FaultScore

FaultScore report

2019 RAM 5500 problems

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2019 RAM 5500 with NHTSA between 2020 and 2026. The largest single group is the fuel & propulsion. Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 8 worst.

C

FaultScore 47/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the RAM 5500.

How this is worked out

The numbers

13

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 27 vs 50 Severity 79 vs 50 Early failure not reported
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 27
Against the median year of the RAM 5500. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 79
15.4% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.

How 2019 compares with every other RAM 5500

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2019 RAM 5500

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Fuel & Propulsion 6 46.2%

Median failure at 136,500 miles

Brakes 2 15.4%

Median failure at 110,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 2 15.4%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 164,716 mi

Tires 1 7.7%
Body & Structure 1 7.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 7.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Oct 2020 peak 2 Jul 2026

NHTSA investigations into the 2019 RAM 5500

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

1 investigation is still open.

EA23001 Opened 17 Mar 2023 Still open FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

High pressure fuel pump failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, NHTSA determined that sufficient information to identify a compreh...

PE21021 Opened 14 Oct 2021 Closed 14 Apr 2023 FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

High pressure fuel pump failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021 to investigate allegations of stall/loss of motive power as a result of high pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 RAM 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines.On November 12, 2021, FCA filed vehicle recall 21V-880 and equipment recall 21E-094 on the subject population, identifying an `internally failed component? of the high pressure fuel pump equipped on the 6.7L Cummins Turbodiesel engine that introduced debris into the fuel system poten...

Recalls on the 2019 RAM 5500

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 2024548 314,717 units in Canada

Label

Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: This error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. The company has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.

Recall 2022613 2,280 units in Canada

Brakes

Issue: On certain chassis-cab vehicles, the openings inside the rear brake hoses may be too small. As a result, a hose could fail and cause reduced braking. Safety Risk: Reduced braking can cause extended stopping distances and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: FCA Canada will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the rear brake hoses.

Recall 2022025 16,332 units in Canada

Visual System

Issue: On certain trucks, the nuts that attach the windshield wiper arms may not have been tightened properly. This could cause the wipers to slip and not clear the windshield properly. Safety Risk: Windshield wipers that do not work properly could affect a driver's visibility. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: FCA Canada will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to tighten the nuts on the windshield wiper arms.

Recall 2021691 20,539 units in Canada

Fuel System

Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a 6.7 L Cummins diesel engine, the high-pressure fuel pump could fail. If this happens, you may notice a change in engine performance, a fuel leak, or the check engine light may turn on. This could also result in a sudden loss of engine power while driving. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: FCA Canada will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the high-pressure fuel pump and update the powertrain control module software. Additional fuel system parts may be replaced, if necessary.

Recall 2021360 2,091 units in Canada

Engine

Issue: On certain chassis-cab trucks equipped with a 6.7 L diesel engine, the engine oil monitoring system may not detect when the engine oil drops below the minimum level. If this happens, the engine bearings could be damaged. This can lead to a connecting rod failure, which could puncture the engine block and create an oil leak. Safety Risk: An engine oil leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Action: FCA Canada will contact owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealer to update the engine calibration software.

Recall 2021336 30,899 units in Canada

Wheels

Issue: On certain pickup and chassis-cab trucks, the owner's manual and service manual list the wrong torque specification for the wheel nuts. As a result, some trucks may have had the lug nuts over-tightened during servicing. This can damage the wheel studs and, over time, they could break. If this happens, a wheel could separate from the truck. Note: This recall only affects trucks equipped with dual rear wheels and flanged lug nuts. Safety Risk: A wheel separation could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. A wheel that separates could also hit another person or vehicle. Corrective Action: FCA Canada will contact owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealer to inspect and replace the wheel studs, as necessary. They will also provide an update for the torque specification listed in the owner's manual.

Recall 2020396 2,111 units in Canada

Engine

Issue: On certain chassis cab trucks equipped with a Cummins 6.7 L high-output engine, a software problem could cause damage to the connecting rod bearings while the engine is warming up. As a result, a connecting rod could break and cause an engine failure. If this happens, oil could leak onto hot components in the engine compartment. Note: A driver may notice abnormal engine noise if a connecting rod fails. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, an engine failure could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealer to update the engine calibration software. This will add enhanced engine warm-up protection.

Recall 2019326 63 units in Canada

Fuel System

Issue: On certain trucks equipped with a 6.7 L Cummins diesel engine, the end fitting on the engine fuel lines may have been formed incorrectly. This could result in a fuel leak. Safety Risk: A fuel leak in the engine compartment could increase the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their truck to a dealer to inspect the fuel lines. The fuel lines will be replaced if necessary.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

The Woodlands, TX 2 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

While unloading cargo, I was standing on the flatbed of the truck, leaning over the standing side-gates, without realizing they weren’t locked in place. The gates fell down onto a co-worker and I fell out of the truck. Similar incidents have occurred before and after this accident. These gate latches don’t have any warning systems in place to indicate when they are unlocked. It is unknown if this component has been inspected by others.

NHTSA complaint #11638587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 164,716 miles Kennesaw, GA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact's husband owns a 2019 Ram 5500. While her husband was driving 45 mph, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. Her husband pulled over to the side of the road and upon inspection, he discovered that smoke and a fire had started in the engine compartment. Her husband grabbed the fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire. The contact owns a towing company and was able to tow the vehicle to a dealer. The dealer informed the contact and her husband that a rod had gone through the engine block. The contact and her husband were provided an estimate for the repair which they declined. The contact had the engine replaced by an independent mechanic. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the vehicle had been placed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V439000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was initially provided a case number. The contact then received a call from the manufacturer that her claim was denied. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 164,716

NHTSA complaint #11425612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 110,000 miles Sparks, NV

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic associated the failure with the diesel pump. The mechanic informed the contact that the diesel pump was previously replaced with a generic part. The contact stated that a recall associated with the failure was previously performed by the dealer. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under warranty or a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11752221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Trenton, ME

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The DEF system failed on this truck at the end of 2025. The truck has entered limp mode, and if we continue to drive it, it will shut down completely. The vehicle has been at Darling's RAM in Ellsworth, ME since March 2026, and they say that they are still waiting for the parts. Why aren't parts available?? They have no idea when parts will be shipped from the manufacturer. Why is this at all acceptable?? I am running a business, and I am having to cancel orders from my customers because Stellantis is not sending the parts. This makes the vehicle unsafe to drive, and I feel that this is unacceptable.

NHTSA complaint #11741460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 163,000 miles High Point, NC

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 5500. While the contact's husband was driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The driver became aware of an abnormally loud sound. Additionally, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH while driving on a busy highway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated, and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and a mechanic performed a ride-along with the contact's husband. The failure was diagnosed as a fuel system failure. The contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump and the entire fuel system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact contacted the dealer where the vehicle was purchased and was informed of an unknown recall that was initiated two years ago for the fuel system. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and agreed to cover the cost of the high-pressure fuel pump repair only. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

NHTSA complaint #11693579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The Woodlands, TX 2 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

While unloading cargo, I was standing on the flatbed of the truck, leaning over the standing side-gates, without realizing they weren’t locked in place. The gates fell down onto a co-worker and I fell out of the truck. Similar incidents have occurred before and after this accident. These gate latches don’t have any warning systems in place to indicate when they are unlocked. It is unknown if this component has been inspected by others.

NHTSA complaint #11638587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, OH

TIRES:BEAD

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while one of his drivers was driving at an undisclosed speed, the tire tread detached and began to roll down the highway. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. There was no injury sustained; however, the driver missed a week of work due to the traumatic experience from the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the diagnostic test was undisclosed; however, the wheel studs were replaced. The contact was concerned about the safety hazard presented with the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11589940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewood, NM

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V759000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The dealer was made aware of the issue and the contact was informed there was a limited quantity of available parts. The contact was placed on a waiting list. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11537361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewood, NM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V759000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The dealer was made aware of the issue and the contact was informed there was a limited quantity of available parts. The contact was placed on a waiting list. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11537361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cedar Rapids, IA

ENGINE

I would like to report a major safety concern with the push button start system and programming on the 2019 and up 5500 cab and chassis with the 6.7 Cummins. On November 29th we had a 2019 Ram 5500 that went in the ditch and ended up on its side because of soft ground. It was laid fully on the passenger side. It was still running. Operator tried to turn off engine and it would not. After he climbed out drivers side window he tried to clamp off fuel line. Truck continued to idle until it stuck a few of the main bearings to the crank shaft . truck was towed in and all fluids were checked and filled as needed. Turning the engine over with a barring tool was I was able to free it up. I charged batteries and turned on key it wouldn’t crank. (shifter was in park when unit was unloaded off wrecker into shop) PCM has numerous codes including lost communication with TCM. Didn’t display gear selecting in cluster. After clearing codes truck would start and run. These chassis’ will not turn off if the transmission dash display does not display park or neutral and will not turn off if PCM loses communication with TCM even if transmission is in park or neutral.. Luckily this was not an accident were anything started on fire but chassis should either have a impact or tilt sensor or programmed so if you hold start button for a certain amount of time or press it a certain number of times it overrides ignition system. A mechanic with a 2019 2500 with the Cummins says that his manual states that it button is pushed and held it will turn ignition off after holding for 5 seconds. I test a couple of other 2019 5500”s that are located here and with transmission in drive, vehicle stopped motor running have held button for up to 3 minutes and pushed it up to 30 times and ignition will not turn off unless dash display shows park on neutral. If there had been damage to fuel lines it could have been pumping diesel fuel onto the accident scene

NHTSA complaint #11507881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marshall, WI

POWER TRAIN

The transfer case shifted itself into neutral while driving on the highway. It wouldn't go into any other gears and it lost all functionality. I wasn't under load and had been maintaining a set 65 mph. There was no warning the RPMs just redlined. I set the vehicle into what registered as park and when I got out it continued to roll towards me. I had 3 small children in the vehicle at the time and had we not made it off the highway in time I hate to think what could have happened. I am a mechanic by trade and it is the only reason we were able to get it to a safe area.

NHTSA complaint #11499977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Prescott, MI

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

There is a safety recall on my 2019 Ram 5500 rollback tow truck. The recall number is Y78. On November 17 My truck unexpectedly stopped working on highway M33 in rose city Michigan. I discovered there was a recall on the vehicle for a premature fuel system failure. I called the FCA they told me to take it to Thelen Chrysler Ram in Bay City Michigan. I called Thelen to confirm I could take it there and they said yes. I spent $522 to have it towed there on Friday November 18. I tried to contact the service department and left several messages on the following Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday I called the main dealership office and informed them that the service dept. was not returning my calls, they hand carried the phone to the very arrogant service dept. manager [XXX]. I informed him about the recall on the truck and he said they have not looked at it yet and that he would get back to me when they had time to look at it and didn’t know when that would be. On the 28th he finally called me back and confirmed my fears that it was a total fuel system failure. He then says that there is a recall for that issue but Ram does not a a fix for it, the 2020 models have a fix for the same problem but not the 2019 models. I told him I need it fixed in a timely manor and he told me that’s not possibly because they take care of their regular customers first and they don’t have the lift equipment to fix it that the mechanic would have to do it on the ground and that I need to take it to a different shop. Here's my complaint: I own a tow company called Local Towing Service,LLC. I depend on this tow truck to make my living. FCA told me to take it Thelen , I called Thelen and they told me to have it towed there, now they are telling me to take it some where else that they can’t fix it but it says on their website that they service Ram 5500 chassis . Ram has a recall for this issue with no fix on the 2019 but they do on the 2020? This makes no sense. They know how to fix it. How can INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREED

NHTSA complaint #11495417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bakersfield, CA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT CONTAMINATING THE WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM WITH METAL FRAGEMENTS. TRUCK DERATED TO 5MPH. SAT AT DEALERSHIP FOR OVER 3 MONTHS DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #11427075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 164,716 miles Kennesaw, GA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact's husband owns a 2019 Ram 5500. While her husband was driving 45 mph, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. Her husband pulled over to the side of the road and upon inspection, he discovered that smoke and a fire had started in the engine compartment. Her husband grabbed the fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire. The contact owns a towing company and was able to tow the vehicle to a dealer. The dealer informed the contact and her husband that a rod had gone through the engine block. The contact and her husband were provided an estimate for the repair which they declined. The contact had the engine replaced by an independent mechanic. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the vehicle had been placed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V439000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was initially provided a case number. The contact then received a call from the manufacturer that her claim was denied. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 164,716

NHTSA complaint #11425612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 110,000 miles Maples, FL

SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 RAM 5500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHILE DRIVING ON WET SURFACES, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS MORE CONTROLLABLE WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, AN APPOINTMENT TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11372368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.