2011 Dodge RAM 1500
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 has 988 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 12.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: there were no special events before problem showed up, other than the engine must attain normal operating temperature. the problem is when traveling , uphill-downhill- or on level, if you are above 45mph and you stop applying gas pedal to coast. the vehicle will coast until you reach approximately 4. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.
988
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
12.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
214 complaints- • THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4
- • MY RAM 1500 INEXPLICABLY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED, AS WERE THE BED COVER, THE TAILGATE, AND THE RAM BOXES. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BED OR RAMBOXES. WE WERE ALERTED TO THE FIRE AT AROUND 6 AM BY 1) AN EXPLOSION A
- • RIGHT KNEE BUMPS THE LARGE KEY TURNING IT, AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES USUALLY WHILE CORNERING OR SLOWING FOR A CORNER. *JB
“THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
179 complaints- • THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4
- • THE PROBLEM IS... THE REAR AXLE PINION BEARING ON YOUR TRUCK (VIN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) MAY NOT RECEIVE ADEQUATE LUBRICATION UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS LACK OF LUBRICATION CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE PINION BEARING TO SEIZE AND CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
- • THE PROBLEM IS... THE REAR AXLE PINION BEARING ON YOUR TRUCK (VIN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) MAY NOT RECEIVE ADEQUATE LUBRICATION UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS LACK OF LUBRICATION CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE PINION BEARING TO SEIZE AND CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
“THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
156 complaints- • DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THAT I DRIVE 3-4 TIMES A WEEK,WITHOUT WARNING THE TRUCK SHOOK VERY VIOLENTLY. COULD NOT KEEP IN MY LANE,IT SHOOK UNTIL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I INSPECTED WHEELS AND RELATED PARTS COULD FIND NO ISSUES. I CARRY A WHEELCHAIR WITH ME AS I HAVE BROKEN MY NECK IN 8 PLACES WITH NER
- • WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE TRUCK STALLED OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I GOT IT RESTARTED AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS BUT THE ENGINE WOULD CONTINUE TO STALL UPON PUTTING IT IN GEAR. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND RENT A CAR FROM HERTZ. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE TRUCK NOW FOR 4 DAYS AN
- • AFTER PASSING A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, MY TRUCK SHUT DOWN.THE ENGINE CUT OFF ,DASH LIGHTS AND PARK LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER ERRATICALLY AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. I MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IN ORDER TO STOP THE LIGHTS FROM FLICKERING I DISCONNECTED THE BATT
“DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THAT I DRIVE 3-4 TIMES A WEEK,WITHOUT WARNING THE TRUCK SHOOK VERY VIOLENTLY. COULD NOT KEEP IN MY LANE,IT SHOOK UNTIL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I INSPECTED WHEELS AND RELATED PARTS COULD FIND NO ISSUES. I CARRY A WHEELCHAIR WITH ME AS I HAVE BROKEN MY NECK IN 8 PLACES WITH NER”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
144 complaints- • I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK USED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND GAS SPLASHES OUT OF THE FILLER TUBE IF YOU TRY TO FILL UP THE TANK, AFTER THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE CLICKS OFF, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF GAS COMES BACK OUT, I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A NOZZLE PROBLEM AT THE PUMP BUT REALIZED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRUCK AFTE
- • I RAN INTO THIS ISSUE LAST WINTER AND WHEN THE WEATHER WARMED UP IT WENT AWAY. NOW, AGAIN IN DECEMEBER, WHEN FUELING THE TRUCK AT THE PUMP, AFTER IT REACHES FULL CAPACITY IT SPITS FUEL BACK OUT ALL OVER THE TRUCK AND ONTO THE GROUND. DOES IT AT EVERY PUMP. THE DEALER LOOKED AT IT LAST YEAR AND CO
- • PURCHASED NEW, IN NOV 2010. WHEN FILLING UP THE NOZZLE CLICKS AND SPRAYS FUEL BACK ON YOU AND DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK APPX LOSS OF .5 GALLONS PER FILL UP. EVEN IF IT MISSES YOU YOUR HAND WILL BE COVERED IN GAS AND CAUSES CRACKS IN YOUR FINGERS NOW THAT ITS WINTER. I CANNOT IMAGE IT IS GOOD FOR TH
“I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK USED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND GAS SPLASHES OUT OF THE FILLER TUBE IF YOU TRY TO FILL UP THE TANK, AFTER THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE CLICKS OFF, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF GAS COMES BACK OUT, I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A NOZZLE PROBLEM AT THE PUMP BUT REALIZED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRUCK AFTE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
49 complaints- • TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE ACCELERATING ON AN ICY ROAD THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED AND A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALSO BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. TH
- • FROM INITIAL PURHASE, VEHICLE HAS HAD A BAD VIBRATION & SHIMMY. MAINLY FELT BETWEEN 35 MPH AND UP. SEVERITY INCREASES WITH INTERSTATE SPEEDS. TIRES AND WHEELS HAVE BEEN RULED OUT AS THE CONCERN. TRUCK HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES FOR THIS CONCERN BUT ONCE THE TIRES AND WHEELS WERE RULED OUT DEALER
- • MY RAM 1500 INEXPLICABLY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED, AS WERE THE BED COVER, THE TAILGATE, AND THE RAM BOXES. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BED OR RAMBOXES. WE WERE ALERTED TO THE FIRE AT AROUND 6 AM BY 1) AN EXPLOSION A
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE ACCELERATING ON AN ICY ROAD THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED AND A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALSO BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. TH”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 988 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: THERE WERE NO SPECIAL EVENTS BEFORE PROBLEM SHOWED UP, OTHER THAN THE ENGINE MUST ATTAIN NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRAVELING , UPHILL-DOWNHILL- OR ON LEVEL, IF YOU ARE ABOVE 45MPH AND YOU STOP APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO COAST. THE VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL YOU REACH APPROXIMATELY 4
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THAT I DRIVE 3-4 TIMES A WEEK,WITHOUT WARNING THE TRUCK SHOOK VERY VIOLENTLY. COULD NOT KEEP IN MY LANE,IT SHOOK UNTIL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I INSPECTED WHEELS AND RELATED PARTS COULD FIND NO ISSUES. I CARRY A WHEELCHAIR WITH ME AS I HAVE BROKEN MY NECK IN 8 PLACES WITH NER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK USED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND GAS SPLASHES OUT OF THE FILLER TUBE IF YOU TRY TO FILL UP THE TANK, AFTER THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE CLICKS OFF, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF GAS COMES BACK OUT, I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A NOZZLE PROBLEM AT THE PUMP BUT REALIZED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRUCK AFTE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Dodge RAM 1500 — Year Comparison
How does 2011 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 988
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 8
- Crash reports
- 27
- Injury reports
- 13
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2011 Dodge RAM 1500