Ram 3500 Best and Worst Years (2013–2025)
Avoid the 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2022 Ram 3500 model years, based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls. The 2018 leads with 802 complaints and a complaint index of 100, mostly brakes, while 2013, 2021, and 2023 rank best with the lowest complaint indexes (17, 8, and 0).
Avoid 2014Avoid 2017Avoid 2018Avoid 2022Best 2013Best 2021Best 2023
- Model years
- 13
- 2013–2025
- NHTSA complaints
- 2,303
- Recall campaigns
- 60
- Crashes reported
- 76
- Fires reported
- 49
- Top problem area
- Brakes
3500 Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Ram 3500 problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Best | 17 | 114 | 3 | 7 | 16 | Engine | — | — |
| 2014 | Avoid | 75 | 202 | 9 | 7 | 15 | Suspension, Wheels & Tires | — | — |
| 2015 | Good | 25 | 136 | 3 | 5 | 14 | Engine | — | — |
| 2016 | Good | 42 | 134 | 12 | 5 | 14 | Suspension, Wheels & Tires | — | — |
| 2017 | Avoid | 83 | 310 | 9 | 1 | 12 | Brakes | — | — |
| 2018 | Avoid | 100 | 802 | 15 | 2 | 10 | Brakes | — | — |
| 2019 | Caution | 67 | 135 | 10 | 5 | 14 | Fuel System | — | — |
| 2020 | Caution | 50 | 116 | 6 | 7 | 11 | Fuel System | — | — |
| 2021 | Best | 8 | 62 | 0 | 4 | 9 | Electrical System | — | — |
| 2022 | Avoid | 92 | 189 | 4 | 5 | 12 | Transmission & Powertrain | — | — |
| 2023 | Best | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Electrical System | — | — |
| 2024 | Caution | 58 | 44 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Electrical System | — | — |
| 2025 | Good | 33 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Electrical System | — | — |
3500 years to avoid: what went wrong
2018 Ram 3500 Index 100 · 802 complaints · 10 recalls
The 2018 Ram 3500 has the highest complaint volume of any year at 802 complaints and the top complaint index of 100. Brakes account for 83% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 55,921.5, far above every other problem area. NHTSA also recorded 15 crashes, 6 injuries, 1 death, and 10 recall campaigns, including brake hydraulic control unit and airbag inflator recalls. Owners describe wheel assemblies breaking off, tire blowouts, and airbags not deploying in crashes.
2018 brakes problems →2018 electrical system problems →2018 engine problems →
2022 Ram 3500 Index 92 · 189 complaints · 12 recalls
The 2022 Ram 3500 carries a complaint index of 92 across 189 complaints. Transmission & Powertrain leads at 60% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 16,000, followed by Engine at 16% and Electrical System at 14%. NHTSA recorded 4 crashes, 7 injuries, and 12 recall campaigns, including a steering column control module recall and an ABS software recall. Owners describe transmissions slipping out of park unexpectedly and sudden loss of power while driving.
2022 transmission & powertrain problems →2022 engine problems →2022 electrical system problems →
2017 Ram 3500 Index 83 · 310 complaints · 12 recalls
The 2017 Ram 3500 shows 310 complaints and a complaint index of 83. Brakes dominate at 61% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 54,000, followed by Engine at 20% (31,800 miles) and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 13%. NHTSA recorded 9 crashes and 12 recall campaigns for this year, including a brake hydraulic control unit recall and an airbag inflator recall. Owners describe transmission shifter problems and airbags failing to deploy in crashes.
2017 brakes problems →2017 engine problems →2017 suspension, wheels & tires problems →
2014 Ram 3500 Index 75 · 202 complaints · 15 recalls
NHTSA lists 202 complaints for the 2014 Ram 3500, giving it a complaint index of 75. The top problem area was Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 25% of complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 34,000. Engine issues followed at 22% (median mileage 16,500), then Steering at 20% and Transmission & Powertrain at 19%. NHTSA recorded 9 crashes, 7 fires, 9 injuries, and 15 recall campaigns, including a steering drag link recall and a tailgate latch recall covering this year.
2014 suspension, wheels & tires problems →2014 engine problems →2014 steering problems →
Most common Ram 3500 problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group. A complaint naming two components counts once in each.
- Brakes982 (43%)
- Engine461 (20%)
- Electrical System369 (16%)
- Transmission & Powertrain320 (14%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires285 (12%)
- Steering205 (9%)
- Fuel System202 (9%)
- Other168 (7%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras107 (5%)
- Structure & Body51 (2%)
Frequently asked questions
- What years of the Ram 3500 should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2022 Ram 3500 model years rank as Avoid, relative to other Ram 3500 years. The 2018 is the worst, with 802 complaints and a complaint index of 100.
- What is the best year for the Ram 3500?
- The 2013, 2021, and 2023 Ram 3500 model years rank Best, with complaint indexes of 17, 8, and 0 respectively, the lowest among all 13 model years tracked.
- Are brakes a common problem on the Ram 3500?
- Yes. Brakes are the top overall problem area across all Ram 3500 years, accounting for 982 complaints, or 43% of the total 2,303 complaints. The 2018 model year alone has 664 brake complaints, 83% of that year's total.
- Does the 2018 Ram 3500 have a brake recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall campaign 24V896000 covers 2017-2018 Ram 3500 trucks for a brake hydraulic control unit that may fail and disable the anti-lock brake system.
- Is the 2022 Ram 3500 reliable?
- The 2022 Ram 3500 ranks Avoid relative to other years, with a complaint index of 92 and Transmission & Powertrain issues making up 60% of its 189 complaints, including reports of unexpected slips out of park.