the lights to either flicker or go totally out.
Wa driving with cruise on at 60 mph. Truck stalled with no notice, no warning lights or check engine light. All temperatures and pressures seemed okay at time of incident. Could not move electronic shifter into neutral, was stuck in drive. Alarm came up to shift to park, I did not shift due to moving at 55mph at this time. Coasted to a stop on side of the road. At about 2-3 mph, truck automatically shifted to park. I attempted to restart truck but engine just cranked over with no fire. Attempted 3 times and still nothing. Waited 20-30 min and attempted again and same result. Call for tow truck and had towed to dealership. While waiting for tow truck, had full power in truck, no warning lights. Checked fuses for fuel and found no issues. Did hear fuel pump engage when turned ignition to run. Checked oil level, oil was changed 800 miles prior to incident, oil was at full level on dip stick.
The EGR cooler bypass control broke on my pickup. The dealership stated that this is an ongoing issue with these pickups and that the 2019-2020 pickups had a recall on this. This pickup has 77,000 miles on it. This should not be failing.
There is water coming into the vehicles cab via the rear window and is getting electrical components under the rear window wet. Took vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. Concluded water coming into cab of vehicle from top of rear glass. Frame of window is likely culprit. General concern 05CHZ-01 THIS IS A VERY KNOWN ISSUE
Rear drivers side window shattered without any incident or accident. Possibly due to extreme cold but it was not witnessed and truck was parked in driveway.
RAM's 2023 recall addressed the engine shutdown problem in 131,700 of its half-ton 1500 RAM trucks equipped with the 5.7-liter Hemi eTorque mild hybrid engine. RAM said 1,500 5.7-liter eTorque models built between June 3, 2020, and September 12, 2021, had faulty software and needed a powertrain control module calibration update to fix the problem. Consumer complaints also exist that the RAM eTorque system has caused vehicles to shut down while in motion, which is by far the most dangerous problem attributed to it. My truck was built 08/2021
Stellantis is recalling over 1.2 million 2019-2024 Ram 1500 pickups, including the 2021 model year, due to a software flaw in the ABS module that can disable the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system My ram vin is not listed, but i am receiving this error.
The oil pan on my 2021 Ram1500 has premature severe corrosion. When the oil pan fails, oil will drain to the roadway causing hazard to other vehicles and cause catastrophic engine damage disabling the vehicle. I tried to contact Ram about the issue to raise concern about this material failure and they would not take my concern/complaint. A quick search reveals this problem is extremely common. The repair quote is slightly over 1500 to replace the oil pan. Something needs to be done. A recall needs issued and a fix provided for all affected vehicles.
My husband went down into a 15 ft embankment fully in the air side bags deployed driver and passenger did not
MGU unit failure. Truck is less than 5 years old and just hit 60k miles. Noise came on very abruptly and was lucky enough to get it to a dealer nearby where I was traveling. Still was stranded 4 hours from home and needed a rental to get home. I got a battery warning light and auto start/stop malfunction light and 20 minutes later the truck was dead. I have a family of 5 and need a vehicle for work and to transport kids to school/daycare. Technician said it could take upwards of 8 months to get the replacement part. This is absolutely ludacris for something like this to happen and potentially causing financial damages to people. Dealer offered $10k less than the truck is worth because of the issue so I can’t even get a fair trade in value if I wanted to trade it in. Ridiculous!
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an unusual popping sound. The low battery and check engine warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the battery lost power. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 78,900.
Every time my truck sits for more than 3 days even in the summer the battery dies. I have to jump this truck more than I jumped anything in life. It has less than 30000 miles on it and I’ve had nothing but trouble with the battery staying charged and the air bag system being jimmied to keep the sensor from not going of by the dealer.
No issues with steering on vehicle in about 81,000 miles since new. Yesterday, started vehicle, no power steering at all, alert light on dash stating power steering problem with electric steering. I stopped and restarted vehicle 3 or 4 times, did not resolve issue. I disconnected battery and reconnected it, did not resolve issue. Vehicle is not driveable, steering is next to impossible.
While driving, a deer entered the roadway. I applied the brakes to avoid hitting the deer and lost traction due to icy road conditions. The vehicle spun out and struck a utility pole. I later became aware of an open recall involving the ABS and/or electronic stability control (ESC) system for this vehicle. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts before or after the incident. The vehicle did not maintain stability as expected during braking on ice. I am unsure whether the ABS/ESC system functioned properly at the time of the incident. The crash resulted in vehicle damage and property damage. To my knowledge, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. After crash, airbags did not deploy no fluids leaked no warning lights ever came on dash before or after crash
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 55-60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the high-pressure fuel pump under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine); with the additional repairs on the low-pressure fuel pump at the Owner's expense. The vehicle was partially repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened an investigation. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. While driving 65 MPH in inclement weather and attempting to clean the windshield, the windshield washer fluid failed to spray onto the windshield. The contact was unable to see the road clearly and pulled over to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle. The contact became aware that the windshield washer fluid hose was cracked. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that the windshield washer fluid hose needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
I bought this truck used from a dealer in 2022. From the start the resting voltage of the car was a problem getting 12.7v and when I was driving it would often only get up to 13.4v. I took it to the dealer and they replaced it completely in 2023. It still shows low resting voltage and driving voltage. I told them and they said it was fine and not to worry. Now for the past 6 months it has been making a whirring sound that gets louder as I accelerate. I took it back to them and they said they didn't hear anything wrong, which is an outright lie. It still hasn't gotten better so I took it to a different mechanic and they said its a bad alternator and that they are very expensive and on back order. I tried setting up an appointment with the dealer to look at it again and they said I am now out of warranty and will charge me a diagnostic fee and if it is the alternator it again isn't covered by the warranty. I have been searching online and this is something thousands of other customers have been experiencing and there is a class action lawsuit about this as well. I am kindly asking that you look into this and if appropriate issue a recall for this. I shouldn't have to pay thousands of dollars to fix an alternator for a truck that only has 60k miles on it. My truck is only worth $29k so having to pay for a repair that is about 7% of my vehicle value is ridiculous.
Engine malfunction cause low oil pressure and cause a catastrophic failure and lock brakes up multiple people i know have had same issue as me and it due to a manufacturer error on oil gallery bolts backing out and causes rockers not to get proper oil and chews cams up
Rear window glass crumbled/shattered around frame causing leaks around the window and glass fragments to fall out onto roadway. There was a extended warranty issued for this reason on my make and model year of truck due to the frame cracking and allowing water to get into the frame but was told my vehicle wasn't included. I live in Ohio so and water in the frame with fluctuations in temps especially extreme would cause this situation.
High impact vehicle accident, with major damage. Drivers airbag did not deploy.
The issue started with power steering failure warning light flashed and then went of a couple times. I could also hear the fan kick on high, then the power steering warning light came on and stay on. When it stayed on, I lost power steering and barely could make a u turn on a 2 lane divided high way. This problem went on randomly for approximately 2+ weeks. The fact that all power steering is lost with little to no notice is a very dangerous situation depending on what and where the vehicle is traveling at the time. I took it to Peters in Longview the dealership, and they said that the Electronic Power Steering needed to be replaced. This situation, symptoms, and diagnosis all are just like the current numerous issues with EPS on Dodge rams including the open investigation. I am very concerned about the failures of these EPS's on Rams,
There have been several instances where the vehicle appears to lose traction in 4WD. An error message appears "4WD Overheated Performance Temporarily Reduced". When this message appears, the vehicle is unable to gain traction in snow. Even 1" - 2" of snow is enough to prevent forward movement. In this condition, the rear end of the truck tends to fishtail to the right and left. After checking online, there appears to be many other instances associated with this condition. The dealer replaced the fluid in the differential and transfer case hoping to fix the issue, but the problem persisted. They were unable to reproduce the issue on the second service call. Currently, my vehicle in in the driveway and is unable to move given the 1" of snow present. The truck is being towed to the dealer tomorrow, Jan. 28th, 2026, for them to assess it a third time. I believe the failure is related to the light duty Transfer Case & Transfer Case Motor, but that has not yet been determined by the dealer. I'm having the vehicle towed since losing traction on a slippery road can be dangerous and cause the vehicle to slow/stop and/or lose control along with 4WD.
I am submitting this complaint to report a significant and unusual mechanical failure involving my 2021 Ram truck. The vehicle experienced a failure of the heater core assembly, which resulted in engine coolant leaking directly into the passenger compartment. This failure caused coolant odor and fluid intrusion inside the cabin and required extensive disassembly of the dashboard and HVAC system to repair. The total cost of repairs exceeded $5,300, which I believe is disproportionate and unexpected for a vehicle of this age and mileage. Two separate repair visits were required as it was found after the heater core was replaced the actuator on the driver’s side was damaged by the ongoing leak and required repair. The vehicle has been properly maintained and serviced according to manufacturer recommendations. While this incident did not result in an immediate crash or injury, the nature of the failure raises safety and health concerns, including: •Driver distraction due to coolant fumes and loss of defrost capability •Exposure of occupants to engine coolant within the enclosed passenger compartment •Sudden loss of cabin heating and windshield defogging capability in cold weather Given the age of the vehicle and the severity of the failure, this does not appear to be normal wear and tear. I am concerned that this may represent a design, material, or manufacturing defect that could affect other vehicles of the same model year. The odor was present for many months prior to the failure; however, the local dealership could not examine the issue at the time of a prior oil change due to lack of time on that visit. I am submitting this report to document the issue, assist in identifying potential patterns, and ensure appropriate review by the manufacturer and regulatory authorities. Repair invoices and supporting documentation are included.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V653000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while reversing downhill and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal travelled down to the floorboard and became stiff, and the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal several times, the brake pedal responded as intended, and the vehicle slowly decelerated; however, the braking distance was extended. A brake message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
The contact owns a 2021 RAM 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 47 MPH, towards a four-way intersection, the vehicle coming off the road on the left side of the vehicle ran a stop causing another vehicle to collide with his vehicle. The contact stated that no air bags deployed. The contact stated that he sustained whiplash and bruises to the head. Medical attention was required via hospital. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was towed to an auto body center. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000
I was suddenly unable to fill the fuel tank of my truck on the way back from a 4 hour road trip in freezing conditions. I was able to get just enough fuel into my vehicle to make it back due to it occurring during a fuel up on the last hour of the drive. However, if this had happened earlier in the drive, I could have been stranded with my family in freezing conditions. There were no warnings and it hadn't been happening prior, other than a half dozen times randomly over the past 2 years where the fuel station nozzle clicked off a few times prematurely. But never to the extent of not being able to fill the tank. It was brought to a dealership and is currently having the fuel tank replaced due to a bad valve inside of it.
My bearings in my rear assembly has failed before 100K miles. In addition, I had to replace the eTorque generator before 100K miles.
Alt/Gen failure stopped the truck in the middle of an intersection No transmission power steering lights. Had to walk back home to charge the battery in a driving rain storm leaving the truck in the intersection.
My driver sun visor support broke when I tried to pull down the sun visor. It is supported by a plastic piece. If it wasn’t supported on the left side it could have fell down completely blocking my visibility of the road. I looked up this issue online and there are many other videos with the same issue with these trucks. This issue is so persistent that some third party companies have already come out with plastic support pieces to screw in to fix this. I took the truck to the dealer but they said they won’t fix it since my truck is out of warranty. There was no warnings, messages, or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.
All warning lights on dash came on including battery. Freedom Dodge assessed it on 11-10-2025 and said the vehicle generator has an internal short and is discharging the battery. If being operated could cause the vehicle to die while in motion. I am making $700 per month payments and Freedom indicated over 6000 of these units are on back order and cannot give me a date for replacement only saying "months"
Exhaust manifold on passenger side has cracked leading to exhaust fumes in cabin, causing dizziness and headaches due to carbon monoxide ram has acknowledged this issue with a TSB but the fact that exhaust fumes come into the cabin on a vehicle that is five years old is concerning and in my opinion, a safety concern.
Body Control Module failure. 2021 Ram 1500 Tradesman with 3.6L engine My first symptom was a message that appeared on the dash gauge cluster that said something like "problem with shift positioner". That message came up then went away. Next symptom was dash lights flashing for no reason. This was a few days after the other. These lights would flash one time for just a fraction of a second, and only when I hit a bump on the road. I thought that I had a loose wire so I checked wiring for loose connection but did not find any. I had no other problems for several days. Then I was on a trip far from home and that is when things got really bad. All of the gauges on my instrument cluster were going up and down for no reason. The windshield wipers came on by themselves. The dash lights started flashing, like before but this time that were on and off for longer periods of time and not caused by bumps on the road. The vehicle lost power while I was driving and I was forced to pull to the side of the road. The engine had died. I was not able to restart right away. While I was sitting there trying to figure out my next move (because I was in the middle of nowhere), the lights on the dash were still flashing even after I had turned the key off. I know that sometimes trouble codes can be cleared by disconnecting the battery, so that is what I did. After I put the battery cables back on, the controls seamed normal again. I was able to start the engine and drive into town. I went straight to an automotive repair shop that I had found by Google search. They put their code reader on and said that I had 59 fault codes. They had never seen that many on any vehicle before. They checked my battery to make sure it was fully charged. It was. They checked a few other things, but diagnosed the problem to a bad Body Control Module. After this incident, I did some research and found that this seems to be a come problem with the Ram Pickups. This should be a recall item.
Oil pans are rusting through . Mine has 45,053 miles. In the 60k mile powertrain warranty. RAM refuses to fix because it is 'corrosion'. They want $1,861.53 to replace. These rusted pans are all over the internet.
On 10\09\2025 I was backing into a parking spot and when I was trying to adjust the position of the vehicle the power steering failed as I was backing up. After the power steering failed to work, the Power Steering Light appeared on the Dashboard. This is the first time this has happened. The safety issue is if I was going around a corner on the steering failed, my kids and I would probably be dead right now. Yes we live off a windy road. I left the truck parked at the shopping center overnight & it was towed to an Auto repair center locally. They told me to take it to the Dodge Dealership. The vehicle was towed to Pedder Dodge Chrysler on 10\10\2025. It is available for inspection.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V653000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Battery Low Voltage" was displayed and the vehicle experienced loss of power steering functionality and decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was related to the recall. Additionally, the contact was informed that the E-Torque generator also needed to be replaced but the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 110,000.
ESC malfunction
Vehicles headunit no longer functions, backup camera system is also in-operational. Due to apparent over the air (OTA) updates to the uconnect infotainment headunit there is a widespread and known issue of, during the automated firmware update process, the vehicles battery being drained completely. This causes the vehicle to lose all power and the head unit to then fail the update process which creates a failure state for the headunit. In this particular case the headunit is "bricked" prescribled troubleshooting steps have been attempted but screen only displays: ("Software Update Update failed. Please re-insert USB Device.") according to a dealership service technician needs to be replaced. But there are none available for order. 2021 Ram 1500 BH UC 4 8.4" w/o nav.
I was driving on the highway going the speed limit and the car suddenly slowed to 35 and all sorts of lights (check engine light and others) came on and messages went across the screen about the throttle control and stability control. This is the 4th time this has happened to me. Each time I bring it to the dealer and am told "its a known computer glitch" or that there is a fix but it continues to happen again. Suddenly losing power and speed has caused other drivers to slam on breaks, swerve, etc. In order to reset the car I have to pull over on the highway to restart it. This is putting my safety and the safety of others at risk.
I put the car in drive and heard a loud bang. When I went to move it sounded like metal scraping. It turns out the front differential cracked and came loose making the truck inoperable. The truck was not off road and has been well taken care of. The part is three weeks on back order for a new front axle because this is happening to many of the RAM trucks.
eTorque MGU hybrid motor going out with unexpected loss of power and stopping. Upon failure vehicle lost power and became inoperable. Both independent service center and dealer service center confirmed the eTorque MGU hybrid motor is failing. Upon further research thousands of these MGU hybrid motors are failing unexpectedly. No remedy in sight and manufacturer indicates no eta on availability of parts to fix.
While towing, my truck threw P00AF-00 Turbocharger Boost Control Module "A" Performance and ABS C121C-00 Torque Request Signal Denied codes and I lost power due to turbocharger not engaging. Alarms that were lit included CEL, Service Electronic Throttle Control, and the Stabilizer system. The safety aspect is the loss of power while towing on a highway. The original code was cleared by my hometown dealer and vehicle ran well. 130 miles later it happened again, cleared by dealer in Parkersburg WV On the way home it happened a 3rd time. After parking for half an hour the alarm lights went off and I had full power. A day later the CEL also went off leaving no evidence of a problem on my dash. The vehicle is scheduled at the local dealer tomorrow (9/29/25) The trailer and truck combination was well within the towing limits of the vehicle. There are various threads in RAM owner groups that allude to this problem in the Gen 3 Ecodiesel The truck is under an extended warranty from MOPAR...hope they resolve the problem
ABS warning lights and electronic brake lights continually come on and having to be repaired
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026