2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
67/100
#2 most-complained of 4 Ram 1500 years
The 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 has a Complaint Index of 67, ranking 2nd worst of 4 model years tracked, with a Caution verdict. NHTSA logged 689 complaints, 4 recalls, 28 crashes, and 7 fires, led by electrical system problems.
- Complaints
- 689
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 28 / 7
- Injuries / deaths
- 21 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 15
- 14 city / 19 hwy
Top 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System226 (33%)
- Transmission & Powertrain176 (26%)
- Engine169 (25%)
- Fuel System142 (21%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires57 (8%)
- Other47 (7%)
- Steering45 (7%)
- Brakes37 (5%)
- Structure & Body30 (4%)
- Airbags13 (2%)
What owners report
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during moderate-to-high speed crashes, including rear-end and frontal impacts.
- Owners describe brake pedals traveling to the floor with no braking response, leading to crashes.
- Electrical fires were reported starting in the truck bed area, in one case while the vehicle was parked and locked.
- A rear tire and rim reportedly caught fire after locking up while driving at highway speed.
- One owner reported an engine hose spraying fluid onto the serpentine belt, producing smoke from under the hood.
2011 Dodge Ram 1500 recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V160000Mar 8, 2018Fuel System218,617 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks currently, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Exposure to environmental conditions such as water mixed with road salt may cause the front fuel tank strap frame "T-Slot" bracket to corrode, possibly causing the fuel tank to drop and make contact with the ground.
Risk: If the fuel tank were to drop and contact the ground, a fuel leak may result. Additionally, in the event of a crash, the fuel tank may not remain secured to the vehicle, possibly causing a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence in an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will bolt a bracket reinforcement to the frame, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U04.
- NHTSA 17V821000Dec 20, 2017Transmission & Powertrain1,482,874 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Risk: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
- NHTSA 13V038000Feb 6, 2013Transmission & Powertrain278,674 vehicles
Power train:driveline:differential unit
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009 Chrysler Aspen trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008; and model year 2009 Dodge Durango trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008. The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.
Risk: If the rear axle pinion nut loosens, the axle can lock up and cause a loss of vehicle control and/or a vehicle crash with little warning.
Remedy: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N08.
2011 Dodge Ram 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 14 MPG
- Highway
- 19 MPG
- Combined
- 15 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,300
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Gasoline or E85
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2011 compared with other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 reliable?
- Compared to other years in this dataset, the 2011 Ram 1500 ranks 2nd worst of 4 with a Complaint Index of 67 and a Caution verdict. It has fewer complaints and a lower index than the 2012 model (Avoid, index 100) but more than the 2010 model (Good, index 33).
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ram 1500?
- NHTSA data shows Electrical System complaints make up 33% of reports (226 complaints), followed by Transmission & Powertrain at 26% (176 complaints) and Engine issues at 25% (169 complaints).
- Does the 2011 Ram 1500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 Ram 1500, covering the fuel system frame bracket, transmission park-lock software/BTSI, a pinion nut retainer, and a rear axle bearing oil port insert. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do problems usually show up on the 2011 Ram 1500?
- Median mileage at failure varies by system: Suspension issues appeared around 25,250 miles, Transmission issues around 44,000 miles, Steering around 66,240 miles, and Engine and Fuel System issues around 100,000 miles.
- How does the 2011 Ram 1500 compare to the 2012 model?
- The 2012 Ram 1500 has a higher Complaint Index (100) and 6 recalls with an Avoid verdict, while the 2011 model has a Complaint Index of 67 and 4 recalls, making 2011 the somewhat less problematic of the two based on NHTSA data.