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The 2020 RAM 2500 has 161 NHTSA owner complaints and 10 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2020 RAM 2500 has 161 NHTSA owner complaints and 10 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is fuel system at 30 complaints, typically surfacing around 49,876 miles (~$1,200 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 2500 | 676 | 12 |
| 2018 2500 | 2,515 | 10 |
| 2019 2500 | 189 | 12 |
| 2020 2500 (this page) | 161 | 10 |
| 2021 2500 | 104 | 8 |
| 2022 2500 | 0 | 12 |
| 2023 2500 | 0 | 8 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
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.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2020 Ram 2500 Crew PU/CC 4WD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: fuel system is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 49,876 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 10 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 5.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The 6.7 Cummins in the 2019-plus Ram 2500 and 3500 is, by raw engine standards, one of the better diesels you can buy. 1,000 lb-ft of torque, big iron block, factory rated for 30,000 miles between oil changes if you wanna go that long, and it’ll pull a trailer full of cattle from Garland to Amarillo without complaining once.
The problem ain’t the engine. The problem is everything bolted to it to meet emissions.
If you’re shopping a late-model Ram 2500 or 3500 with the 6.7 Cummins, here’s what you actually need to know about owning one of these trucks long-term.
Starting in 2019, Ram switched from the Bosch CP3 fuel pump (which everybody loved) to the Bosch CP4.2 (which everybody hates). The CP4 generates higher injection pressure for cleaner emissions. It also has tighter internal tolerances that don’t tolerate dirty fuel, water in fuel, or bad fuel filters.
When a CP4 fails, it doesn’t just fail. The internal cam follower roller wears down or breaks, and metal shavings get pumped into every injector and every fuel rail at high pressure. That metal embeds itself in injector tips, in the fuel rails, in the fuel cooler, in the lift pump, in everything. A CP4 catastrophic failure means replacing the whole fuel system — pump, eight injectors, both rails, lift pump, fuel cooler, and a thorough flush of every line.
That’s a $10,000-15,000 repair. Outside of warranty, that’s the kinda bill that makes a man sell a truck.
Ram extended the warranty on the CP4 to 5 years/100,000 miles after enough lawsuits piled up. So if your truck’s still under that, you’re covered. After that, you’re playing roulette every time you fill up at a no-name diesel pump.
The aftermarket fix that actually works: a CP3 swap kit. Several companies (Industrial Injection, S&S Diesel, others) sell kits that delete the CP4 and put a CP3 back in. About $2,500 for the kit, $1,500-2,000 labor. Total $4,000-4,500. Pricey but cheaper than the eventual CP4 failure, and you get a pump that runs forever on clean fuel.
The diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system on the 6.7 Cummins is finicky. The DEF heater, the metering pump, the NOx sensors, the SCR catalyst — every one of those components fails eventually, and most of them don’t have cheap replacements.
Common DEF system issues:
If you ignore the DEF warnings, the truck will progressively reduce power and eventually refuse to start. EPA requirements. Ford and GM have the same setup with the same problems.
The 6.7 Cummins uses a variable geometry turbo (VGT) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler, both of which are heat-soaked and soot-loaded by design. Either one can fail at 80,000-150,000 miles.
I’m not gonna pretend EGR deletes don’t happen. Every diesel shop in DFW does ‘em. Federal enforcement is light. State enforcement is essentially nonexistent on these trucks. Your call. I’m just telling you what’s out there.
A 2019-plus Ram 2500/3500 with the 6.7 Cummins is a yes if:
A 2007-2018 6.7 Cummins (which uses the CP3 pump, not the CP4) is generally a better long-term play. The pre-emissions-regulation versions of these trucks are sought after for a reason.
If you already own one:
The 6.7 Cummins itself is a great engine. The fuel and emissions systems Ram bolted to it for emissions compliance are the long-term ownership tax. Go in eyes open and these trucks earn their keep. Go in expecting an old-school Cummins simplicity and you’ll be disappointed and broke.
Transmission dipstick threw out of the truck while moving and causes transmission fluid to spray out and now the truck will not move. It’s throwing 2 codes for the 3rd and 5th gears malfunctioning. There is a recall on the transmission we were not notified about until we called…
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that the Defroster/Defogger failed to work while plowing snow. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure…
The contact owns a 2020 RAM 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated on 11/20/2021, he was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated that…
TPMS system unavailable. Multiple sensors installed from Ram and 3rd party tire/wheel stores. System has been mostly unavailable for 6 months. Reported to vehicle manufacturer and the issue has been unresolved. The system is unavailable at vehicle start-up and while in motion on…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury.
An unintended tailgate opening while driving may result in a loss of unsecured cargo, possibly creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Leaking transmission fluid may contact an ignition source within the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA23001 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 5.6 out of 10 based on 161 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 RAM 2500 has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2020 RAM 2500 is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Fuel system: 30 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 21,000–93,000 mi; Reliability score 5.6/10 — around the segment average; 10 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the fuel system first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 30 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 49,876 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,200 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 5.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 161 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is fuel system. Typical failure occurs around 49,876 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is fuel system, with 30 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 49,876 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,200 at an independent shop.
The fuel system is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,200 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 49,876 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 161 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,200, 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.