2016 Ram 5500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
67/100
#5 most-complained of 13 5500 years
The 2016 Ram 5500 has a Complaint Index of 67 and ranks 5th worst of 13 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Suspension, Wheels & Tires issues make up 47% of complaints, with 7 recalls on record and a median failure mileage of 82,000.
- Complaints
- 17
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes / fires
- 2 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2016 Ram 5500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (47%)
- Transmission & Powertrain6 (35%)
- Steering3 (18%)
- Electrical System2 (12%)
- Brakes1 (6%)
- Engine1 (6%)
- Other1 (6%)
- Structure & Body1 (6%)
What owners report
- Rear wheels have detached after lug nuts or wheel studs sheared off, sometimes causing a crash at low speed.
- Front wheel bearings have fractured and detached without warning.
- Transfer case has failed and broken apart while driving on the highway, in one case starting a fire.
- Vehicle has rolled away while parked even with the transmission in park, requiring the parking brake to hold it.
- Steering has become unresponsive at highway speed, causing side-to-side swaying that required slowing down to regain control.
- Corroded wiring in the fuse box has caused loss of steering column function.
2016 Ram 5500 recalls
7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V398000May 27, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires447,985 vehicles
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. Incorrect information in the Service and Owner's Manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.
Risk: Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y36 owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y26 owner notification letters were mailed on December 1, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.
- NHTSA 18V332000May 17, 2018Electrical System4,815,661 vehicles
Electrical system:wiring
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
- NHTSA 17V824000Dec 21, 2017Other61,791 vehicles
Equipment
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Risk: If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
2016 compared with other 5500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Ram 5500 a good year?
- NHTSA data gives the 2016 Ram 5500 a Complaint Index of 67 and a Caution verdict, ranking 5th worst out of 13 model years covered. It is not the worst year for this model, but it has more reported problems than most other years.
- What is the main problem area for the 2016 Ram 5500?
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints make up 47% of all reported issues, including wheel and lug nut separations, with a median failure mileage of 120,000.
- Does the 2016 Ram 5500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2016 Ram 5500, covering suspension lug nut torque specs, electrical/ECM software, a transfer case replacement, and engine water pumps.
- How does the 2016 Ram 5500 compare to other years?
- With a Complaint Index of 67, the 2016 model ranks worse than 2015 (25), 2017 (42), and 2014 (50), but better than 2018 (75), 2020 (83), and 2022 (92), which are rated Avoid.