2021 RAM 2500 Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 8 NHTSA recalls and 108 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

23/100

Very High Reported Activity — 2021 RAM 2500

The 2021 RAM 2500 shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.

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NHTSA Recalls

8 recalls on record

108

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

8 fire reports

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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 RAM 2500 (8)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized RAM dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Electrical System: Wiring: Relays/Solenoids

A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park these vehicles outside of buildings or structures, and not near other vehicles, until the vehicle has been remedied. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace…

NHTSA #21V798000

🔧 Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain

An air bag that deploys improperly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's…

NHTSA #21V925000

🔧 Electrical System

A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material…

NHTSA #21V163000

🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: Control Unit/Module

An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA…

NHTSA #22V140000

🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission

Leaking transmission fluid may contact an ignition source within the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission dipstick and transmission vent assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at…

NHTSA #22V835000

🔧 Structure: Body: Tailgate: Hinge And Attachments

An unintended tailgate opening while driving may result in a loss of unsecured cargo, possibly creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tailgate striker alignment to the box latch and adjust, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA…

NHTSA #22V904000

🔧 Electrical System: Wiring: Relays/Solenoids

An electrical short in the relay can result in an engine compartment fire with the ignition on or off, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the relay, free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign….

NHTSA #23V060000

🔧 Air Bags: Frontal

A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number…

NHTSA #25V765000

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Most Common Problems — 2021 RAM 2500

Based on 108 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train

Electrical System

Engine

Service Brakes

Structure

Unknown Or Other

Steering

Air Bags

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RAM 2500 — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked RAM 2500 VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2018 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2019, 2020, 2021 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 RAM 2500

Is the 2021 RAM 2500 reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 RAM 2500 has 8 recall campaigns and 108 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2021 RAM 2500 have?

The 2021 RAM 2500 has 8 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2021 RAM 2500?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 RAM 2500 are: Power Train, Electrical System, Engine, Service Brakes. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2021 RAM 2500 safe to buy?

The 2021 RAM 2500 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 8 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year RAM 2500 should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the RAM 2500 are: 2019, 2020, 2021. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2018.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.