2019 Ram 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Ram 1500 has 2092 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 26.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased the truck on 10/4/2019. on 10/6/2019 was delivered to my house. after going over the features the sales representative left. i tried backing the truck out of the drive way the truck would not back up because of the brake sensor system. the buttons to control the functions on the steering. ⚠️ 17 fire reports filed.

17 fire reports 88 crash reports 69 injuries

2092

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

26.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

366 complaints

17%

• I PURCHASED THE TRUCK ON 10/4/2019. ON 10/6/2019 WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE. AFTER GOING OVER THE FEATURES THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE LEFT. I TRIED BACKING THE TRUCK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE TRUCK WOULD NOT BACK UP BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE SENSOR SYSTEM. THE BUTTONS TO CONTROL THE FUNCTIONS ON THE STEERING
• WHILE DRIVING MY WORK TODAY I WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN AND MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. MY CAR HAD THE POWER STEERING LIGHT POP UP AND ALSO MY SCREEN IN MY GAUGE CLUSTERED SAID, "POWER STEERING UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED." I LITERALLY ALMOST CRASHED INTO A HUGE ELECTRICAL POLE. DUE TO MY STEER
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IN ADDITION, FUEL LEAKED FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHN ELWAY'S CLAREMONT CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (LOCATED AT 620 AUTO CENTER DR, CLAREMONT, C

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“I PURCHASED THE TRUCK ON 10/4/2019. ON 10/6/2019 WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE. AFTER GOING OVER THE FEATURES THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE LEFT. I TRIED BACKING THE TRUCK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE TRUCK WOULD NOT BACK UP BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE SENSOR SYSTEM. THE BUTTONS TO CONTROL THE FUNCTIONS ON THE STEERING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

326 complaints

16%

• THE STEERING WENT OUT DUE TO A PCM FAILURE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PCM SHUT DOWN THE STEERING DUE TO SENSING TOO MUCH VOLTAGE FROM GENERATOR TO PROTECT THIS UNIT. I WAS TRAVELING ON US HIGHWAY 400 AT 50MPH WHEN IT WOULD NOT STEER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT WOULD ONLY GO STRAIGHT. I FEEL THAT RAM NEEDS
• THIS TRUCK HAS HAD POWER STEERING SYSTEM CEASE TO FUNCTION 2 TIMES IN 3 WEEKS,ON OR ABOUT 9-1-18 WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON POWER STEERING WOULD NOT OPERATE,VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER,DEALERSHIP HAD TRUCK FOR 1 WEEK,SAID IT WAS FIXED.TODAY,9-22-2019 WHILE LEAVING HOME AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN,
• THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. IT MAY BE FOR A FEW SECONDS, OR A FEW MINUTES. I MAY GO A COUPLE OF DAYS WITHOUT A FAILURE, WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, IT TENDS TO HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT HAS HAPPENED AT ALL SPEEDS ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 11 crashes

“THE STEERING WENT OUT DUE TO A PCM FAILURE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PCM SHUT DOWN THE STEERING DUE TO SENSING TOO MUCH VOLTAGE FROM GENERATOR TO PROTECT THIS UNIT. I WAS TRAVELING ON US HIGHWAY 400 AT 50MPH WHEN IT WOULD NOT STEER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT WOULD ONLY GO STRAIGHT. I FEEL THAT RAM NEEDS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

237 complaints

11%

• /PURCHASED NEW 2019 RAM 1500 LIMITED . TOOK DELIVERY 08/30/2018 AND DINT GET OFF THE LOT DUE TO VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND THEN MULTIPLE SAFETY LIGHTS CAME ON. SERVICE THEN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR BY REPLACING THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY DUE TO THROTTLE VOLTAGE CODE. PICKED UP TRUCK 09/06/2018 AND
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IN ADDITION, FUEL LEAKED FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHN ELWAY'S CLAREMONT CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (LOCATED AT 620 AUTO CENTER DR, CLAREMONT, C
• WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ,THE VEHICLE ENGINE QUITS AND LOOSES ALL POWER. POWER STEERING IS LOST AND ALL POWER IS LOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ON MY TRUCK THAT HAS LESS THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A RELAY SWITCH. I BE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“/PURCHASED NEW 2019 RAM 1500 LIMITED . TOOK DELIVERY 08/30/2018 AND DINT GET OFF THE LOT DUE TO VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND THEN MULTIPLE SAFETY LIGHTS CAME ON. SERVICE THEN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR BY REPLACING THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY DUE TO THROTTLE VOLTAGE CODE. PICKED UP TRUCK 09/06/2018 AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

233 complaints

11%

• A WEEK AFTER BUYING THE CAR I NOTICED WATER UNDER THE CARPET IN THE BACK SEAT AREA , I THOUGHT I SPILLED SOMTHING SO I JUST DRIED IT AND REMOVED THE CARPET FOR 2 DAYS ...THEN SUDDENLY FEW DAYS LATER I FEEL LIKE I CAN HEAR THE OUTSIDE STREET MORE THEN NORMAL AND ALSO I COULD HEAR THE BACK WINDOW SHAK
• WHILE DRIVING MY WORK TODAY I WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN AND MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. MY CAR HAD THE POWER STEERING LIGHT POP UP AND ALSO MY SCREEN IN MY GAUGE CLUSTERED SAID, "POWER STEERING UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED." I LITERALLY ALMOST CRASHED INTO A HUGE ELECTRICAL POLE. DUE TO MY STEER
• WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES THERE IS A NOISE UNDERNEATH BY THE STEERING SUSPENSION AREA. FEELING LIKE IF SOMETHING LOOSE. MOST NOTABLE WHEN HITTING A HOLE, DITCH OR UNEVEN ROAD AS WHEEL TURNS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER EVEN THOUGH THEY HEAR IT ALSO, ALL VEHICLES MAKE THE SAME NOISE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“A WEEK AFTER BUYING THE CAR I NOTICED WATER UNDER THE CARPET IN THE BACK SEAT AREA , I THOUGHT I SPILLED SOMTHING SO I JUST DRIED IT AND REMOVED THE CARPET FOR 2 DAYS ...THEN SUDDENLY FEW DAYS LATER I FEEL LIKE I CAN HEAR THE OUTSIDE STREET MORE THEN NORMAL AND ALSO I COULD HEAR THE BACK WINDOW SHAK”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

201 complaints

10%

• /PURCHASED NEW 2019 RAM 1500 LIMITED . TOOK DELIVERY 08/30/2018 AND DINT GET OFF THE LOT DUE TO VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND THEN MULTIPLE SAFETY LIGHTS CAME ON. SERVICE THEN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR BY REPLACING THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY DUE TO THROTTLE VOLTAGE CODE. PICKED UP TRUCK 09/06/2018 AND
• ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. IN EACH CASE I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT AND MAKING A LEFT TURN. UPON STARTING UP AND TURNING, THE TRANSMISSION REMAINED IN FIRST GEAR, MOTOR REVVING 4,000 - 4,500 RPM OR SO, UNTIL I REALIZED I HAD A PROBLEM. I
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 RAM 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IT INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT DRIFT BACKWARDS, BUT INDEPENDENTLY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2092 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: I PURCHASED THE TRUCK ON 10/4/2019. ON 10/6/2019 WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE. AFTER GOING OVER THE FEATURES THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE LEFT. I TRIED BACKING THE TRUCK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE TRUCK WOULD NOT BACK UP BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE SENSOR SYSTEM. THE BUTTONS TO CONTROL THE FUNCTIONS ON THE STEERING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: THE STEERING WENT OUT DUE TO A PCM FAILURE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PCM SHUT DOWN THE STEERING DUE TO SENSING TOO MUCH VOLTAGE FROM GENERATOR TO PROTECT THIS UNIT. I WAS TRAVELING ON US HIGHWAY 400 AT 50MPH WHEN IT WOULD NOT STEER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT WOULD ONLY GO STRAIGHT. I FEEL THAT RAM NEEDS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: /PURCHASED NEW 2019 RAM 1500 LIMITED . TOOK DELIVERY 08/30/2018 AND DINT GET OFF THE LOT DUE TO VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND THEN MULTIPLE SAFETY LIGHTS CAME ON. SERVICE THEN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR BY REPLACING THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY DUE TO THROTTLE VOLTAGE CODE. PICKED UP TRUCK 09/06/2018 AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: A WEEK AFTER BUYING THE CAR I NOTICED WATER UNDER THE CARPET IN THE BACK SEAT AREA , I THOUGHT I SPILLED SOMTHING SO I JUST DRIED IT AND REMOVED THE CARPET FOR 2 DAYS ...THEN SUDDENLY FEW DAYS LATER I FEEL LIKE I CAN HEAR THE OUTSIDE STREET MORE THEN NORMAL AND ALSO I COULD HEAR THE BACK WINDOW SHAK
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)