2013 Ram 2500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Ram 2500 has 273 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: i just purchased this truck less than 1 week ago; brand new. i was slowly approaching an intersection (stop sign) with vehicles in front of me; waiting to turn. the truck suddenly started surging/lurching forward for a period of 5-10 seconds; nearly hitting the vehicle in front of me. i placed th. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 7 crash reports 4 injuries

273

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

49 complaints

18%

• I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK LESS THAN 1 WEEK AGO; BRAND NEW. I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION (STOP SIGN) WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME; WAITING TO TURN. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING/LURCHING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF 5-10 SECONDS; NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PLACED TH
• DURING NORMAL DRIVING WHEN TURNING OR CHANGING LANES AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY TO MERGE INTO MOVING TRAFFIC, THE TRUCK WILL STOP RESPONDING VIA ACCELERATOR COMPLETELY. THE TRACTION CONTROL IS ON, BUT NOT ACTIVE DURING THIS EFFECT. BASICALLY ANYTIME I ACCELERATE RAPIDLY FROM A STOP THE TRUCK D
• WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 RAM 2500 CREW CAB 4X4 (VIN [XXX] ) I WAS ON AN ONRAMP HEADED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM ROUGHLY 10-15 MPH TO HIGHWAY SPEED BECAUSE OF THE SHORT ON RAMP AND HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE TRUCK REFUSED TO ACCELERATE AT EVEN A MODERATE SPEED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR WAS FUL

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

“I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK LESS THAN 1 WEEK AGO; BRAND NEW. I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION (STOP SIGN) WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME; WAITING TO TURN. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING/LURCHING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF 5-10 SECONDS; NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PLACED TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

41 complaints

15%

• I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK LESS THAN 1 WEEK AGO; BRAND NEW. I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION (STOP SIGN) WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME; WAITING TO TURN. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING/LURCHING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF 5-10 SECONDS; NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PLACED TH
• BLUE TOOTH PHONE SYSTEM FAILED. RADIO WAS REPLACED. SIRIUS RADIO SIGNAL DROPS OUT, SHOWS :ACQUIRING SIGNAL:. WILL PLAY THEN DO IT AGAIN. DEALER, BRYANT CHRYSLER IS TRYING TO CONTACT CHRYSLER FOR A FIX. CHRYSLER ISN'T RESPONDING. *TR
• DEAD PEDAL FROM COMPLETE STOP, DEAD PEDAL OFF AND ON THE THROTTLE. SAFETY HAZARD!! *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

31 complaints

11%

• LEFT HOUSE DRIVING EAST ON 8200S WHEN APPROX 5200 W I LOST STEERING AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT, HITTING A STREET LIGHT AND SKIDDING ALONG A CONCRETE FENCE. I STOPPED, EXITED VEHICLE AND TWO MEN THAT WITNESSED COME UP AND SAID YOUR STEERING ARM BROKE, AT THE TIME I WAS IN SHOCK AND ATTRIBUTED THEM SAYIN
• WHEN DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS THE TRUCK WONDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD AS IF THE DRIVER WERE DRUNK. THE STEERING ASSY. HAS SO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL THE DRIVER IS CONSTANTLY HAVING TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH TO STAY IN THE CENTER OF THE LANE. THE REAL PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU ARE TOWING A
• TRUCK WANDERS. STEERING GEAR WAS REPLACED AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS OK. IT WAS THE SAME. I RETURNED IT BUT NO PAPERWORK WAS WRITTEN. CHRYSLER REP DROVE IT AND SAID IT DROVE LIKE ALL OTHERS. I RETURNED THE FOLLOWING DAY TO DRIVE THE TRUCKS THAT WERE LIKE MINE BUT THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE. I CAN TURN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“LEFT HOUSE DRIVING EAST ON 8200S WHEN APPROX 5200 W I LOST STEERING AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT, HITTING A STREET LIGHT AND SKIDDING ALONG A CONCRETE FENCE. I STOPPED, EXITED VEHICLE AND TWO MEN THAT WITNESSED COME UP AND SAID YOUR STEERING ARM BROKE, AT THE TIME I WAS IN SHOCK AND ATTRIBUTED THEM SAYIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

31 complaints

11%

• WELL THE FIRST TIME I GOT DIESEL IT LEAKED ALL OVER THE GROUND SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED ME IT IS DOING WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. IT NEED FUEL SO I FILLED IT UP AGAIN AND DROVE WERE I NEEDED TO GO I LOOKED AND DIESEL WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE REAR SPRING, BRAKES AND WHEEL SO
• ON THE CUMMINS DIESEL 6.7 ENGINE, WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND ACCELERATE THE TRUCK HAS A HUGE HESITATION, OR LAG, IN ACCELERATION. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO GO FROM THE SLOWER RIGHT HAND LANES AND MOVE OVER TO THE LEFT LANES. AFTER THE HESITATION IT ACCELERATES FINE. *TR
• WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 RAM 2500 CREW CAB 4X4 (VIN [XXX] ) I WAS ON AN ONRAMP HEADED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM ROUGHLY 10-15 MPH TO HIGHWAY SPEED BECAUSE OF THE SHORT ON RAMP AND HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE TRUCK REFUSED TO ACCELERATE AT EVEN A MODERATE SPEED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR WAS FUL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WELL THE FIRST TIME I GOT DIESEL IT LEAKED ALL OVER THE GROUND SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED ME IT IS DOING WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. IT NEED FUEL SO I FILLED IT UP AGAIN AND DROVE WERE I NEEDED TO GO I LOOKED AND DIESEL WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE REAR SPRING, BRAKES AND WHEEL SO ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

23 complaints

• WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO CONTROL AND HAD A VERY STRONG VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THE STEERING WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE AND THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. NO TIRE DAMAGE WAS NOTED UPON INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE STEERING AND RIDE ISSU
• 2013 RAM 2500 MEGACAB 4X4. PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 1 MONTH AGO. NOTICED WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK BEGINS TO SHAKE. THIS CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY SO THAT YOU CAN VISABLY SEE IT AND FEEL IT. THE TRUCK IS IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT
• DRIVING 60MPH WITH A SMALL LOAD ON 16FT GOOSENECK STOCK TRAILER. LOAD WAS 2000 LBS. HIT A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY, PULLING ME INTO THE OTHER LANE. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE LATER, I HIT ANOTHER ROUGH SPOT. THIS TIME, THE STE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO CONTROL AND HAD A VERY STRONG VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THE STEERING WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE AND THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. NO TIRE DAMAGE WAS NOTED UPON INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE STEERING AND RIDE ISSU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 273 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK LESS THAN 1 WEEK AGO; BRAND NEW. I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION (STOP SIGN) WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME; WAITING TO TURN. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING/LURCHING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF 5-10 SECONDS; NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PLACED TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK LESS THAN 1 WEEK AGO; BRAND NEW. I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION (STOP SIGN) WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME; WAITING TO TURN. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING/LURCHING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF 5-10 SECONDS; NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PLACED TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: LEFT HOUSE DRIVING EAST ON 8200S WHEN APPROX 5200 W I LOST STEERING AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT, HITTING A STREET LIGHT AND SKIDDING ALONG A CONCRETE FENCE. I STOPPED, EXITED VEHICLE AND TWO MEN THAT WITNESSED COME UP AND SAID YOUR STEERING ARM BROKE, AT THE TIME I WAS IN SHOCK AND ATTRIBUTED THEM SAYIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: WELL THE FIRST TIME I GOT DIESEL IT LEAKED ALL OVER THE GROUND SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED ME IT IS DOING WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. IT NEED FUEL SO I FILLED IT UP AGAIN AND DROVE WERE I NEEDED TO GO I LOOKED AND DIESEL WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE REAR SPRING, BRAKES AND WHEEL SO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)