The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer…
2021 RAM 3500 electrical problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
1fire
What stands out
Electrical accounts for 21% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A 2021 Ram 3500 with electrical issues is a red flag—owners report catastrophic failures from engine fires to instrument cluster breakdowns at 621k miles, plus a massive parts shortage hampering recall repairs. Get a pre-purchase inspection that specifically checks the gauge cluster, headlight sensor function, and confirms all electrical recalls are completed with parts actually in hand.
Electrical problems on the 2021 Ram 3500 range from annoying to dangerous. The most widespread issue is a gauge cluster shutdown at 621,369 miles—the odometer, fuel gauge, and MPG display all fail simultaneously because the cluster is programmed to stop at 1,000,000 kilometers. Ram dealers confirm this and replace the entire cluster, which restarts the odometer at zero with only a door-jamb sticker to document the mileage. One commercial driver caught this en route and found it's so common owners are buying OBD readers to reset it.
A separate intermittent failure floods the dashboard: check engine, ABS, stability control, 4WD, cruise control, and trailer brake lights all come on at highway speed. Restarting the truck shuts most off, but the check engine light sticks around. One owner had a dealer replace wheel speed and ABS sensors—didn't fix it.
More serious: an owner experienced a complete engine compartment fire with no warning lights. Months later, recall 23V060000 was issued, but Stellantis denied liability for the vehicle loss.
The auto headlight sensor turns lights on and off randomly at night and gets stuck in high beam, masking the loss of driving lights—one owner spent over $1,000 rewiring a trailer before figuring that out.
The recall for electrical defects (23V060000) remains stalled: manufacturers are distributing only 3–4 parts per month, leaving owners waiting over a year for a single repair on a vehicle they've been advised not to park in garages.
Same RAM 3500 electrical reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Instrument cluster failure at 621,369 miles
Odometer, fuel gauge, and MPG gauge malfunction simultaneously. The odometer stops completely and displays no numbers. Fuel gauge and 'miles to go' indicator show inaccurate readings despite actual fuel level being correct. Check engine and low fuel warning lights illuminate. This failure is tied to the odometer being programmed to stop at 1,000,000 kilometers (621,369 miles) and resets when the gauge cluster is replaced.
When: At 621,369 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Odometer displays no numbers and stops working; MPG gauge reads 0; Fuel gauge reads low despite tank being 3/4 full; Check engine light illuminates; Low fuel warning light illuminates
Repairs/costs cited: Requires complete gauge cluster replacement. After replacement, odometer restarts at 0 miles with a sticker placed in door jamb noting mileage at time of replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: FCA acknowledges the problem and instructs dealers that gauge cluster replacement is required.
Multiple warning lights illumination and intermittent failure
Check engine, cruise control, 4WD, stability control, ABS, and trailer brake warning lights illuminate simultaneously while driving at highway speed. Lights typically turn off after vehicle restart but the check engine light remains. Failure recurs multiple times. Initial dealer diagnosis and repair of wheel speed sensor and ABS sensor did not resolve the issue.
When: At approximately 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine warning light illuminates; Cruise control warning light illuminates; 4WD warning light illuminates; Stability control warning light illuminates; ABS warning light illuminates; Trailer brake warning light illuminates; Failure recurs intermittently
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced rear passenger's side wheel speed sensor and rear passenger's side ABS sensor. Vehicle continued to experience failure despite repair. Independent shop was unable to duplicate the failure.
Engine compartment fire
Vehicle experienced a total loss fire originating in the engine compartment while driving. Owner observed smoke during highway merge, flames erupted immediately after, and the vehicle began popping sounds, forcing occupants to exit. No warning lights or indicators preceded the fire. Manufacturer denied responsibility during investigation despite fire inspection confirming origin in engine compartment.
When: September 2, 2021, at unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke visible from engine compartment; Flames erupting from engine compartment; Popping sounds from vehicle; Total loss fire
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle total loss. Insurance company and Stellantis inspections confirmed fire began in engine compartment.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer (Stellantis) investigated and denied responsibility. Recall 23V060000 (Electrical System) was issued months after the incident.
Auto headlight sensor malfunction
Automatic headlight sensor turns lights on and off randomly during night driving. High beam auto sensor keeps high beams on continuously, masking the loss of driving lights. Owner discovered the issue accidentally when trailer lights failed at night, necessitating manual light control as a workaround.
When: During night/dark driving conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights turn on and off randomly at night; High beam auto sensor keeps high beams on; Driving lights loss not immediately noticeable; Trailer lights fail due to auto-off cycles
Repairs/costs cited: Owner's workaround: manually switch light control from 'auto' to 'on'. Repair involved rewiring trailer and replacing 7-way plug connector, cost over $1,000.
Recall parts shortage - NHTSA Campaign 23V060000
Multiple owners received recall notification for Campaign 23V060000 (Electrical System) but parts required to complete the repair remain unavailable or severely delayed. One owner reported waiting over a year for a single part, with dealer ordering only one part per week. Manufacturers has sent only 3-4 parts per month according to dealer reports. This delay prevents completion of safety recall repairs.
When: Ongoing since recall notification
Symptoms owners cite: Recall parts unavailable; Months of delay for recall repair; Minimal parts distribution (3-4 per month); No estimated timeline for repair completion
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed due to parts unavailability. Owners advised not to park vehicle in garage or near other vehicles due to fire hazard.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer confirmed parts not yet available. Stellantis (successor to FCA) informed owners that parts distribution is ongoing but insufficient.
Wheel lug failure after recall repair
Right wheel separated from vehicle on interstate highway after wheel lugs sheared off. The wheel came completely off the vehicle. This occurred after a recall repair was performed prior to the owner's purchase of the vehicle.
When: After recall repair completion, timing unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Right wheel separates from vehicle; Wheel lugs shear off
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel came off on interstate; caused by sheared lugs following recall service.
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
I've had a recall on this truck for years? No parts or fix available. Why?! This needs to be fixed. Who do I cpmlain to?
While driving my truck I noticed my mpg gauge was showing 0 mpg. Then I realized my "miles to go" gauge was reading "low" even though I had plenty of fuel in the tank and my fuel gauge was showing 3/4 full. Even though I use my truck as a commercial vehicle, and drive coast to coast, I was luckily only a couple hours from home, so I kept driving to try to make it home. I did make it home, but…
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V904000 (Structure) and 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not…
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact was informed by the dealer that the manufacturer had been sending 3-4 parts per month. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
The Auto lights sensor turns lights on/off at random during dark/night driving. The high beam auto sensor keeps the high beams on, so you do not notice losing driving lights. I found this out by accident, when I started losing my trailer lights at night. Quick fix, turn the light switch to on, instead of auto. NOTE - Cost me over 1000.00 to find that out. Re-wire the trailer, replace the 7-way…
Had electrical trouble with your 2021 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 electrical problem on the 2021 RAM 3500?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 27,500 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2021/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.