Brand new truck (226 miles) STOPPED RUNNING on Interstate 90 in Montana. Very dangerous situation, although was able to pull to side of interstate and was able to tow truck to Butte Montana and no one was injured. Nonetheless, had this occurred in rural area, snowy mountain passes, pulling livestock trailer etc (purpose for which truck is intended), could have easily been life threatening.…
2021 RAM 3500 powertrain problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 11 powertrain complaints filed for the 2021 RAM 3500, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 18% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2021 Ram 3500s report a range of powertrain failures across different circumstances. The most dangerous involve sudden, unannounced engine shutdown—one at just 226 miles while traveling 75 mph on an interstate, another in a busy intersection with electronic throttle control warning. No prior warning lights preceded these events.
Transmission problems dominate the complaints. Owners describe complete transmission failure where the engine runs but the truck won't move forward or reverse. Others report transmission lockup while driving uphill, followed by loud grinding, hard slamming into gear, and repeated slipping into neutral. One owner experienced a transmission fire that caused flames from under the hood and burned transmission fluid smell; the dealer claimed inability to determine the cause.
Additional transmission issues include a truck that lurches forward unexpectedly when coming to a complete stop with brakes fully applied, nearly hitting traffic ahead, then shakes at idle. Another owner reports the transmission won't engage park, causing the truck to roll away on grades starting around 18,000 miles.
Several owners received recall notices (22V835000, 22V904000, 23V060000) but were blocked from repairs because parts remained unavailable well beyond reasonable timeframes. One owner had a fluid leak from the transmission reservoir at 60,000 miles but wasn't included in an available recall. Dealers have shown delays in scheduling diagnostics and, in some cases, inability to identify root causes despite documented failures.
Same RAM 3500 powertrain reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission fluid leak from reservoir
Transmission fluid leaking from the transmission fluid reservoir, detected as puddle under parked vehicle. Not from oil pan.
When: Approximately 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Fluid pooling under vehicle when parked
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Unknown recall mentioned but VIN not included in recall; owner referred to NHTSA Hotline
Complete engine shutdown while driving
Vehicle suddenly loses all power and stalls while traveling at highway speed (75 mph) with no prior warning. Occurred at very low mileage on brand new truck.
When: 226 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden complete loss of power at highway speed; No warning lights before stall
Electronic throttle control failure with engine shutdown
Vehicle dies in intersection with electronic throttle control warning light illuminating. Vehicle loses all power in moving traffic. No warning lights before initial shutdown event.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls while driving; Electronic throttle control warning light illuminated; Loss of power in traffic
Codes mentioned: Electronic throttle control malfunction
Transmission failure with no forward or reverse drive
After starting vehicle and depressing accelerator, transmission fails to engage; RPM raises high but no vehicle movement. Check engine light illuminates. Dealer determined transmission replacement needed but parts on backorder.
When: Approximately 64,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No forward or reverse when accelerator engaged; High RPM with no vehicle movement; Check engine warning light illuminated
Codes mentioned: Check engine
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement required; parts on backorder
Transmission fire with fluid leak
Transmission overheating warning light illuminates followed by flames coming from under hood. Truck smells of burned transmission fluid. Owner sustained hand burns attempting to extinguish fire. No prior warning lights.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission heated warning light; Flames from engine bay; Burned transmission fluid odor
Codes mentioned: Transmission heated
Repairs/costs cited: Fire damage; dealer unable to determine cause despite pictures of burned truck submitted
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recalls from February 2020 mentioned for similar problem on 2021 Ram
Transmission lockup and grinding with repeated disengagement
While driving uphill, transmission locks up and shuts down vehicle. After restart, transmission makes loud grinding noise, slams hard into gear, then disengages into neutral repeatedly while making grinding sounds.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission locks up while driving; Loud grinding noise from transmission; Hard slamming into gear; Repeated disengagement into neutral; Vehicle shutdown
Lurching forward at complete stop with idle shake
When coming to complete stop with brakes fully pressed, truck lunges forward unexpectedly, nearly striking vehicle ahead. Then idle reduces and vehicle shakes. Owner reports multiple owners have reported same issue, suspected to be faulty torque converter clutch solenoid.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lurches forward when braking at stop; Shaking idle after lunge; Nearly strikes vehicle ahead
Repairs/costs cited: Suspected faulty Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) solenoid per owner discussion
Transmission park engagement failure
Transmission will not engage park when vehicle is stopped. Vehicle will roll away if parked on grade. No warning lights before or after problem started.
When: Approximately 18,000 miles; problem started about 6 months into ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission will not go into park; Vehicle rolls away when parked on incline
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer reports no recall for this transmission issue
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V835000 (Power Train), 22V904000 (Structure), and 23V060000 (Electrical System); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts…
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed fluid on the ground underneath the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and cleaned the oil pan. The contact determined that the fluid was not coming from the oil pan. The contact inspected the transmission dip stick and determined that the leaking fluid was coming from the transmission…
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V835000 (Power Train), 22V904000 (Structure) and 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer…
Had powertrain 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 powertrain problem on the 2021 RAM 3500?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 62,000 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.