Crack inside wheel approximate to valve stem causing liw air pressure. Had I not caught it in time this could have been catastrophic. Half a million of these trucks are sold every year, which equals 3 million more if these mexican steel rims on the road which the same potential!!! And the cheaply constructed rims are mounted in a less than sufficient suspension system.
2014 RAM 3500 wheels problems
severe 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $400 · see wheels across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$400
1crash
What stands out
No new NHTSA wheels complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: 2014 Ram 3500 wheels and wheel components are subject to multiple critical failure modes—structural rim cracks, stud fractures, complete detachments, and bearing failures—often with no warning at highway speeds and serious injury/crash risk, especially under towing. Repairs are frequently denied by dealers and the manufacturer.
Owners of 2014 Ram 3500 trucks consistently report wheel and wheel-component failures that occur abruptly at highway speed, often with no prior warning. The most serious involve complete wheel detachment caused by fractured studs or rim cracks. Multiple owners documented wheels detaching at 50–60 MPH, with one instance resulting in a wheel crossing the highway and striking a median. Aluminum wheel rims crack on their outer edges, particularly on the front axle, developing hairline fractures that are difficult to spot during routine inspection—a concern for owners who don't perform daily wheel checks. Structural cracks and stud failures have recurred even after dealer replacement of the studs. Owners also report sealed wheel bearing hubs failing at 74,000 miles with no prior noise or symptom until failure, and rim cracks adjacent to valve stems causing slow air loss. Alignment issues appear early, wearing out tires three times by 31,000 miles in one case. A tire pressure sensor on the left front wheel failed in another instance. One owner reported Nexen Rodian OEM tire tread delamination at 9,600 miles. Dealers and the manufacturer have consistently refused to cover these failures under warranty or to investigate root causes, leaving owners liable for repairs despite the safety risks these failures pose to occupants and other motorists.
Same RAM 3500 wheels reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Structural cracks in aluminum wheels (front)
Alcoa factory aluminum wheels develop structural cracks on the outer lip of the front wheels. Cracks can be hairline and difficult to detect, posing risk of sudden rim failure, tire destruction, or air loss, particularly under towing and heavy-load use.
When: Second occurrence reported; no specific mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Visible cracks on outer edge of front wheel rim; Hairline cracks difficult to detect during visual inspection; No warning signs during operation
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel replacement required; dealership and manufacturer refused to cover under warranty
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership and manufacturer declined responsibility for replacement or repair
Wheel stud failures (front and rear)
Wheel studs fracture or shear off, causing wheel detachment at highway speed. Failure documented at 165,000–298,712 miles; replacement of all 32 studs performed but failures recurred in at least one case. One documented incident resulted in rear wheel detachment crossing highway and striking median.
When: 165,000–298,712 miles; recurrent failures on same vehicle after repair
Symptoms owners cite: Wheels stuck beneath vehicle during operation; Wheel detachment at 50–60 MPH; Bent wheel(s); Lug nuts sheared off; Passenger-side rear studs fractured; Vehicle sway when studs fail
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel stud replacement; in one case, all 32 studs replaced but failure recurred
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer contacted but provided no additional assistance beyond warranty notification
Wheel rim fractures and detachment
Front passenger-side or other rims fracture without warning at highway speed (50–60 MPH), causing loss of control and vehicle crashes into roadside. Wheels detach completely in multiple instances.
When: 200,000 miles (one case); 165,000 miles (another case); no mileage stated for others
Symptoms owners cite: Rim fracture at 50–60 MPH; Complete wheel detachment; No warning indicators or sounds before failure; Vehicle crash into ditch; Wheel striking median and crossing highway
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel replacement by owner; dealer noted failure but provided no repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer promised callback; callback did not occur
Wheel bearing/hub unit failure (left front)
Sealed wheel bearing hub unit fails with no maintenance interval or warning. Owner noted odd noise at highway speed; failure could have resulted in loss of steering and braking at speed.
When: 74,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Odd noise after highway operation; Potential loss of steering; Potential loss of braking
Repairs/costs cited: Not detailed; unit is sealed and cannot be greased
Wheel rim cracks near valve stem
Internal cracks in wheel rim adjacent to valve stem cause slow air pressure loss. Owner detected low tire pressure before catastrophic failure occurred.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Low air pressure in tire; Internal crack visible near valve stem
Tire pressure sensor malfunction (TPMS)
Tire pressure monitoring system sensor on left front wheel stopped reporting; error message appears at startup. Towing a fifth wheel at the time of failure; sensor issue manifested immediately upon trip start.
When: Secondary streets, early in trip; no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: TPMS sensor stopped working on left front wheel; Error message: 'Have sensor system serviced'; No PSI displayed on console for left front; Other sensors functioning normally; Actual tire pressure was normal
Codes mentioned: TPMS service error
Uneven front wheel alignment causing tire wear
Front wheels lose alignment, causing accelerated and uneven tire wear on the outer edge. Tires replaced three times by 31,000 miles due to alignment drift; dealership inspection noted no camber adjustment available for this model.
When: 31,000 miles (three tire replacements)
Symptoms owners cite: Outer-edge tire wear (right front); Tire movement back and forth when jacked; Excessive play in upper ball joint (owner observation; dealership disputed)
Repairs/costs cited: Tire replacements; dealership allegedly refused ball joint service under warranty
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership service manager refused to perform further inspection
Wheel rim splits and air leaks
Wheel rims split longitudinally, allowing rapid air escape and severe vehicle pull. Split allows air to escape but does not result in complete detachment in reported cases.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Rim splits open; Rapid air loss; Severe pull to steering side; No warning before failure
Complete wheel detachment during towing
While towing a four-horse horse trailer, entire wheel detached without warning. Owner stranded and forced to take evasive action to avoid accident.
When: Not specified; towing operation
Symptoms owners cite: Wheel detachment without warning; No prior symptoms or warnings
Tire tread delamination (OEM Nexen Rodian tires)
Original-equipment Nexen Rodian 235/80R17 tires exhibit tread delamination from carcass, causing out-of-round tire and severe vibration at highway speed. Failure occurred at 9,600 miles on new tire.
When: 9,600 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Tread delaminated from tire carcass; Tire out-of-round; Severe vibration at highway speed
Repairs/costs cited: Tire replacement
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Right steer wheel split, allowing air to escape creating a severer pull to the right. Thankfully, the wheel did not come completely apart or this could have been catastrophic, as I drive nationwide.
Had wheels trouble with your 2014 RAM 3500?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the wheels problem on the 2014 RAM 3500?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $400.
At what mileage does the wheels typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most wheels failures cluster between 46,150 and 200,000 miles, with the median around 74,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 46,150; a quarter make it past 200,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $400 for wheels repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to wheels?
No active recalls currently cover wheels issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/RAM/3500.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.