64 of the
915 complaints filed about the RAM Promaster
are about the braking system —
7% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2014.
Vehicle experienced severe, premature component failures posing direct safety hazards while operating a commercial work van: 1. Parking Brake Seizure (01/25/2025 @ 49,197 miles): The parking brake pivot assembly completely seized, causing the rear brake assembly to lock up and rendering the vehicle unsafe to operate on public roads. Replaced under Invoice #CHCS490962. 2. Catastrophic Transmission & Drivetrain Failure (05/15/2026 @ 66,082 miles): The transmission suffered recurring fluid leaks beginning at 49,197 miles (pan leak reseal) and 51,648 miles (complete front pump replacement). At 66,082 miles, the transmission suffered complete internal failure (burnt fluid, clutch metal material), resulting in total loss of reverse power and gear slipping while operating. Both front strut mounts failed on the same visit. Experiencing brake lockup and sudden total loss of transmission control under 66,000 miles on a commercial vehicle presents significant safety risks to vehicle operators and traffic.
NHTSA complaint #11753014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
whenever I was driving on the highway at 80MPH it felt like someone stepped on the brake pedal abruptly for a split second and the car with squiggly lines behind it appeared on the instrument panel, then disappeared. Goin this fast and having that happen is a major safety issue. After this happened the steering felt all over the place like I was floating and if I turned the wheel just a tiny bit the vehicle thought I turned it a lot and over corrected, needless to say I was all over the highway. Then the backup camera stopped working, the screen was completely black. I reset the screen and it worked for a couple seconds but then the color and picture got very distorted and then again went to a black screen.
NHTSA complaint #11743511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
forward collision warning has never worked, after resetting it in controls it will show not working soon after. this has occurred in many 2022 and 2023 ProMaster units. the company says it is a weather problem. after replacing the camera unit, it still does not function. I purchased this unit new, it has never worked.I purchased this unit especially for this safety feature among others included in the contract.
NHTSA complaint #11743334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving in forward motion, the van seems to brake or downshift for a brief second. Seems to pull to left a little. Could be very hazardous if this isn’t fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11730689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Ram ProMaster 2500. The contact stated that the same day that the vehicle was purchased, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after shifting to park(P) and the parking brake was engaged, the vehicle rolled backwards. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with an unknown sensor failure. The sensor and the brakes were repaired. The contact retrieved the vehicle, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. When the gear lever was shifted to park(P) and the parking brake was engaged, the vehicle rolled backwards. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer at first refused to take the vehicle. After several months, the dealer took the vehicle, and it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel injectors, brakes, fuel tank, and an unknown sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was parked at the residence and had not been driven since. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11706117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The ABS warning light turned on when the vehicle reached approximately 82,033 miles. After driving about 100 additional miles, at around 82,133 miles, the braking system overheated and nearly failed, producing a burning smell and loud noise. The vehicle became unsafe to operate and left me stranded at night near Lonoke. I had to wait for the brakes to cool and then drive slowly to a repair shop the next morning. A repair shop confirmed that the braking system and parking brake were damaged due to lack of proper maintenance prior to sale. The full repair estimate was $1,257.34, but the dealership paid only $1,090.00 and refused to authorize the parking brake repair, leaving the vehicle unsafe. The vehicle had been driven less than 1,500 miles and for less than 15 days when this failure occurred. Additionally, this vehicle has 2 open NHTSA safety recalls that were not repaired before the sale, which indicates the dealership delivered the vehicle without completing mandatory safety repairs. This creates a serious safety hazard and could lead to total brake failure while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11698031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The subject vehicle, according to the third party administrator for the vehicle's insurance co. had a transmission malfunction. The vehicle is owned by a subcontractor for the purpose of delivery for a seller. The vehicle, according to the TPA, was put in park and the emergency brake was applied, as shown by the interior video camera, and the vehicle went in reverse while the employee was in the back of the van, getting the order ready to deliver. The vehicle travelled in reverse approximately 90 feet down a 40 degree grade, making a left turn into my yard, and slammed into my side porch, making a very loud noise as if there was an explosion. I was sitting approximately 30 feet away in my back yard, and several children were playing in the yard across the road from the accident location. If the vehicle had travelled several more feet down the road and then turned left into my yard, it may have hit the gas meter and caused an explosion, possibly lethal to me, my neighbors, the driver, as well as destroyed my home. This vehicle had been recalled twice previously for problems with the transmission. See "WOO/NHTSA 20V-036" and "61A/NHTSA 23V-301."
NHTSA complaint #11687647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear parking brake pivot point gets stuck in the on position. After some research, this is VERY common on these vans and is going to cause wrecks or deaths. The pivot point where the parking brake connects to the rear parking brake linkage rusts and gets stuck VERY easily. My van only has 60,000 miles on it. There is no sensor in this pivot point, so when you release the parking brake, it seems like it is off—but it is not. No indication no warning.. Tire spun and van drove fine until the breaks failed. 100 miles down the road, my rear calipers were glowing red, which caused my rear parking brake to catastrophically fail, causing the rear tire to seize and almost leading to a wreck. Luckily, I had plenty of water on board to put out the rotor fire.
NHTSA complaint #11685292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle’s Collision Avoidance / Automatic Emergency Braking engaged on highway. The van is available for inspection at anytime. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealership was unable to duplicate issue on a test drive, but an independent service center (Safelite Auto Glass) detected a fault code (C14A5-92) related to Lane Departure and Automatic Emergency Braking. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not at this time Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The “Collision Avoidance OFF” and “ESC” lights illuminated when the Automatic Emergency Braking engaged while vehicle slid into an adjoining lane on the interstate.
NHTSA complaint #11677540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My van began making a loud squeaky sound, louder at low speeds and less at higher speeds. It sounded like it was coming from the wheels or undercarriage. There were no dash warning lights, alarms, or any other indicator of a serious issue. I drove the van around town for a few days approximately 30 miles. The van is heavy and I live in a hilly area, so I use the parking brake fairly often. I applied the parking brake within that week on an incline, and when I released the parking brake and drove forward, the squeak was louder then ever, so much so, people stared. There were no error or warning message on the dash or elsewhere. The parking brake indicator had come on normally while engaged and went off when it was released. I drove it directly to the local Ram dealer, as it seemed worse, hoping it was just in need of minor lubrication. It had just been serviced at the same dealer a few months earlier and I was told "it was like new with its low 12,500 miles". I explained the new noise and that I didn't want to cause damage by driving it, although there were no warning lights on. My van is still under the original warranty for a few more months. Even though they were booked, an employee went out and felt by the rear driver's side wheel and said it was really hot and likely a frozen brake caliper. They were able to fit me in and discovered the parking brake was frozen, which was causing the noise. They ordered the parts to repair, disengaged the parking brake, and said it was safe to drive as the main brakes were a separate system. They said not to apply the parking brake again as it would hang up as before. -The dealer ordered the parts over a month ago, but said the brake parts are not only on back order, but with no estimated shipping date, meaning they aren't even manufacturing them. -I am driving without a parking brake in a heavy vehicle in a hilly area with no pending solution and heading into winter weather. This is a safety issue! Please help ASAP.
NHTSA complaint #11625522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brakes failed (for the 4th or 5th time) while driving on the highway after approximately two hours. While traveling approximately 55mph on the highway (I do not drive engaging the brakes unless stopping) the Notice Service Braking System alert indicated on the dash. When I went to push in the brakes, they went to the floor, grinding and "pulsing" in and out as I attempted to stop. Please note that this issue has happened 3-4 times in the past and the dealership assures me this is normal. I was able to successfully get the vehicle to a dealership. THEY SAID THE STORED CODES MEANT NOTHING because they were stored and not active (see attached)That dealership stated they could not find anything wrong and therefore nothing to fix. I then drove the vehicle another two hours and the same thing happened. I got the vehicle to another dealership where it is now until they remedy the situation. In addition, when starting the vehicle from a cold state, the brakes often go to the floor and grind. Again, the dealership assures me this is 'normal' and to simply pump the brakes to remove excess air. This is a new vehicle with less than 8k miles, purchased new and has been occurring since purchased.
NHTSA complaint #11614986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 11/2022 my company purchased a 2023 Dodge Promaster Work Van from a dealership brand new. In March 2023 one of my employees was driving the vehicle and there was an electrical issue which caused the breaks to not respond, and we rear ended a car which then hit the car in front of them. We were only going around 10-20 MPH as we were coming to a red light and could not stop. We requested an investigation into the source of the issue as it should not be out fault that a brand new car's breaks failed. Chrysler corporate sent someone to look at the van. They concluded that after market LEDs were installed in the back of the van improperly, and it caused a short in the electrical system which caused the breaks to fail. Chrysler Corporate said it was not their issue and closed the case. After looking at pictures from before we ever even looked at the van I saw that the LEDs were already there. The dealership admitted in email that the LEDs were in the van before we even took it off the lot. I told my insurance company this, but they did not pursue it leaving the liability on us. My insurance then dropped us as a customer. The dealership stated in email they fixed the LED lights and everything works once again. We take the van and begin using it again. Fast forward to March 2024, a different worker is driving the same van and they are again coming to a red light. The breaks fail once again. This time the breaks were going to the ground and not slowing the van down at all. My worker hits another car and then turns off and hits a fence so he does not hit anyone else in the road. This time I send my van to my local certified Chrysler dealership to have it sit there as I will initiate an inspection once again. After another month or so they finally inspect it around April 20th. This time after the inspection finishes, but does not give me a reason just meta data. You can see we used the breaks, but the speed did not slow down. This van has been a nightmare.
NHTSA complaint #11614386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Emergency brake internal failure caused brake rotors to seize. Rear wheels lock up causing inability to control vehicle. Vehicle only has 19,400 miles. Dealer will provide photos and parts. No warning lights or messages occurred before the failure. There are many reports on road trek owners forum and promaster ram owners forum of this same problem happening to these vehicles with low mileage. Not covered under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11607812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is a brand new purchased vehicle on April 18. I experienced complete brake failure was able to get off the interstate and the brakes vibrated would smash down as vibrating and then ground against metal is what it sounded like when I would press. I had it flatbed towed, and the truck driver also noted the problem. Once the truck was back at my home it no longer had the problem. I took it to a dealership. They did not find anything wrong. I once again took the vehicle to drive it and the brake system is completely malfunctioning again with the pedal, smashing all the way to the floor and Again metal on metal. The vehicle is completely unsafe and undrivable.
NHTSA complaint #11585568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Every time the vehicle is driven downhill for an extended period, such as over a mountain pass, the brake system light comes on and can only be turned off by stopping the vehicle and turning the car off. This has happened every time I go over a mountain pass for the last 1-1/2 years. I have reported this to the Ram dealer and have been told that this is a known issue on Ram Promasters and that there is no resolution by multiple technicians. It is disconcerting every time it comes on, but I worry that when I really have a brake issue I will not know it since the brake light comes on all the time already.
NHTSA complaint #11564652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Parking brake won't release when temperatures are at freezing or below. Consensus opinion on the internet is that water is getting into the cable + cable housing line and freezing, which causes the cable to stick inside the housing. Thus, when releasing the parking brake, the cable doesn't move and the pads are still pressing against the drums.
NHTSA complaint #11563536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The left brake actuator (68603568AA) literally fell apart on the vehicle at 40,000 miles. This triggered a warning on the dash and disabled emergency braking as well as cruise control. The local RAM dealers refuse to do anything about it because the warranty expired 4,000 miles ago, so we took it to an independent mechanic. They ordered the replacement part but informed us it was back ordered with no ETA and that there are no aftermarket parts available. After an exhaustive search, the mechanic was able to secure the factory part, only to find out the right actuator (68591375AA) was in a box labeled for the left side. I personally spent several days looking for another. I even called dealerships in Canada and was told it’s on a “continent-wide backorder with no ETA." Finally, we were able to secure another, only to discover the exact same problem upon arrival. Now, the mechanic has been trying to order a right-hand actuator in the hope the left one might be in the wrong box as well and a THIRD left. The vehicle has been completely inoperable for over two months, with no end in sight. This vehicle is critical to our business and we've had to rent a replacement at over $500 a week. So far, this has cost now us over $3,000...for what should have been a $200 part and an hour of shop labor. I strongly believe Stellantis should be covering all of this for us, as they are the ones responsible for the complete lack of parts availability for critical safety parts such as emergency brakes and considering how close the problem was to the warranty expiration.
NHTSA complaint #11539056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.