Model record
Ram 2500 Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls
Every Ram 2500 model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2013 to 2025: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20265,012 complaints13 model years
The Ram 2500 years with the most owner complaints are 2018, 2017 and 2014. Owners named the braking system most for 2018 and 2017, and the steering for 2014.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.
Most of the complaints fall on the 2013 to 2018 trucks, and they peak at 2,547 for 2018.
Ram 2500 complaints by model year
Every Ram 2500 model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2013 to 2025. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.
- 2013Engine24%178
- 2014Steering25%341
- 2015Powertrain21%214
- 2016Powertrain24%256
- 2017Braking system60%680
- 2018Braking system71%2,547
- 2019Fuel and power delivery21%190
- 2020Fuel and power delivery25%162
- 2021Electrical system33%105
- 2022Electrical system34%176
- 2023Engine23%48
- 2024Braking system22%54
- 2025Electrical system59%61
Best Ram 2500 years by complaint count
Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car, and remember 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have had less time to collect complaints.
- 2021Electrical system · 8 recalls105
- 2020Fuel and power delivery · 10 recalls162
- 2013Engine · 16 recalls178
Most common Ram 2500 problems
The systems owners named most across all 13 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.
- Braking systemNamed most in 3 of 13 years2,318
- Electrical systemNamed most in 3 of 13 years921
- Hydraulic brakingNever the top system in a year466
- Throttle and speed controlNever the top system in a year426
- EngineNamed most in 2 of 13 years338
Our guides for these problems
Check engine codes Ram 2500 owners name
The OBD-II codes owners wrote into their complaints for the 2500 years we have read in full (2018), one count per complaint. None of these codes has a guide yet.
Ram 2500 years to avoid by generation
Ram introduced the 2019 Heavy Duty as new, with a new engine, wheels, bumpers and grilles, so the years in the file fall into two groups. NHTSA's file has the 2500 from 2013 to 2025.
2013–2018
2013 to 2018
2018 most complaints · braking system
- 2013178
- 2014341
- 2015214
- 2016256
- 2017680
- 20182,547
4,216 complaints · 6 model years
2019–2025
New for 2019
2019 most complaints · fuel and power delivery
- 2019190
- 2020162
- 2021105
- 2022176
- 202348
- 202454
- 202561
796 complaints · 7 model years
Ram 2500 recalls by year
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 3, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.
- 2013Most often: equipment16
- 2014Most often: steering16
- 2015Most often: steering15
- 2016Most often: airbag system14
- 2017Most often: steering12
- 2018Most often: steering10
- 2019Most often: fuel system, diesel12
- 2020Most often: visibility10
- 2021Most often: electrical system8
- 2022Most often: backup camera12
- 2023Most often: powertrain8
- 2024Most often: backup camera5
- 2025Most often: powertrain6
Ram 2500 crash test ratings by year
NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.
- 2013No overall rating—
- 2014Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2015Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2016Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2017Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2018Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2019No overall rating—
- 2020Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2021Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2022Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2023Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 3–44/5
- 2024No overall rating—
- 2025No overall rating—
Federal investigations
NHTSA's defect office has opened 7 investigations into 5 problems that cover Ram 2500 model years from 2013 to 2025. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.
Common questions
What are the Ram 2500 years to avoid?
The years with the most owner complaints are 2018, 2017 and 2014. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.
What year is the most reliable Ram 2500?
Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2021 drew the fewest complaints: 105. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.
What is the most common problem with the Ram 2500?
Across every year in the file, owners named the braking system most, in 2,318 complaints, then the electrical system, in 921.
Which Ram 2500 years have the most recalls?
2013, 2014 and 2015, with 16, 16 and 15 recall campaigns.
2500 year pages
20182,547What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 3 sources
Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.