Ram 3500

Owners filed 2,365 complaints across 17 model years of the Ram 3500. The 2018 drew the most (808).

Model years17
Complaints2,365
Recalls157
Fires49
Deaths2

Which Ram 3500 years should you avoid?

Going by 2,365 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Ram 3500 years to avoid are 2018 and 2017.

  • 2018808 complaints, 5.9× a typical 3500 year, most often about the brakes.
  • 2017316 complaints, 2.3× a typical 3500 year, most often about the brakes.

Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026. Complaints take a few years to arrive, so a new model year looks better than it is.

How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →

Every Ram 3500 model year compared

Complaints per year
YearComplaintsRelative volumeRecallsFiresCrashesMost reportedStatus
2026Too new28
4—1Electrical SystemRoutine
2025Too new43
5——Electrical SystemRoutine
202445
215Service BrakesRoutine
202317
5——Exterior LightingRoutine
2022191
1254Power TrainRoutine
202162
94—Electrical SystemRoutine
2020116
1176Fuel/Propulsion SystemRoutine
2019138
14512Fuel System, DieselRoutine
2018Avoid808
11216Service BrakesFatalities reported
2017Avoid316
1319Service BrakesAbove average
2016134
16512SteeringRoutine
2015137
1653Power TrainRoutine
2014202
1779SteeringAbove average
2013115
1874SteeringFatalities reported
20093
2——SteeringDo not drive
20084
1——SuspensionRoutine
20076
1——Unknown or OtherRoutine

Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.