Ram 1500: Years to Avoid & Common Problems

The Ram 1500 years to avoid are 2014, 2019, 2016, 2015, and 2013 — all logged complaint rates well above the model average and drew open NHTSA investigations. The worst is the 2014 model, with 2,374 complaints, a 2.69x rate versus the average Ram 1500 year, 17 recalls, and 3 investigations still open today.

Key Takeaways

• The 2014 Ram 1500 is the single worst model year: 2,374 complaints, a 2.69x rate compared to the model average, 17 recalls, and 5 investigations (3 still open).
• Five years — 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019 — are flagged for both an elevated complaint rate and open NHTSA investigations.
• Steering complaints are the truck's most persistent problem, hitting 614 complaints (39% of all complaints that year) in the 2013 model alone.
• The 2019 Ram 1500 carries more recalls than any other year — 29 — even though its complaint rate ranks only second-worst.
• The best-documented year is 2012, which shows zero owner complaints in NHTSA's database and just one now-closed investigation.

Which Ram 1500 Model Years Should You Avoid?

The worst Ram 1500 years are 2014, 2019, 2016, 2015, and 2013 — each rated "avoid" for having a complaint rate well above the model average plus open federal investigations. Five more years carry a lighter "avoid" flag because of open investigations alone, even though their complaint volume is closer to normal. Here's how every flagged year stacks up, ranked by complaint rate versus the model average:

• 2014 — 2,374 complaints (2.69x model average), primarily steering- and engine-related, with 17 recalls and 3 open investigations
• 2019 — 2,102 complaints (2.38x model average), primarily electrical-related, with 29 recalls — the most of any Ram 1500 year
• 2016 — 2,046 complaints (2.32x model average), primarily engine- and steering-related, with 7 reported deaths logged against the model year
• 2015 — 1,941 complaints (2.2x model average), primarily engine-related, with 86 fire complaints and 4 reported deaths
• 2013 — 1,570 complaints (1.78x model average), dominated by steering problems (614 complaints, 39% of the year's total)
• 2017 — 1,169 complaints (1.33x model average), steering- and engine-related, with 2 open investigations
• 2021 — 1,103 complaints (1.25x model average), primarily engine-related (25% of that year's complaints)
• 2022 — 992 complaints (1.12x model average), primarily engine-related, with 6 reported deaths
• 2018 — 889 complaints (1.01x model average), primarily electrical-related
• 2020 — 875 complaints (0.99x model average, essentially normal), primarily engine-related, flagged only because of an open investigation

By contrast, 2012 shows zero logged complaints and is the cleanest year on record, and recent years like 2023 and 2024 show far fewer complaints too — though that partly reflects less time on the road rather than proven reliability. For the full Ram 1500 complaint and recall history across every model year, see our rankings of the most-complained-about model years sitewide.

What's the Most Common Ram 1500 Problem?

Steering is the Ram 1500's most persistent complaint category, showing up as the top or second-most-reported issue in nearly every flagged year. It peaked in 2013, when 614 of the year's 1,570 complaints — 39% — involved steering, and it still made up 15-21% of complaints in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019. Most of these describe a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist, like one 2019 owner's account: "Driving my [child] to daycare and my power steering quit working... I have read online that many other people have had this problem." Chrysler issued EPS recalls for contaminated circuit boards on 2015-2016 trucks (16V167) and a contaminated EPS gear on 2019 trucks (VB8), and NHTSA opened investigation RQ23003 in 2023 — still open — after 380 consumers reported power steering loss in 2013-2016 Ram 1500s outside the recalled population. See how to check for open recalls on any Ram 1500 before buying.

Why Does the 2014 Ram 1500 Have Such a High Complaint Rate?

The 2014 Ram 1500 combines high complaint volume across multiple systems with unusually persistent federal scrutiny. Steering (488 complaints), engine (350), and fuel system (273) issues dominate, and one owner described the engine "cylinder misfires... vehicle broke down [in the] middle of intersection" despite repeated dealer visits. NHTSA's investigations into this model year include PE16-014, which examined 43 rollaway incidents tied to the truck's rotary shifter, and RQ25-003, opened in 2025 and still active, reviewing whether earlier rollaway recalls (17V-821 and 18V-100) actually fixed the underlying Brake Transmission Shift Interlock defect in 2013-2018 Ram trucks.

Why Do EcoDiesel Ram 1500 Engines Keep Getting Recalled?

Several Ram 1500 engine recalls trace back to the 3.0L EcoDiesel, and they span nearly every "avoid" year from 2014 through 2019. Recall 19V757 covers a cracking EGR cooler that can let heated coolant vapor combust inside the intake manifold — a fire risk on 2014-2019 trucks. Recall 22V406 covers a high-pressure fuel pump that can shed debris and starve the engine of fuel, and recalls 20V475 and 23V411 address a crankshaft position sensor that can delaminate and stall the engine "while driving," as one 2015 owner reported after smoke poured from the vents. Read a recall notice's defect, consequence, and remedy fields to understand what these filings actually promise to fix. Engine problems show up so often across Ram 1500 model years that it's also worth checking our ranking of the worst engine problems sitewide for comparison.

Is the 2019 Ram 1500 Reliable Despite Having the Most Recalls?

Not especially — 29 recalls is the highest count of any Ram 1500 year, even though 2019 has only one open investigation, fewer than most other flagged years. Electrical issues lead its complaints (388, 18.5%), followed by steering (330, 15.7%). Beyond the EPS recalls already covered, 2019 trucks were swept into a 4.8-million-vehicle recall (18V332) for a cruise control system that could fail to disengage, plus a separate recall for a loose battery ground fastener that could also cause power steering loss. If you're cross-shopping, the Ford F-150's years to avoid show a similar pattern of recalls clustering in specific model years.

How Does VehicleVerdict Calculate "Years to Avoid"?

VehicleVerdict flags a model year as "avoid" when its complaint rate is meaningfully higher than the model's own average across all years, when it has open NHTSA investigations, or both — the 2014, 2019, 2016, 2015, and 2013 Ram 1500s hit both criteria, while 2017-2022 years less prominent on this list were flagged for open investigations alone. Full detail on the data sources and math is on the methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the worst year for the Ram 1500?

The 2014 Ram 1500 is the worst model year in NHTSA's data, with 2,374 complaints — a 2.69x rate versus the Ram 1500 average — 17 recalls, and 5 investigations, 3 of which remain open. Steering, engine, and fuel system problems account for most of its complaint volume.

Which Ram 1500 years have the best reliability record?

The 2012 Ram 1500 shows zero complaints in NHTSA's database and only one investigation, which closed without finding a safety defect. Recent years like 2023 and 2024 also show low complaint counts, though newer trucks simply haven't accumulated as many owner-reported miles yet.

Is the 2019 Ram 1500 a good truck to buy?

The 2019 Ram 1500 carries the most recalls of any model year (29) and a 2.38x complaint rate, driven mainly by electrical and steering issues. It's not the worst year on complaint volume, but the recall count alone is worth researching before buying — start with the Ram 1500 hub page for the full model history.

What is the most common Ram 1500 problem?

Loss of electric power steering assist is the most recurring Ram 1500 complaint, peaking at 39% of all complaints in the 2013 model year. It shows up across 2013-2019 and prompted multiple recalls plus an NHTSA investigation opened in 2023 that remains open.

How many total recalls does the Ram 1500 have?

Across all model years in VehicleVerdict's database (2009-2026), the Ram 1500 has 93 recalls, 33 NHTSA investigations, and 16,143 total owner complaints. Recall volume is heavily concentrated in the 2013-2019 model years.

Should I avoid buying a used Ram 1500 from 2013-2016?

Not automatically, but budget for extra due diligence. These years show the highest complaint rates in the Ram 1500's history — 1.78x to 2.69x the model average — concentrated in steering and engine problems, so confirm all recall repairs were completed before you buy.