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253 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the powertrain was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
ABS FAILURE, WHICH TURNS OFF TRACTION CONTROL AND CRUISE CONTROL. This is a known issue for the HCU to fail. How is this not a recall on 2016 but it is on 17 and 18. Same parts.... have replace front hubs with new ABS sensors and rear ABS sensors, still on. It has to be the HCU…
Vibration between 65 and 84 MPH. Started having problem at 14000 miles. Allegedly, dealer found axles to be warped (sure they were) and replaced (unlikely)...but thinking it was lip service to get me out the door and leave them alone (no evidence provided after service of…
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Ram 2500. While traveling various speeds, the 4 wheel drive lever would shift independently and the "4 wheel drive shift in progress" warning message would illuminate. The contact took the vehicle to several Dodge dealers, including athens Dodge…
I would like to add my vehicle to the list of ones with the steering linkage issue. I have a 2016 Ram 2500 diesel and after I purchased the truck used with 34000 miles the steering felt loose so I crawled under it and quickly found the. Coupling for straightening the steering…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An engine that stalls without warning increases the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. RQ25003 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 253 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 RAM 2500 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2016 RAM 2500 is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the powertrain was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: Powertrain: 56 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 12,000–50,000 mi; Electrical system: 31 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 18,000–34,000 mi; Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 56 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 41,772 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 33,250 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 253 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.