YearToAvoid

2010 Dodge Ram 1500 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 80 engine complaints for the 2010 Dodge Ram 1500, 16% of all complaints filed for the year, with a median failure mileage of 85,000. Owners reported stalling, unintended acceleration, and engine fires; no related recall is listed for this component.

Engine complaints
80
16% of 486
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
85,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Sudden unintended acceleration where the engine revs up on its own even with the brake pedal applied.
  • Engine stalling at low and highway speeds, sometimes requiring a restart or a tow after cam/crank sensor or PCM replacement.
  • Engine compartment fires reported both while driving at low speed and while parked after a tow, with smoke seen coming from under the hood.
  • Broken rocker arm and push rod on the Hemi engine at very low mileage, causing a loud noise and requiring dealer repair under warranty.
  • Drone-like noise and vibration linked to the MDS (multi-displacement) cylinder deactivation system, which dealers described as normal operation.
  • Exhaust resonance noise near 1500 rpm on the 5.7-liter MDS/VVT engine that multiple dealership visits could not resolve.

When 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 23, 2010, latest Nov 5, 2025.

2010 Dodge Ram 1500 engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter72010 Q32012 Q32015 Q12016 Q22018 Q12019 Q22021 Q22023 Q4
80 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q3 to 2025 Q4; peak 2018 Q2 (7).

Engine recalls for the 2010 Dodge Ram 1500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Ram 1500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201080 (16%)
  2. 2011169 (25%)
  3. 2012191 (27%)
  4. 20140 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 80 engine complaints for the 2010 Ram 1500, which is 16% of all 486 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2010 Ram 1500 engine?
No related recall is listed in the data for the engine component on the 2010 Ram 1500.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2010 Ram 1500 is 85,000 miles, though some sample complaints occurred at much lower mileage.
What kinds of engine problems do owners report?
Owners describe unintended acceleration, stalling, engine fires, a broken rocker arm, and noise or vibration tied to the MDS cylinder-deactivation system.
How does the 2010 Ram 1500 compare to other years for engine complaints?
The 2010 Ram 1500 had 80 engine complaints (16% share), lower than the 2011 (169 complaints, 25%) and 2012 (191 complaints, 27%) model years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.