SHOCK ABSORBER - SUSPENSION
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 RAM 1500 suspension problems
severe Owners of the 2020 RAM 1500 have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the suspension at roughly $900 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See suspension across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
| Model year | suspension complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 1500 | 62 |
| 2017 1500 | 41 |
| 2018 1500 | 19 |
| 2019 1500 | 24 |
| 2020 1500 (this page) | 13 |
| 2021 1500 | 5 |
1crash
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering suspension on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SHOCK ABSORBER - SUSPENSION
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Lower Ball Joint / Lower Control Arm Servicing Updates.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Shock And Strut Diagnosis And Replacement Guidelines Leaking, noisy, or weak shocks or struts.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SHOCK ABSORBER – SUSPENSION & SHOCKS - REAR
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners have reported steering and suspension failures severe enough to cause complete loss of control. The most dramatic involve upper ball joint separation (narratives #2, #7) and rear wheel detachment (narrative #3)—both resulted in the vehicle leaving the roadway with no warning. A separate group describes "death wobble," sudden uncontrolled swerving at normal speeds, typically over bumps or during turns; one owner (narrative #1) almost got hit by another vehicle after the truck spun out on a highway.
Air suspension has been a recurring problem (narratives #6, #8, #10). The system loses pressure slowly or suddenly with no warning lights, causing the frame to drop to the ground and rendering the truck undrivable. Owners report the issue is worse in cold weather—one owner noted the system freezes in winter and only thaws in a warm garage temporarily.
A few owners describe misalignment or contact issues: one (narrative #5) reported the spindle hitting the lower control arms during turns, damaging both arms, along with jerking during downshifting; a transmission software update did not fix it. Another owner (narrative #4) discovered the dealer installed wrong springs during a recall repair meant to address improper assembly. One owner's push-to-start button failed on the highway, causing engine shutdown, with a loose CV axle found during diagnosis (narrative #9). Dealers have been inconsistent in diagnosis and repair—several said they found no fault or couldn't determine the cause.
Same RAM 1500 suspension reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Death wobble / steering/suspension instability
Sudden loss of vehicle control during normal driving, particularly over bumps or corners, with uncontrolled lane shifts and inability to steer. Accompanied by tire squirm and extreme steering feel.
When: Various speeds; Narrative #1 at 15,000 miles, Narrative #2 no mileage stated, Narrative #5 at 36,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle swerves across lanes without driver input; Loss of steering control; Vehicle spins out; Sudden pull to one side; Tire folding under itself; Spindle contact with lower control arms during turns; Jerking during downshift
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #1: Unknown module replaced; tire replacement did not resolve. Narrative #2: Right front upper ball joint separated, damaged upper control arm, drive shaft, steering linkage, brakes, brake line. Narrative #5: Two dealers found no fault; transmission software update performed but failure persisted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #1: Case opened and referred to dealer, then closed after dealer communication. Narrative #5: Manufacturer stated issue was normal driving operation.
Upper ball joint failure
Upper ball joint or socket separates or fails under normal driving conditions, causing immediate loss of vehicle control and catastrophic suspension damage.
When: Narrative #7 at 57,000 miles at 40 MPH; Narrative #2 no mileage but dealer inspection showed no issues 2 days prior
Symptoms owners cite: Ball joint separation from socket; Tire pushed under vehicle; Complete loss of control; Vehicle slides 100+ feet
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #7: First dealer diagnosed need for brake line, both control arms, and trans axle replacement (not repaired). Second dealer repaired with brake line, lower control arm, and trans axle replacement. Narrative #2: Dealership diagnosis confirmed right front upper ball joint separated; caused damage to front end components including upper control arm, drive shaft, steering linkage, brakes, tire, brake line.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #7: Manufacturer notified of failure.
Rear wheel/axle detachment
Rear wheel separates from axle causing total loss of vehicle control, significant damage to rear axle, and vehicle becoming non-operable.
When: Narrative #3, no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Rear driver-side wheel detached from axle; Immediate loss of control; Vehicle left roadway; All airbags deployed; Tailgate dislodged; No warning lights prior to incident
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #3: Severe damage to axle observed. Vehicle deemed total loss by insurance. Wheel found cracked at scene.
Rear suspension collapse / improper spring installation
Rear coil springs fail to provide adequate support, causing vehicle frame to sag and become unleveled. Dealer failed to install correct factory-specified lift springs during recall repair.
When: Narrative #4 at 10,500 miles when hitching trailer
Symptoms owners cite: Rear springs collapsed under load; Vehicle no longer level; Loss of suspension support
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #4: Recall required replacement of all four coil springs with 1-inch lift springs. Dealer replaced with standard coil springs instead. Dealer stated unable to change sales codes on vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #4: Recall notification issued for improper assembly (wrong lift springs installed at factory). Manufacturer case opened; contact awaiting callback. Vehicle not repaired.
Air suspension malfunction / loss of pressure
Air suspension system loses pressure intermittently or completely, causing frame to lower to ground with no warning. May affect one or all four suspension corners. Freezes in cold weather and becomes inoperable.
When: Narrative #6 at 300 miles; Narratives #8, #10 no mileage stated. Weather-dependent, most failures in cold conditions.
Symptoms owners cite: Frame lowers unexpectedly after parking; Loss of air pressure with no warning lights; Affects one or multiple suspension corners inconsistently; System freezes in cold weather; Front suspension slowly loses pressure until bottoming out; Becomes undrivable when pressure lost
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #6: Dealer unable to determine cause after multiple visits. Narrative #8: Dealer unable to diagnose whether bags or compressor failed; parts changed until corrected. Narrative #10: Parking in warm garage thaws system but refreezes quickly when back in use.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #6: Manufacturer notified.
Push button start failure with collateral damage
Push-to-start button sticks or fails during highway operation causing engine shutdown and loss of power. Associated with loose CV axle creating additional safety concern.
When: Narrative #9 at 69,000 miles during highway driving; truck less than 5 years old
Symptoms owners cite: Push button stuck; Engine shutdown on highway; Loss of power while driving; Loose CV axle detected during diagnosis
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #9: Dealer found push button stuck, air damper cannot close, CV axle loose.
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
While traveling down C470 Eastbound my truck experienced some type of mechanical failure. While on the corner above the bridge for Wadsworth Avenue I felt a sudden loss of control with the truck pulling to the right side of the highway. I immediately took action to pull the truck off the highway while also wrestling for control of the steering to keep the truck from running into the barrier and…
Had suspension trouble with your 2020 RAM 1500?
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 suspension problem on the 2020 RAM 1500?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, suspension issues most often appear around 29,625 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension 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 suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension 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/2020/RAM/1500.
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.