365 of the
3,354 complaints filed about the RAM 3500
are about the electrical system —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2018.
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message that the trailer was not connected was displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was 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 was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 11,000.
NHTSA complaint #11758321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The recall for the brake hydraulic contol unit (C4B/NHTSA 24V-896) has not been addressed in years.....I have no brakes on my trailer from this failure. This needs fixed asap.
NHTSA complaint #11755340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Started with only 320 miles just days after purchasing this new 2026 RAM 3500 on XXX. I have taken the truck to three differ RAM dealerships as this issue continues to occur. [XXX]; [XXX]; and [XXX] Westside all had attempted to fix the issue. I had to return the truck a number of times to [XXX] and [XXX] for the same reasons. The following warmings messages are displayed: FCW/Cruise Control Unavailable Service Required - occurs when using cruise control, Service Electronic Stability Control, Auto Emergency Braking (AEB) Unavailable Service Required, Park Sense Temporarily Unavailable, Service Antilock Brake System, 4WD System Temporarily Unavailable, and Service engine light comes on. Two RAM dealers are saying the issue is the speed sensor, which has been replaced over three times. The RAM dealership had to open an engineer ticket with the manufacture, but the issue is not fixed. The Jacksonville service manger told me I can keep bringing the truck in, but until a different manufacture makes a new speed sensor, the truck will continue to have the same issue. I use the RAM 3500 to pull my RV. Brake system failure put myself and family and others safety at risk while on the road, therefore, I do not drive the truck in fear the brake system will fail and I won't be able to stop 20,000 pounds of truck and RV. The truck is available for inspection, but I am currently in the process of returning the truck under Flordia's Lemon Law. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11754877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ram 3500. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 78,546 and at the time of a Carfax report check, it was discovered that the mileage was 699,573.
NHTSA complaint #11754529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Loss of various systems while towing 14,000# trailer in hilly terrain. Loss of trailer brakes caused diminished control on the vehicle. * 4WD System Temporarily Unavailable * Service Antilock Brake System * Service Electronic Stability Control * Service Trailer Brake System The issue was previously repaired 3x. The problem originally happened 3x on the same road in the same spot. Right turn off a road, then going up hill. The first 2x lasting less than 10 miles. The 3rd, approximately 6,000 miles. This time (4th) it happened while towing 14,000# trailer. Made a left turn, then proceeded up a hill. Scanned the truck and got code C0037-2F. "Left Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Signal Erratic". Possibly issue with body / chassis / suspension flex or internal axle component being loose. The sensor was already replaced 2x, along with other components under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11749466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 RAM 3500. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal cracking sound and smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact inspected and used a fire extinguisher to slow the smoke and electrical sparks down. The contact did not notice any fire. The fire department arrived and disconnected the electrical cables to prevent further damage. The contact stated that the vehicle was inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while the contact was traveling on vacation. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was later towed to an RV service center. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
NHTSA complaint #11748890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, occasionally while activating the left turn signal to make a turn, the rear driver’s side turn signal failed to operate as intended. The message related to the brake light and turn signal was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear driver’s side brake light failed to operate as intended while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, while shifted into reverse(R), the reverse warning light fail to illuminate as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign: 24V197000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
NHTSA complaint #11747714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the seat belt warning light was intermittently illuminated while the seat belt was securely buckled. The messages "Service ESC” and “Service Trailer Brake System” were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
NHTSA complaint #11746488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Just driving down the road and abs service, traction control service, 4wd service, automatic emergency brake disabled front and rear sensor service lights come on then go off and come back on later with a check engine light vehicle has less than. 500 miles
NHTSA complaint #11745440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
3 times to date (10,000 miles/8 months) I have failing abs speed sensors. If I stop moving when all lights come on dash the truck is in operational. I cannot shift gears, put in park or turn engine off. Loose traction control, ads, 4wd, stabiltrac, speedometer. All assitive and braking functions. Code U1412. Dealer replaces speed sensors but problem returns.
NHTSA complaint #11745409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PTC heater short circuited, overheated and scorched/melted itself as well as other plastic Hvac components and sent toxic fumes into the passenger compartment via the HVAC vents. This truck has been in 2 different Dodge dealer service departments multiple times for the same failures. After repairs were performed, the same failures occurred on the way home from the dealer. The PTC heater grid sits INSIDE of the HVAC airway. I am now experiencing multiple adverse medical symptoms from these exposures.
NHTSA complaint #11745306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 3500. The contact stated that occasionally while hauling a trailer and driving at various speeds, the factory-integrated Trailer Brake Controller failed to respond as intended. Additionally, while driving during strong winds, the vehicle was pushed off the road onto the shoulder and onto the grass. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
NHTSA complaint #11744818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am the owner of a 2018 Ram 3500 subject to Recall C4B (NHTSA Recall No. 24V-896) involving the Brake Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU). The recall was announced on November 27, 2024. As of June 2026, NHTSA’s website still states that the recall is incomplete and that a remedy is not yet available for my vehicle. The defect causes active symptoms during operation. The vehicle continuously chimes while driving, similar to a seatbelt warning, and cruise control is disabled. These symptoms substantially interfere with normal operation, especially during long trips and towing. I have contacted authorized Ram dealerships and Ram Customer Care multiple times. Dealerships state that no remedy is available and refer me to Ram Customer Care. Ram Customer Care confirms that no remedy is available and provides no repair timeline or meaningful resolution. Most concerning, neither the dealerships nor Ram Customer Care will initiate a repair attempt because no repair procedure or parts exist. Owners are therefore unable to obtain repairs or even establish documented repair attempts despite the existence of an active safety recall. I was also advised that I could rent a vehicle at my own expense and potentially seek reimbursement if approved. Given that this recall has been open for more than 18 months with no available remedy or repair timeline, expecting owners to personally fund rental costs for an unknown period with only the possibility of reimbursement is unrealistic and inadequate. This open safety recall has negatively impacted the vehicle’s usability, resale value, and trade-in value while preventing owners from obtaining a repair. Stellantis acknowledges the safety defect, yet no practical remedy or alternative solution is available. I respectfully request that NHTSA review the continued lack of an available remedy, the extended delay in repairs, and the absence of a meaningful process for affected owners to obtain relief.
NHTSA complaint #11743637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There have been a couple of instances where the running boards haven’t deployed when the door has been opened. The most recent caused my 10yr old to FALL OUT IF THE TRUCK and get injured. I believe the combination that is causing it is to get in the truck, hit acc and get I’ll all windows down. Then turn off the acc and stay seated in the truck for some time. Then open the door from inside and they don’t deploy…
NHTSA complaint #11742431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My ram truck will intermittently have a Christmas tree of warning lights on the instrument cluster, which occur while driving. During these periods, I do not have access to four-wheel-drive, accident avoidance, antilock brakes, etc. If I continue driving the truck for the remainder of the day, the lights will usually go off, but will be stored in the vehicles PCM. the dealership has previously evaluated this and reports that they cannot fix or evaluate the vehicle because there is not an active warning light when I bring it to the dealership. However, when these lights occur, I could be towing a heavy trailer and have no access to the truck safety systems until the lights correct itself. This has occurred more than once. I do not take photos of the lights each time. The photo included is only one of the times. The last time I believe this occurred was on 1/29/2026. Each episode are the exact same warning lights.
NHTSA complaint #11738095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hello, I am formally documenting a serious safety incident involving my recently purchased 2026 Dodge Ram 3500 Tradesman 6.7L dually, purchased from Towbin Dodge in [XXX] , on May 9, 2026. On May 13, 2026—only five days after purchase—we were operating the truck for our dumpster business while towing a GN trailer loaded with approximately 5 tons. We were traveling down Mount Charleston after a pickup when a critical brake failure occurred. While descending the mountain grade, the truck’s braking system failed to respond. A warning light appeared on the dashboard indicating an issue with the electric brake system. We had tow/haul mode and exhaust braking engaged, but neither system functioned properly. When my father pressed the brake pedal, the vehicle did not slow down. With a steep descent ahead and no effective braking response, my father was forced to steer the vehicle off the road into a ditch to avoid a direct impact with the mountain, which could have resulted in a fatal collision. After stopping, we noticed signs of extreme brake overheating, and the system appeared to be close to catching fire. I have video and other documentation of the incident. The vehicle is currently in the dealer’s possession. This is a major safety failure occurring within days of purchase, and I am requesting a full investigation into the brake system and all related components, including any recalls, defects, or electronic braking malfunctions. I do not want the truck anymore! Given the severity and risk to life involved, I am requesting immediate action and a full resolution regarding this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11737840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The truck had about 7400 miles on it. It gave a warning that the DPF was near full and take it to dealer, about 20 minutes late it said DPF full power reduced. Two days later it cleared that code and began flashing the turn signal intermittently and giving warnings that the trailer brakes were not working, then that the tailgate was down. Shortly after that the instrument cluster went completely blank. I was driving it to the dealer when it ran out of fuel and forced me to stop on the highway. The vehicle has been at the dealer for almost 4 months now. When they replaced the dash cluster it would take too long to start. They replaced multiple modules and I believe three dash clusters before declaring it repaired. I picked it up for a test drive and the frontal collision warning came on intermittently along with a warning that automatic wipers would not work. I took it back. While at the dealership they reported to me that it developed additional issues and would not shift into gear. It is still at the dealership in Pine Bluff AR.
NHTSA complaint #11736891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Recall 26V-059 Brake lights and brakes don’t work sometimes. Dealer has no parts. Will not tell me when parts are coming. This is a serious issue and I need it fixed. It should not take this long.
NHTSA complaint #11736765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving with a trailer after leaving a jobsite in [XXX] , the vehicle experienced a sudden electrical failure while in motion. The instrument cluster/speedometer screen went completely black and the vehicle lights stopped functioning properly while driving at night. During the incident, we lost the speedometer display and visibility from the vehicle lighting system, creating a serious safety hazard while towing a trailer on public roads. Because of the electrical failure, we were forced to pull off on the side of the road to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. After shutting the truck down and waiting approximately one hour, the vehicle was restarted and the systems eventually began functioning again. This vehicle is used regularly for commercial towing and jobsite operations. A sudden loss of instrument display, lighting systems, and electrical functionality while towing creates a major safety concern for both the occupants of the vehicle and surrounding traffic. The failure appeared intermittent because the vehicle resumed operation after sitting for a period of time. However, the incident involved complete loss of critical vehicle display and lighting systems while driving. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11735967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.