YearToAvoid

2021 Ram 2500 Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 27% of the 108 total complaints filed on the 2021 Ram 2500, with 29 engine-related complaints and 5 reported fires. Owners typically report failures around 42,000 miles, and no engine-specific recall is listed for this problem area.

Engine complaints
29
27% of 108
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
42,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the engine catching fire shortly after starting or while idling, with smoke and burning smell entering the cab in some cases.
  • Some describe the intake grid heater bolt weakening over time and falling into the intake, leading to catastrophic internal engine damage on 6.7 Cummins-equipped trucks.
  • Several owners report sudden stalling or complete loss of power while driving at highway speed, sometimes with the dash displaying a message to press the brake and restart.
  • Others describe unexpected deceleration and loss of motive power even with the accelerator pedal depressed, limiting the truck to very low speeds.
  • A few complaints mention engine-related repairs tied to a Power Train recall campaign, including confusion over a shortened replacement dipstick not meant for checking transmission fluid.

When 2021 Ram 2500 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 20, 2021, latest Sep 10, 2026.

2021 Ram 2500 engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Aug 2021Mar 2023Sep 2023Mar 2024Jan 2025Sep 2025Sep 2026
29 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Jun 2023 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2021 Ram 2500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by 2500 model year

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

  1. 201354 (30%)
  2. 201487 (26%)
  3. 201553 (25%)
  4. 201671 (28%)
  5. 2017117 (17%)
  6. 2018380 (15%)
  7. 201941 (21%)
  8. 202036 (22%)
  9. 202129 (27%)
  10. 202238 (21%)
  11. 202312 (25%)
  12. 202410 (17%)
  13. 202511 (18%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems on the 2021 Ram 2500?
NHTSA lists 29 engine complaints for the 2021 Ram 2500, which is 27% of the 108 total complaints filed for this model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Ram 2500 engine?
No related recalls are listed specifically for the Engine problem area in the NHTSA data provided.
At what mileage do engine problems usually appear on the 2021 Ram 2500?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 42,000 miles.
Have there been fires linked to engine problems on the 2021 Ram 2500?
NHTSA data shows 5 fire reports among the complaints tied to this vehicle and problem area, with no crashes or injuries reported.

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.