101 of the 1,130 complaints about the 2021 RAM 1500 are about the other systems — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 500 miles.
101
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I initiated a turn and the steering wheel suddenly and forcefully moved in the opposite direction of my steering input. The steering wheel was pulled out of my hand. I was unable to maintain the intended steering direction and the vehicle was involved in a collision. This was not an intentional steering maneuver or ordinary loss of traction.
NHTSA complaint #11758255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Multiple times this has happened when I engaged in reverse the screen will be blank and can't see anything. It will take a couple of times of driving,parking and turning on and off the truck before it turns back on. This is a major safety concern as i can not see anything as i reverse. This does not happen every time but does happen often. I haven't had it checked out professionally because it hasn't been permanent but I do have Multiple videos of the problem recurring that I can send.
NHTSA complaint #11756871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Engine ticking and trunk lock latch not opening
NHTSA complaint #11755099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The leather-wrapped dashboard on my 2021 Ram 1500 is bubbling and delaminating on both the driver and passenger sides. The material is lifting and separating from the base, creating glare and reflections that impair forward visibility while driving. It also raises potential concerns with passenger airbag deployment due to the distorted/bubbling surface over the airbag module area. This is a widespread known defect on 2019–2021 RAM trucks with leather dashboards. I have an open case with Ram Customer Care (#96620269) where only partial coverage was offered. Attached are photos showing the bubbling/delamination on both sides. This defect affects safe vehicle operation. Please investigate.
NHTSA complaint #11746001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In January I experienced a “backlite leak” that allowed water to enter the cab of my vehicle. As a direct result of this water intrusion, my RFH (Radio Frequency Hub) module failed due to electrical shorting caused by moisture exposure. This failure was sudden and completely outside of my control and was not the result of misuse, neglect, or normal wear and tear. Not to mention the risk it put my family in as I was driving with my wife and daughter when the module failed and caused total power failure. I was driving down the road with my family in the vehicle when without any warning the truck completely shut down and didn’t have any power. I brought it to the dealership I bought it from and they stated they fixed the leak and replaced the RFH. Fast forward to this past week, there was another leak in the rear window. The dealership then stated it was a faulty back window unit that needs to be completely replaced. Stellantis (formerly FCA) previously acknowledged this defect through extended warranty coverage. However, my vehicle’s model year was later excluded despite being affected by the same known issue. This exclusion is particularly concerning given that the defect ultimately caused collateral electrical damage beyond the window itself. Given the documented nature of this issue, its prior recognition under extended warranty, and the risk of safety it put my family in I wanted to document this issue
NHTSA complaint #11746081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2021 Ram 1500, rear window leaked after it rained. (Common problem with these trucks, even a class action law suit because of this issue). Leak was bad enough to cause severe electrical damage, truck will not start. There is an extended warranty related to this issue BUT according to Ram my truck does not qualify…..
NHTSA complaint #11741285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle serpentine belt is faulty and has required multiple replacements. The belt has cause multiple close calls with traffic accidents
NHTSA complaint #11739617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
[XXX] Fire occurred while driving [XXX] my Ram 2021 and it was like a mini blast with a lot of sparks as I saw in a rear-view mirror. Everything went out on the dashboard and the car stopped at the Top of Wolf Creek Pass [XXX] . I got out of the car and saw a small fire burning under the car. The fire under the car went out on its own. The very shape of the hole (perfectly round) in my muffler indicates an explosion that occurred simultaneously. Also, the fused edges of the round hole indicate a high temperature during this explosion and fire. I disagree that this fair damage [XXX] my Ram 2021 3.0 ecodiesel [XXX] is considered from Progressive insurance as simple "wear and tear." estimate only $1669,78. Garber Collision Pontiac repaired the Ram 2021 by 04.24.2026 and replaced the damaged wiring harness ($1161 self-pay) as required by Progressive. After this repair, the Ram 2021 was unable to move and was delivered to the Tucson Ram dealer on 05/04/2026. The dealer did not indicate the root cause of the damage in the estimate. The car was also returned to me by the dealer. When I asked the dealer on 05.12.2026 to indicate the root cause of the damage, the dealer replied that he was not aware of such a similar damage and indicated that the warranty on the car has expired and there are no open recalls. But The dealer's initial assessment from 05.13.2026 (estimates $9325.25) indicates the fire was caused by a failure of the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler, which is a known issue (similar to recall VB1/19V-757) where the cooler cracks, leaks coolant, and causes a fire in the intake manifold. This is a component failure resulting in an explosion/fire, not typical wear. I need a diagnostic report that specifically mentions the EGR cooler failure as the source of the fire. I give my full consent for Ram Manufacturing to send an independent inspector to me for Ram 2021 3.0 Ecodisel INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11738547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle experienced an overheating condition immediately after being picked up from dealership service on April 11, 2026. Within a short distance of driving, a warning appeared and the vehicle became unsafe to operate, requiring it to be pulled over and towed. The dealership later stated that coolant was low but also reported no leaks. This condition should have been identified and corrected while the vehicle was in their custody prior to release. The failure created a safety risk because the vehicle could not be operated safely on the roadway and required immediate removal from traffic. The issue occurred without prior warning before the failure following service.
NHTSA complaint #11733482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving, a deer entered the roadway. I applied the brakes to avoid hitting the deer and lost traction due to icy road conditions. The vehicle spun out and struck a utility pole. I later became aware of an open recall involving the ABS and/or electronic stability control (ESC) system for this vehicle. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts before or after the incident. The vehicle did not maintain stability as expected during braking on ice. I am unsure whether the ABS/ESC system functioned properly at the time of the incident. The crash resulted in vehicle damage and property damage. To my knowledge, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. After crash, airbags did not deploy no fluids leaked no warning lights ever came on dash before or after crash
NHTSA complaint #11730807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is water coming into the vehicles cab via the rear window and is getting electrical components under the rear window wet. Took vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. Concluded water coming into cab of vehicle from top of rear glass. Frame of window is likely culprit. General concern 05CHZ-01 THIS IS A VERY KNOWN ISSUE
NHTSA complaint #11724788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear window glass crumbled/shattered around frame causing leaks around the window and glass fragments to fall out onto roadway. There was a extended warranty issued for this reason on my make and model year of truck due to the frame cracking and allowing water to get into the frame but was told my vehicle wasn't included. I live in Ohio so and water in the frame with fluctuations in temps especially extreme would cause this situation.
NHTSA complaint #11709316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ESC malfunction
NHTSA complaint #11706498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am reporting a safety-related exhaust leak on my 2021 Ram 1500. The vehicle has a persistent exhaust leak which may allow fumes to enter the cabin and poses a health and safety hazard. Over the past 6–9 months, I attempted multiple times to have this issue repaired under my warranty at the authorized dealership (Jimmy Britt CDJR, now Joe Maus CDJR in Dublin, GA). However, the dealership refused to schedule a proper appointment and would only tell me to “drop it off” with no estimated timeframe and no loaner vehicle. Because I rely on the truck for work, I cannot leave it indefinitely. The dealership’s refusal has prevented me from obtaining repair of this safety defect, and I am forced to continue driving with a known hazard. This appears to be a safety-related defect involving the exhaust system, and the manufacturer and dealership have not provided an adequate means to repair it.
NHTSA complaint #11703984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The uconnect radio system freezes. It will do this and then reset. Sometimes it resets multiple times before working. It will freeze when using the backup camera. The entire screen will be frozen until it resets itself it takes approximately 60 seconds for it to reset.
NHTSA complaint #11691393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was told by the dealer that the exhaust bolts for the Y pipe to the extension pipe are broken causing my exhaust to be louder than normal. My truck is 4 years old and I expect that the exhaust hardware would last longer than 4 years but apparently not. This condition may allow exhaust fumes to leak into the cab area of the vehicle potentially leading to someone getting sick or worse causing an accident from potentially loosing consciousness while driving. I went to a forum where they discussed this issue of the broken bolts on the Dodge Ram Trucks.
NHTSA complaint #11682334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driving on highway lost all power sudden shut down of motor pulled off highway immediately ,autoshifted into park skidding in gravel unable to restart had towed to dealer,,they put in new under hood battery at my expense (was charging system failure) part needed was backordered. Got truck back home running lower than normal voltage local dealer claiming nothing wrong with it ,,diag from other dealership says otherwise,,,this isnt just a mechanical issue, its a safety issue as i drive alot.
NHTSA complaint #11679160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The NoLimitz module cause my vehicle to shut off while in motion 1 time, and lose critical controls to safely operate the vehicle while in motion twice (power steering, gauge cluster, power brakes). Even though the engine still ran, once shut off it would not start again or go into neutral. I conclude the issue was the device as the power light on it was off (it should remain on when the ignition is in run or ACC as stated on the instructions from the manufactory). Once I un-plugged and re-plugged the module back in, everything returned to normal other than DTCs.
NHTSA complaint #11678851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Went to start the vehicle with the key fob and the vehicle would not start. Had it towed to ram dealership and was told that the RF hub module needed to be replaced due to being damaged from water at leaked in from the rear window. Upon researching online forums, this seems to be an ongoing problem for this making model because of where the module is located. If there is not already in the works, there should be because this will continue to happen, especially where it rains a lot.
NHTSA complaint #11677228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2021 ram 1500 rear window seal is failing , water leaking in cab creating mold under floor mats.
NHTSA complaint #11667656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I've had 2 incidents so far. 1. I stopped at a 2 way stop and as I accelerated to drive across the intersection (a truck was coming at me on my right side) my truck hesitated and I had no power to continue to go forward. I stepped on the gas, it revved up and continue to cross the road. 2. I was driving around a roundabout and went to accelerate on the straight away and it had a hesitation, I lost power (control ). I pressed on the gas a couple of times and then it came back and I was accelerating fast onto the on ramp.
NHTSA complaint #11662033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Unknown
NHTSA complaint #11648586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My passenger side sun visor came lose where the arm attaches to the roof. I believe there are recall on certain 2019-2020 Ram trucks for this same issue. In researching on the internet, it appears this is a rampant problem on both driver and passenger Sun visors. Not being able to use the sun visors properly could significantly impact visibility not to mention potential electrical issues due to the vanity wiring being strained and possibly exposed. This is a major safety concern.
NHTSA complaint #11644782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My truck is equipped with a swing gate tailgate. Today I tried to open the tailgate multiple times and it would not open. It would not let down, nor would the swing gate open.
NHTSA complaint #11643226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have had 2 separate instances where I had my foot on the brake and the accelerator kicked in, the engine revved up and the truck tried to move forward all while I had my foot still pressed down as hard as I could on the brake. Once the engine was not revving any longer, I put the truck in park and sat for a second so I could gather my composure. After I sat for a second and put it back in Drive it didn't do it again. This happened in the same manner both times. It happened once in October 2024 and the 2nd time in January 2025.
NHTSA complaint #11641356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The bolts that connect the two parts of the exhaust pipe, about midway on the truck, sheared off. The truck is a 2021 with only 47,000 miles on. These bolts should not be shearing off like this
NHTSA complaint #11640466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am submitting this report to alert the NHTSA of potential safety violations and undisclosed structural damage, drivetrain modifications, and possible engine replacement regarding my 2021 RAM 1500, which was purchased from Courtesy Chevrolet after being previously owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Unreported Frame Damage & Structural Repairs Multiple inconsistent and unseen frame welds were discovered, indicating prior accident damage and unreported frame repair. Frame welds do not match factory precision welding, suggesting post-factory reinforcement or structural fixes. Undisclosed Transmission Swap from 8-Speed to 6-Speed According to NHTSA records and the vehicle’s VIN, my RAM 1500 was manufactured with an 8-speed transmission. After purchase, I discovered that the 8-speed had been swapped for an older 6-speed transmission (6HP70), which was never disclosed. This creates potential drivability and safety concerns, as the truck’s ECU may not be calibrated for the correct transmission. Possible Undisclosed Engine Swap The engine in my truck has multiple ink and paint markings, which are commonly seen on replacement engines. RFID engine label does not provide a matching serial number, making it difficult to confirm if the engine is original. The casting number on the engine sticker is inconsistent with the vehicle’s model year and VIN (2021), raising concerns that it may be from an older model. Engine mount bolts and wiring appear disturbed, suggesting prior removal and reinstallation. If my truck has an older or higher-mileage engine, this impacts performance, emissions compliance, warranty status, and safety. Lack of Maintenance Records & Vehicle History Transparency
NHTSA complaint #11639305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I just purchased a new truck on Friday and was told on car fax it had a open recall .On 1/20/25 around 0835 I arrived at service entrance and was not greeted or checked in after being told I would be charged a diagnosis fee for a very important safety recall related to ABS . I would like this incident investigated as it jeopardizes my and my family safety . Also told him the truck was under warranty and the wireless charging for phones was not working and got bring it back to where you bought it . I requested his supervisor and he walked away and acted like he was on the phone . This is my only local dodge dealer and now forced to goad hour south to get this fixed . I took a card because service manager never came out to address me as customer this dealership needs looked into .I think I was also discriminated at for being Caucasian as both service techs are Hispanic info email of service manager from card is Location of Dodge dealer . The person that wanted to charge me avoided me asking his name but had long curly hair and younger thug attitude guy . Also was told to leave after like anyone would be upset of a safety recall that are free and being told I would be charged. I’m requesting an investigation into this matter and or pursuing legal action . I know it’s a federal holiday and I have a 3 day weekend but hope this matter can be addressed soon as this is not right . Thank you . New Century Motors of Santa Barbara 300 Hitchcock Way Santa Barbara Ca 93105 aaguilera@newcenturymotors.com
NHTSA complaint #11637060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Just driving normal condition and speed all of a sudden my car jam or brake on it’s own, causing a quick sudden jerk and almost getting hit from the back. All of my front sensors and back sensors was shut off at this time.
NHTSA complaint #11630309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
dash board is bubbling and the vehicle has 46k miles.
NHTSA complaint #11629512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.