2019 Ram 1500 Reliability Report

This category is a mix of serious and nuisance faults. Several reports describe fires, including one in a parked truck after a persistent burning-wire smell, plus stalls and airbags that did not deploy in crashes. Recurring non-crash complaints include the shifter dropping into park while slowing, cracked rear window frames letting water in, dashboards bubbling, rusted and leaking oil pans, and fuel nozzles sticking in the capless filler. Auto door locks pinching arms rested on open windows account for three injuries. Late camshaft and eTorque failures also appear.

Hemi V8 ticking that progresses to lifter and camshaft failure is the dominant pattern, with metal in the oil, broken pushrods, or a full engine replacement costing over $10,000. These failures cluster between 50,000 and 68,000 miles. Exhaust manifolds warp and snap bolts, often around 72,000 to 80,000 miles, causing leaks and noise. Head gasket and coolant leaks, low oil pressure from a failed pump, and alternator failures that shut the engine off also appear. On the diesel, EGR cooler cracks cause heavy smoke, and one report describes a fire.

Airbags fail to deploy in frontal and side crashes, including head-on hits into guardrails and other vehicles at 25 to 60 mph. More than half of these complaints are crash-related, with 32 injuries, among them broken necks, a broken back, and concussions. Some reports add seat belts that did not lock or tighten. The manufacturer's usual reply is that deceleration was too low to trigger deployment. One owner cites a factory recall tied to an unconfigured seat position sensor. No warning light comes on beforehand.

Water leaks into the cab are the main complaint, usually from a cracked rear window frame, third brake light, or rear door seals, leading to wet carpet and mold. Leaks often show up between 31,000 and 36,803 miles. Owners also report oil pans rusting through, power tailgates dropping open while driving or falling off their hinges, a driver's door hinge detaching and causing a fall, and a cracked roof seam. Dealers often only reseal the rear glass, and owners say coverage for frame replacement is hard to obtain.

An ABS module failure turns off stability control, antilock braking, cruise control, and trailer brakes at once, and replacement modules have been backordered for months. Some drivers learned of an ABS software recall only after a crash. Other reports describe the truck surging forward with the brake pedal pressed, false automatic braking when reversing on a grade, a rusted rear dust shield locking a wheel, and pulling right under braking. One fire traced to a seized rear caliper. Eight complaints involve crashes.

The tank refuses fuel. The pump clicks off every few dollars, gas spits back from the capless filler, and a fill-up can take 20 minutes. Cold weather makes it worse. Dealers blame a stuck rollover valve and replace the whole tank, quoted between $1,400 and $3,000, and tanks have been backordered. A service bulletin to adjust the fill neck did not help one owner. Fill problems appear from about 23,400 miles onward. Less often, fuel pump failures stall the engine on the road and misfires return after injector replacement.

Sun visors break at the mount and drop into the driver's line of sight, often on both sides. Wiper arms come loose or a nut backs off, so the wiper stops mid-sweep or strikes the hood, and owners say the wiper recall does not cover their VIN. Other complaints include the backup camera going blue or showing "camera system not available", power-folding mirrors that strip their gears and shift in the wind, failed rear defrosters, and cracked rear window trim leaking rain inside.