YearToAvoid

2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 169 engine complaints for the 2011 Dodge Ram 1500, 25% of all 689 complaints filed for the year. Owners report failures at a median mileage of 100,000, with several fires and no related recalls on file for this component.

Engine complaints
169
25% of 689
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
100,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report engine compartment fires occurring while parked or shortly after shutdown, sometimes with a fuel-like smell beforehand.
  • Some describe smoke and fluid on the engine paired with stalling or deceleration at highway speeds, along with warning lights for check engine, coolant, or four-wheel drive.
  • One owner reported a loose timing chain and timing tensioner that caused unexpected forward jumping and a collision.
  • A hose was found spraying liquid onto the serpentine belt, producing smoke and making the steering wheel hard to turn.
  • Owners describe sudden violent shaking or abnormal behavior while driving or reversing, with no obvious cause found on inspection.

When 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 25, 2012, latest Mar 30, 2026.

2011 Dodge Ram 1500 engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter102012 Q12014 Q22015 Q42017 Q22018 Q42020 Q22022 Q12023 Q3
169 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q1; peak 2018 Q3 (10).

Engine recalls for the 2011 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. 2005166 (14%)
  2. 200674 (9%)
  3. 200756 (11%)
  4. 200855 (10%)
  5. 200969 (10%)
  6. 201080 (16%)
  7. 2011169 (25%)
  8. 2012191 (27%)
  9. 20140 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 169 engine complaints for the 2011 Ram 1500, which is 25% of the 689 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 engine?
No related recalls are listed for the engine component in the NHTSA data for this model year.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine issue is 100,000 miles.
Did the engine problems cause any crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 5 crashes and 4 fires associated with engine complaints for the 2011 Ram 1500, along with 2 injuries.
How does 2011 compare to other Ram 1500 years for engine complaints?
The 2011 Ram 1500 had 169 engine complaints (25% share), close to 2010's 80 complaints (16% share) and 2012's 191 complaints (27% share).

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.