RAM 1500 reliability by year
69 recalls and 10,344 owner complaints across 13 model years. Best year to buy: 2024. Year to avoid: 2019.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 8 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2021, 2024, 2025 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 13 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the 1500 aggregated across 13 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a RAM 1500?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2024 RAM 1500 scores 7.4/10 — the strongest in the 2013–2025 range. 68 complaints on file, 3 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which RAM 1500 year should I avoid?
The 2019 RAM 1500 scores 3.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 1,431 owner complaints with NHTSA, 16 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2019 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the RAM 1500 should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2020 (avoid — the powertrain — 1 fatality report and 1 crash-related complaint on the powertrain); 2017 (avoid — the steering — 10 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the engine); 2016 (avoid — the electrical system — 15 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2015 (avoid — the engine — 28 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the engine); 2014 (avoid — the steering — 9 fire-related complaints and 2 crash-related complaints on the engine); 2013 (avoid — the electrical system — 6 fire-related complaints and 2 crash-related complaints on the electrical system). The cleaner years on the data are 2025, 2024, 2021. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the RAM 1500 are tracked?
13 model years (2013 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 69 recalls and 10,344 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the RAM 1500?
steering is the most-reported category — 2,453 complaints across 11 model years. Average shop repair runs about $700.