The Ram 1500 is a full-size half-ton pickup truck, sold as the Dodge Ram 1500 until Ram became a separate brand around the 2011 model year. It is offered in regular, quad and crew cab forms with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. Since 2009 it has used coil-spring rear suspension, and engines have included V6, Hemi V8 and diesel options. We put all 15 Ram 1500 model years from 2010 to 2024 side by side, using the same rule for every year.
Ram 1500 by model year
Complaints per 100,000 sold. Red: more than twice the model average. Green: the fewest, among years at least three years old.
| Year | Per 100k sold | Complaints | Recalls | Top system | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 244 | 488 | 4 | Transmission | |
| 2011 | 281 | 689 | 4 | Electrical | |
| 2012 | 238 | 698 | 6 | Electrical | |
| 2013 | 360 | 1,281 | 11 | Steering | |
| 2014 | 404 | 1,778 | 16 | Steering | |
| 2015 | 324 | 1,460 | 17 | Engine | |
| 2016 | 318 | 1,554 | 16 | Engine | |
| 2017 | 177 | 884 | 13 | Steering | |
| 2018 | 124 | 667 | 15 | Electrical | |
| 2019 | 236 | 1,496 | 29 | Electrical | |
| 2020 | 114 | 641 | 14 | Engine | Fewest |
| 2021 | 120 | 683 | 15 | Engine | Fewest |
| 2022 | 136 | 635 | 16 | Engine | |
| 2023 | 46 | 205 | 11 | Electrical | Fewest |
| 2024 | 21 | 78 | 6 | Electrical |
Why these years stand out
2020, 2021 and 2023: fewest complaints. The 2020 drew 641 complaints, or 114 per 100,000 sold; The 2021 drew 683 complaints, or 120 per 100,000 sold; The 2023 drew 205 complaints, or 46 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.
What Ram 1500 owners report most
Engine complaints lead for the Ram 1500, at 23% of all complaints for 2010-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 37%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.
When problems are reported: mileage
6,014 Ram 1500 complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 46% were reported before 50,000 miles and 21% after 100,000. The reports are spread across the mileage range rather than bunched at one point.
Ram 1500 compared with other full-size trucks
In 3 of 15 model years the Ram 1500 drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average full-size truck we track for the same year. For 2024, the Ram 1500 scored 21 against a class average of 222. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.
Ram 1500 generations
- 2005-2008Third generation (DR)
3.7L V6; 4.7L V8; 5.7L Hemi V8 · 5-speed manual (some models); 4-speed or 5-speed automatic
These trucks were sold under the Dodge Ram name.
- 2009-2018Fourth generation (DS)
3.7L V6 and 4.7L V8 (early years); 5.7L Hemi V8; 3.6L V6 (from 2013); 3.0L turbo diesel V6 (from 2014) · 4-speed, 5-speed or 6-speed automatic; 8-speed automatic (from 2013)
This generation introduced coil-spring rear suspension, and it continued as the Ram 1500 Classic from 2019 through 2024.
- 2019-2024Fifth generation (DT)
3.6L V6 with eTorque; 5.7L Hemi V8 (with or without eTorque); 3.0L turbo diesel V6; 6.2L supercharged V8 (TRX) · 8-speed automatic
This redesign added the eTorque mild hybrid system and, for 2021, the off-road TRX.
The 3.6L V6 and eight-speed automatic both arrived for the 2013 model year. Model years 2019 to 2024 include both the new fifth-generation truck and the older design sold as the Ram 1500 Classic.
Ram 1500 fuel economy
The 2026 Ram 1500 is rated at 12 to 22 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.
Questions
What is the best year for the Ram 1500?
By complaints filed with NHTSA per 100,000 sold, 2020, 2021 and 2023 had the fewest among model years at least three years old. 2020 scored 114, against a model average of 202.
What years of the Ram 1500 have the most complaints?
No Ram 1500 model year passes our rule for "most complaints". By raw count, 2014 has the most: 1,778 complaints, led by steering reports.
At what mileage do Ram 1500 owners report problems?
Across 6,014 complaints that list the odometer reading, 46% were filed before 50,000 miles and 21% after 100,000 miles. These are miles at the time of the reported problem, not how long the vehicle lasts.
How many recalls does the Ram 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 193 recall campaigns across model years 2010-2024 (a campaign that covers several years counts once per year). Check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaint counts are reports filed by owners with NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify them, and a complaint does not prove a defect. Scores are our calculation, explained on the Method page. Not affiliated with any automaker.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (complaints, recalls, investigations), data through October 2026; U.S. sales from manufacturer reports, compiled by motorwick; fuel economy: U.S. EPA estimates. Sales for this model are published together with related versions, so its score is compared only with its own years and it is left out of rankings.