2013 Ram 1500 complaints

Power steering failure - unexpected. Made vehicle difficult to drive

While driving the Electronic Power Steering Rack stopped working. I pulled over and inspected to see if there was any damage to it. Everything looked good, but the power steering was still not working. I turned vehicle on and off a couple times until the Electronic Power steering Rack started working again. This put me and other drivers in danger as I could not steer my vehicle freely without using excessive force to turn the wheel and pull over. Since then the power steering rack works sometimes and sometimes I have to turn my truck on for at least 20 to 30 minutes until the truck heats up and then turn and turn it off a couple of times until the electrical power steering rack starts working. I do not drive it anymore as I am scared that if I am on the highway it might turn off again and I will loose control of the vehicle. I have not taken it to get checked as I am scared to drive it. The Power steering warning light came on after the vehicle lost power steering during driving.

The contact's father owns a 2013 Ram 1500. While the contact's father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an unstated computer failure. In addition, the independent mechanic stated that power steering fluid was needed. The independent mechanic then became aware that the vehicle was equipped with electrical power steering assist. The contact was then advised to take the vehicle to an alternate independent mechanic who was familiar with electronic power steering failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the service steering unit warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was almost uncontrollable. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an internal fault of the EPS module. The contact was informed that the EPS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Electric Power Steering / Rack and Pinion unit suddenly stopped working and there is a warning light on the dash board.

Power steering maintenance light comes on and power steering is lost. This happens intermittently. Vehicle can be turned off, error goes away, and vehicle regains power steering and can be driven.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module had failed. The vehicle then taken to an independent mechanic, who confirmed the ABS module failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost and due to parts being on backorder. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed on a separate occasion, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering wheel had failed due to the ABS module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH in rainy weather, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or the right. The ESC warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull into the parking lot, and a day later, the vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic, where it was determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall, and that the warranty was invalid. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 19E077000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.

I was alerted today November 2025 that the fuel tank bracket support strap was unable to be reattached to the frame due to a rusted frame body where it was supposed to attach to. Luckily, it didn't come completely off and allow the fuel tank to drop to the ground while I was driving with my 2 young children in the truck causing a massive fatal accident. I spoke with the dealership regarding any recalls/coverage for this item and was made aware that they was an extended unlimited mileage warranty on this particular item that just expired in April 2025. Here we are just a few months past that and I've been alerted to the same issue, but am being told that it cannot and will not be covered as the warranty has expired. I escalated to RAM corporate customer care and was told the same thing, that they would not cover the issue and no manager would call me back at all. This is a known safety failure of this vehicle which was left by the company to be found by the driver AFTER it broke which could have had a disastrous outcome. This should have been a recall with a fix provided instead of rolling the dice with peoples lives. This could have happened months ago, well within the warranty period, but got worse and worse little by little until we got to this point now. Even me finding it now was serendipitous as I just happened to be under the truck performing other work. The company should 100% cover this repair based on their obvious knowledge of the safety problem.

Complete loss of steering with only 26,000 miles on vehicle.11

The electronic steering unit quits without warning ; if you can even get it to work.Chrysler has acknowledged this problem with other model years and they are aware of the problem in the 2013 model year ; but claim there's not enough of them to worry about

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, while driving the truck in Gulfport, MS, the power steering locked up several times. I was able to get the vehicle home. On Monday, November 3, I took the truck to Mandal, Dodge Chrysler, in D'Iberville, MS. Upon doing a diagnostic test, Mandal informed me I would need to have new rack and pinion system with the cost being $4500. I refused the repair work. My research pursuant to this issue shows that there is an ongoing investigation into this matter for many similar complaints. There was a partial recall on Dodge Ram 1500's that did not include my vehicle. Dodge Chrysler should be responsible for this repair.

While driving the "Service Power Steering" light came on. Made it very difficult to pull to the side of the road because the steering was very stiff

The ABS light, traction control light, parking brake light are on and the info center says “ Service Electronic Brake/Service ABS” I hooked up my OBDII reader and get code “C2200-49 Anti-lock Brake Module Internal - Internal Electronic Failure“ I have researched exhaustingly and this is a common problem and the part is no longer made. The safety of my truck is impacted AND I cannot fix it. I have checked 3 fuses and verified they are good. Seeing as how this is a common problem with the 2013-2018 Rams I feel this is something Ram needs to address.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V347000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES) and 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while moving the gear shifter out of park(P), the gear was stuck in park(P). The contact opened the door and rocked the vehicle back and forth, then closed the door and moved the gear shifter out of park(P). The contact moved the gear shift lever. A dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was part of the inheritance his father left. The contact's father had experienced the same failure. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, after the vehicle was started, the power steering failed to function as intended and locked up, and the contact was unable to maneuver the steering wheel. The contact used force to move the steering wheel. The message "check the steering" was displayed on the dashboard. Most recently, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact used force to maneuver the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the electrical system inside the rack and pinion had failed. The contact was informed that the entire steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,00

Tough steering. Very difficult to correct steering after a turn. Consistently happening.

Loss of power steering

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH on the highway, the steering wheel locked, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact pulled over to the side of the road while waiting for his son to arrive. The “Service Steering Soon” message was displayed. An independent mechanic or dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the cost for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was 186,468.

Power steering went out while driving steering became very hard to move the wheel

I am the original owner of a 2013 RAM 1500 SLT (VIN [XXX] ). I recently discovered, through official Mopar and Mopar México recall databases, that my truck has several open safety recalls — specifically T79 (17V-821), V44 (19V-347), X75 (Fuel Tank Strap Bracket), and U53 (Occupant Restraint Control Module). I was never notified by FCA/Stellantis or my dealership, even though my contact information and address have remained the same since purchase in January 2014. This failure to notify is serious: years ago, a similar malfunction in a 2005 RAM caused an unintended reverse movement that almost pinned me between the vehicle and a gate — exactly the defect described in the T79 recall. These recalls have been open for many years with replacement parts available, yet no contact was made. I am requesting NHTSA to review whether FCA/Stellantis failed to notify owners in Mexico and the U.S. of record about the safety recalls still open on this VIN. Attached documents from Mopar and Mopar México confirm the current open recalls. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Power steering light came on when I went to start vehicle in morning

While driving my truck lost all power steering. The truck was controllable but with a LOT of force. My wife would not have been able to steer had she been driving. I understand that this is not an uncommon failure. My trunk is a 2013 model but only has 10,770 mile, and was always garaged. I am a retired auto mechanic and a friend that is still active inspected the truck and said it was the steering module. that is not replaceable separately the entire steering assembly must be replaced. I noticed the steering warning after the failure. I am not sure if it was on before the failure. * note * at low speed it was all I could do to turn the wheel, and I am 6'1" and 205 lbs.

Electric Power Steering Module went bad causing loss of steering assist.

My truck has an open N37 recall which affects the electronic stability control and causes the esc light, service abs system light and brake light symbols to illuminate, my local dealership has attempted to perform this safety recall however they have indicated they attempted to flash the software to the module but were unable to do so due to the defective/non communicating abs module. This is a crucial issue as the n37 recall rectifies issues with the Electonic Stability Control on my truck which may inadvertently illuminate the esc warning light and disable the ESC system as a result, loss of the ESC function could adversely affect the vehicles handling characteristics and cause a crash without warning. I have reached out to Ram customer care, but they are refusing to replace the defective module in order to cover the n37 recall indicating it's an out-of-pocket expense which is unreasonable. The n37 recall explicitly states the recall will cover parts and labor, the module isn't able to be flashed as the dealer's diagnostic machine isn't communicating with it, which is a hardware issue. Ram is refusing to comply and replace the abs module in order to rectify the safety recall.

Component or system that failed / malfunctioned The brake system (pads, calipers, hydraulic fluid) failed three times in less than 90 days. The right-side tie rod end also separated from the steering assembly. Both components are available for inspection upon request. How safety was put at risk The brakes repeatedly lost all stopping power while driving, with the pedal going to the floor and the reservoir emptying within minutes. On one occasion, the brake pads and caliper fell off the wheel assembly, confirmed by the dealer’s own shop manager. The tie rod failure caused uneven tire wear and a highway blowout, forcing an emergency tow. These issues placed me, my child, and other drivers at risk of a serious crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center? Yes. Premier Auto (the dealer’s affiliated garage) confirmed and attempted repairs three times. On the third visit, the shop manager (Mike) stated that the brake pads were so low they had fallen off, causing the calipers to overextend and leak. Has the vehicle/component been inspected by others? Yes. Premier Auto inspected and repaired the brakes multiple times. Dobbs Tire & Auto later inspected after the blowout and diagnosed additional electrical issues. Documentation, invoices, and photos are available. Were there warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms? The brake warning light illuminated and the pedal sank to the floor during failures. No prior warning lamps appeared before the tie r

HELLO. I HAVE A 2013 RAM 1500 4D SLT 3.6L V6 2X2 6 1/3 FT. SINCE AUGUST 12 2025 IT STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE RACK AND PINION. FROM THEN TILL TODAY MY TRUCK CANNOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE ITS A SAFETY HAZZARD. IT TURNS ON BUT YOU TOUCH THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT GOES COMPLETLY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT WITHOUT STOPING, IT DOES IT ALSO OUTSIDE WITH THE TWO FRONT TIRES, NON STOP FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT NO INVOLVEMENT AT ALL. IT CANT BE DRIVEN FOR FEAR OF CRASHING SOMETHING OR SOMEONE DUE TO FAULTY RACK AND PINION. ITS VERY BAD.

I experienced total failure of the power steering system during a low speed turn in heavy traffic. Thanks to the quick response of another driver no accident occurred. There's several other complaints about the power steering failure on the 2013 RAM 1500. This should be looked at for a recall. Had my daughter been driving she and others may have been injured. RAM dealerships refused to acknowledge any problems.

On Thursday, September 18th 2025, I was driving out of a local Publix parking lot and the power steering on my 2013 RAM 1500 locked up and the dashboard alerted me with a "Service Power Steering" message. I had almost no control over my vehicle at that point and managed to use all my strength to keep the truck straight until I was in a safe place to park it. However, my wife also uses my truck and if this happened while she was driving, the safety failure could've resulted in an accident, causing injuries to her and others. Almost immediately, I called the local Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM dealer in town to make an appointment. After it was towed to the dealer on 22 Sep, I gave them the details of what happened. After a couple hours, the Service Advisor called me and told me the diagnosis was a failed Electronic Power Steering Gear and that the entire steering rack would need replacing. This specific component that failed on my 2013 RAM has been the subject of the VB9/NHTSA 19E-077 safety recall due to a contaminated circuit card assembly that may short circuit. However, no recall ever included my VIN so I was not made aware. Only after the incident and resulting diagnosis did I learn that FCA failed to recall all vehicles with this issue. This is confirmed by reading the accounts of other NHTSA safety claims for 2013 RAMs with the same component failure. There were no steering problems present prior to the failure.

C2217-00 ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE INTERNAL. Completely lost power steering could not steer vehicle. The vehicle has not had power steering since repair facility attempted to diagnose and clear code. diagnosed as faulty power steering control module. Code could not be cleared. There was no prior warning to loss of steering. Had to have towed to repair facility could not steer still remains there parts not available.

The frame bracket to the gas tank fuel bracket malfunction causing tank to lower and gouging the drive shaft

In my 2013 Dodge Ram, after 12 years of running and driving practically perfectly, my Electrical Power Steering failed in June 2025 and lost power steering. My wife could have gotten into a collision. Even though this issues is part of a general recall issue for RAM during 2013-2016 models about, my RAM dealer has instructed me that VIN # is not part of the recall I had to pay out of pocket to repair. Not sure exactly why my vehicle was not included even though we had the same problem it appears. My understanding is that the NHTSA has been investigating this since 2023 but I don't know if there has been an outcome. Do you know? My understanding RAM doesn't even make new parts for this but instead a used refurbished part (RAM Part #R8573449AA). The offical RAM part is out of stock so my dealer replaced it would two aftermarket parts - both failed and I paid $6,200 and we have not been able to drive my truck in 3 months. Currently my truck is at the dealer collecting dust. RAM and MIchigan and my local Dealer (Hendrick Dodge Ram in Cary, NC) are trying to located a now a 3rd replacement part that is the official RAM part. There is no definitive date yet when my vehicle will be repaired.

One night I was out and stop to get gas then out of no where I turned my truck back on and my steering locked up.Ive been told I need change out the whole rack and pinion. I’ve looked online for answers and all I see is recalls for EPS on these trucks.

On a cold morning in February of 2025, i was going to get my wife and me a biscuit and sausage for breakfast. I went to the garage, cranked my truck and noticed the steering wheel would not move. I also noticed a steering wheel light with an exclamation running through it on my instrument panel. I shut it down and went inside to tell my wife. She did a search on the internet and found that others were having this same problem and that dodge had a recall for vehicles with this problem. I called dodge's home office where they checked my vin number and said that my vehicle did not have any recalls. I told her that maybe she should add my truck to the recall list as I was having the same steering problem as many others. I got NO satisfaction from her and after reading information that other dodge owners had posted i realized that these people weren't going to do anything about this. At one point i called the dodge home office again only this time i got a recording that said; "You are calling about your 2013 dodge truck. (I wondered how she had this information.) Please press a number to be connected to someone." I was connected to a lady in Taiwan. She spoke very broken English and I asked her to put someone else on the phone. She argued that she spoke English and I got irritated with her and hung up. I believe this is by design as dodge wants to do just that, dodge their responsibilities to their customers. No one has inspected my truck as I can't remove it from the garage. I wa

While performing a left-hand U-turn across three lanes and into the far right-hand 4th turning lane, at less than 15mph my 2013 Ram 1500's power steering failed and jerked the wheel out of my hands back towards the neutral position. This action forced me across all the lanes and into the curb on the right edge of the 4th lane which was the turning lane that I was trying to reach. When I finally got the vehicle off the curb and was able to get the vehicle into the parking lot I was originally going to, the power steering seamed to operate breifly as long as the wheel was turned slowly and under speeds less than 10mph, so I limped it home. This however was short lived by the end of the next day I had totally lost all power steering assist and had to fight the wheel to turn at all. This led to having the electronic power steering rack assembly replaced at a local shop adding up to a total of $4943.55 US dollars. After receiving my 2013 Ram 1500 from the shop I began to experience heavy vibrations felt through the steering wheel and pedals. The vibration was caused by the damaged front passenger wheel hub which cost a further $400 plus dollars in parts and labor. The electronic power steering rack assembly had to be turned in for a core charge and is unavailable for inspection but had signs of water intrusion according to the shop. The associated bushings, tie rod ends and wheel hubs were either discarded or turned in for additional charges and are unavailable for inspection. My

My ABS, Traction Control, and BRAKES light illuminated while driving. I used an OBD2 scanner to check for any alarms or issues and found out my ABS Control Module has an internal fault. The part has been discontinued and the replacement is on backorder for more than a year. The only fix I have been able to find is using third party repair or out having a refurbished part from anonymous sellers online with no guarantee of it working. This issue impacts the anti-lock braking system, the stability control, and cruise control functionality of my vehicle.

It has, with more frequency as of late, become hard to turn the steering wheel both while driving as well as stationary. It is approximately 75% of them time currently, it started out being a now and then thing, but with more driving, it has become more frequent. There have been no warning lights to signal an issue, but the problem is continuously getting worse and more frequent.

Power steering stopped working

Electric power steering gear stopped working

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to turn to the right, the steering wheel seized. The contact used excessive force to maneuver the vehicle. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained at the residence. The contact called and notified the manufacturer of the failure. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19E077000 (STEERING). However, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.

I've had no previous problems with this but I just started my truck and a warning light came on saying service power steering and when I tried to turn the steering wheel, I had no power steering. I checked the fuses and they are good.

I was driving long distance down an interstate and my electric power steering locked up. I wasn't able to steer. Got a tow to nearest gas station. After sitting for about 30 minutes a started the truck back up and the steering work surprisingly.

The power steering rack failed on my 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 with only 36,000 miles. It is at the shop right now, waiting for the new power steering rack to come in. The power steering completely failed, as I was driving home from an appointment...making the truck extremely difficult to steer. The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by a service center (Golden Auto)They stated the entire power steering rack must be replaced at a cost of approximately $4,100. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center. The manufacturer has not yet inspected it. The warning light came on AFTER the power steering failed. There was absolutely no warning/symptoms of any kind before it happened.

Borrowing this truck from my father. I turned the key off a week ago when everything was working fine. When I went to start it today it gave me a power steering failure warning and the steering wheel was impossible to turn. From what I understand, this is a common problem with this year model and line of Rams. I am glad this happened while I was parked. Otherwise it could have been disastrous for me. As it is. I am looking at a very expensive repair on a loader vehicle.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Electric Power Steering Gear Assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19E077000 (Steering); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the steering wheel seized. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road using excessive force on the steering wheel, ran into a culvert, then ran over the culvert into a driveway and crashed into a trash can, where it came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained at the residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,359.

The power steering on my truck randomly went out this week, after working forever without any kind of issues. After doing a bunch of research and looking into the issue, I have tried to troubleshoot this in every way possible. I've looked at electrical, the belt inside the Electric Power Steering unit, checked connections and fuses, and I've come to the conclusion that these units are faulty, based on many other anecdotes of this happening, and even recalls from RAM. Except those recalls don't include my year of vehicle for some reason. Dodge/Ram dealers want $4500 to replace this part (which is extremely steep for such a small thing) and I currently don't have the means to pay for it. I have also seen that in September of 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed against Stellantis for this exact reason. So I want to file this complaint in hopes that Ram/Dodge/Stellantis will issue a recall.

SAFETY DEFECT: Database Classification Failure - 2013 Ram Vehicles Vehicle: 2013 Ram 1500, VIN: [ENTER VIN ABOVE] Owner: [ENTER NAME ABOVE] Email: [ENTER EMAIL ABOVE] Phone: [ENTER PHONE ABOVE] Defect Description: The 2013 model year Ram vehicles suffer from a systematic database classification failure that prevents normal ownership operations and creates safety hazards. Due to the Dodge-to-Ram brand transition in 2013, these vehicles are not properly recognized in automotive databases used by: • Auto parts retailers (O'Reilly's, AutoZone, etc.) • Insurance companies and quote systems • Tire retailers and service centers • Emergency roadside assistance systems • Government vehicle registration systems Safety Implications: • Inability to quickly procure critical replacement parts during emergencies • Delays in obtaining proper insurance coverage • Emergency service complications due to vehicle misidentification • Forced manual workarounds that increase human error risk Consumer Impact: Vehicle owners are forced to spend excessive time and resources (phone calls, manual lookups, repeated explanations) to perform basic vehicle ownership functions. This constitutes an operational defect that prevents normal commercial transactions. Requested Action: NHTSA should require Stellantis to issue a recall to correct the database classification error across all automotive systems, or provide alternative identification mechanisms that ensure proper vehicle recognition. Root Cause: Stellan

Power steering assist failed while driving. Can still be steered manually by force, but no electronic assist. Makes the vehicle unsafe to drive, and thankfully I was able to get safely off the road. When I looked into this, it’s a known issue with rams, and hasn’t been addressed in my year model, 2013. I can’t understand how a safety risk like this is going unaddressed. I was quoted 2 thousand plus dollars by the dealership to fix.

EPS system failed causing loss of power steering. Thankfully I wasn’t going fast when it failed.

2013 Ram 1500 truck has corroded fuel tank strap, which could lead to a fuel leak or fire. Dealer discovered while preformed oil change service.