2015 Ram 3500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Ram 3500 has 205 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (16% of all complaints), specifically: excessive driveline vibration at speeds from 55mph - 70mph.. ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.

10 fire reports 3 crash reports 4 injuries

205

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

32 complaints

16%

• EXCESSIVE DRIVELINE VIBRATION AT SPEEDS FROM 55MPH - 70MPH.
• THE TRANSMISSION IS SEVERELY LIMITED BY TORQUE MANAGEMENT. IF YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL THE TRUCK BARELY MOVES. IT MOVES AT ITS OWN PACE INSTEAD OF BEING UNDER YOUR CONTROL. THIS CAN CREATES SOME VERY DANGEROUS MERGING SITUATIONS WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC AND THE TRUCK DECIDES IT WO
• DEAD ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN NOTHING HAPPENS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING AS IT LEAVES THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY DEAD AND IN HARMS WAY WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC, MERGING, TURNING, EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE, ETC.

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

“EXCESSIVE DRIVELINE VIBRATION AT SPEEDS FROM 55MPH - 70MPH.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

30 complaints

15%

• MOTOR GONE AND DON'T HAVE KNOW REPLACEMENT.
• DEAD ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN NOTHING HAPPENS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING AS IT LEAVES THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY DEAD AND IN HARMS WAY WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC, MERGING, TURNING, EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE, ETC.
• TRUCK HAS A BAD HESITATION WHEN RUNNING SLOW AND LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND BACK IN THE GAS. FOR EXAMPLE COMING TO A YIELD SIGN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN PRESSING THE GAS PETAL.....2-3 SECOND DELAY BEFORE TRUCK STARTS GOING.

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

“MOTOR GONE AND DON'T HAVE KNOW REPLACEMENT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

24 complaints

12%

• THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THERE IS NO METHOD TO KNOW, IN ADVANCE, THE FACTORY INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE MODULE (ITBM) WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE FULL VOLTAGE TO THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES I ATTACHED MY 13,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER TO MY TRUCK AND FOLLOWING THE ITBM SETUP STEP
• THE INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL IN THE 2015 RAM TRUCKS DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE BRAKE CONTROL TO THE TRAILER BRAKES. I TRADED IN A 2013 RAM 3500 AND THE INTEGRATED CONTROLLER ALLOWED ME TO SET UP THE BRAKES SO I COULD LOCK THE TIRES UP, THEN I WOULD BACK THE VOLTAGE DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THERE T
• I HAVE THE INTEGRAL TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER ON MY TRUCK AND I HOOKED UP TO MY CAMPER FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE NEW TRUCK, [THE TRAILER BRAKES WORKED FINE WITH THE TRUCK THAT I REPLACED] I HAD VERY LIMITED BRAKING POWER ON TRAILER BRAKES, I DID SOME TESTS ON THE TRAILER BRAKES FIRST AND FOUND THAT

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

“THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THERE IS NO METHOD TO KNOW, IN ADVANCE, THE FACTORY INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE MODULE (ITBM) WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE FULL VOLTAGE TO THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES I ATTACHED MY 13,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER TO MY TRUCK AND FOLLOWING THE ITBM SETUP STEP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

21 complaints

10%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAULING A TRAILER, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO TURN INDEPENDENTLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND BLOCKED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED SOME BOLTS WERE LOOSE FROM THE STEERING CABLE
• DRAG LINK ADJUSTMENTS NUTS ARE NOT TIGHT. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TORQUED TO AROUND 120 FT-LBS. YOU CAN REACH UP AND LOOSEN THEM WITH YOUR HAND. THIS HAS AFFECTED A NUMBER OF TRUCKS IN DIFFERENT STATES THE PROBLEM IS OBVIOUSLY AT THE MANUFACTURER. LINK TO OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HTTP://WW
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOLTS ON THE STEERING TIE ROD LOOSENED WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE STEERING TIE ROD MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING TO BE UNSTABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAULING A TRAILER, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO TURN INDEPENDENTLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND BLOCKED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED SOME BOLTS WERE LOOSE FROM THE STEERING CABLE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

19 complaints

• THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THERE IS NO METHOD TO KNOW, IN ADVANCE, THE FACTORY INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE MODULE (ITBM) WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE FULL VOLTAGE TO THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES I ATTACHED MY 13,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER TO MY TRUCK AND FOLLOWING THE ITBM SETUP STEP
• THE INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL IN THE 2015 RAM TRUCKS DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE BRAKE CONTROL TO THE TRAILER BRAKES. I TRADED IN A 2013 RAM 3500 AND THE INTEGRATED CONTROLLER ALLOWED ME TO SET UP THE BRAKES SO I COULD LOCK THE TIRES UP, THEN I WOULD BACK THE VOLTAGE DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THERE T
• THE NEW DODGE RAM EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS DIESEL EXPERIENCE A DEAD PEDAL, OR PEDAL DELAY WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL 3/4 TO FULL THROTTLE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS RISK WHEN NEEDING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, OR MOVE THE VEHICLE UNDER EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS: STOPPED, ROLL

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 205 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: EXCESSIVE DRIVELINE VIBRATION AT SPEEDS FROM 55MPH - 70MPH.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: MOTOR GONE AND DON'T HAVE KNOW REPLACEMENT.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THERE IS NO METHOD TO KNOW, IN ADVANCE, THE FACTORY INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE MODULE (ITBM) WILL FAIL TO PROVIDE FULL VOLTAGE TO THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES I ATTACHED MY 13,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER TO MY TRUCK AND FOLLOWING THE ITBM SETUP STEP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAULING A TRAILER, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO TURN INDEPENDENTLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND BLOCKED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED SOME BOLTS WERE LOOSE FROM THE STEERING CABLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)