What breaks most · 2009 to 2019 model years
Ram 1500 problems by year
Owners have filed 1,898 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ram 1500 across model years 2009 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2014 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2013 for electrical system complaints and 2015 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2009, 2017 and 2016.
- Years to check closely: 2014, 2013, 2015
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2017, 2016
- Complaints on file
- 18982009 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 2014552 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 26150 fires · 234 injuries · 6 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 29kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 124Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 0 | 2 | Unknown or other (4) | |
| 409 | 39 | 12 | Electrical system (114) | |
| 552 | 66 | 17 | Powertrain and transmission (111) | |
| 367 | 53 | 18 | Powertrain and transmission (87) | |
| 272 | 60 | 17 | Powertrain and transmission (83) | |
| 139 | 38 | 13 | Powertrain and transmission (28) | |
| 43 | 3 | 15 | Electrical system (11) | |
| 101 | 2 | 30 | Steering (37) |
What fails on the 2014 Ram 1500
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 20% |
111 | 20 | Shop powertrain and transmission parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 17% |
96 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
90 | 3 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
| Air bags | 16% |
88 | 33 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Unknown or other | 11% |
58 | 6 | — |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 10% |
55 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 9% |
51 | 6 | Shop steering parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 7% |
40 | 1 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2014 Ram 1500 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
2014 dodge ram 1500. Consumer writes in regards to brake transmission safety recall and reprogram powertrain control module safety recall. *ld
-
The fob key will not go to the off position. The farthest left it goes is to accesory.the key is stuck in the ignition i can still start it and drive it but have to disconnect the battery at night so as to not drain the battery.
-
Exhaust manifold bolts continually shear off from the high heat displacement of the 5.7 v8 hemi engine. Symptoms include a rapid ticking sound during engine startup.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ram 1500 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014, 2013, 2015 carry the most filings on the Ram 1500. The 2014 alone has 552 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Ram 1500 problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 111 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ram 1500 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ram 1500 complaints that include mileage is about 29,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.