RAM 2500 reliability by year
35 recalls and 4,751 owner complaints across 14 model years. Best year to buy: 2026. Year to avoid: 2018.
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 7 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026 . 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 14 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the 2500 aggregated across 14 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a RAM 2500?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2026 RAM 2500 scores 8.0/10 — the strongest in the 2013–2026 range. 20 complaints on file, 3 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which RAM 2500 year should I avoid?
The 2018 RAM 2500 scores 5.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 2,507 owner complaints with NHTSA, 4 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2018 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the RAM 2500 should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2019 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 25 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 3,800–10,000 mi); 2018 (avoid — the steering — 1 fatality report and 6 crash-related complaints on the steering); 2016 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 56 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 12,000–50,000 mi); 2014 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 56 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 20,000–68,000 mi); 2017 (high-risk ownership — steering: 49 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 30,000–71,000 mi); 2015 (high-risk ownership — steering: 43 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 18,000–71,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2025, 2024, 2021, 2026, 2020. 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 2500 are tracked?
14 model years (2013 through 2026) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 35 recalls and 4,751 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the RAM 2500?
brakes is the most-reported category — 2,037 complaints across 11 model years. Average shop repair runs about $450.