MY TAIL-GATE WILL NOT STAY CLOSED OR LOCK WITH A KEY. SITTING PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY ON A FLAT SURFACE, THEN AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, IT CAME DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY
2011 Dodge RAM 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
491 reports with mileage · 197 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 175 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 151 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
46 reportsON OR AROUND 06/20/18 I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING MY 2011 DODGE RAM HAD AFEW RECALLS AND I NEEDED TO CONTACT THE NEAREST LOCATION FOR SERVICE. I CONTACTED 3 LOCATIONS ONE IN GEORGETOWN TX ONE IN AUSTIN TX AND ONE IN ROUND ROCK. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME AND NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN GET THIS …
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ON OR AROUND 06/20/18 I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING MY 2011 DODGE RAM HAD AFEW RECALLS AND I NEEDED TO CONTACT THE NEAREST LOCATION FOR SERVICE. I CONTACTED 3 LOCATIONS ONE IN GEORGETOWN TX ONE IN AUSTIN TX AND ONE IN ROUND ROCK. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME AND NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE SITUATION WITH THE VEHICLE GETS WORSE AND CAUSES AND ACCIDENT.
THE WELDMENT ON THE FRAME THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAP ATTACHES TO FAILED. THE STRAP WAS INTACT. IT DID CONTACT THE DRIVE SHAFT MAKING SPARKS. THE FUEL TANK ALMOST FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK. IF IT HAD BEEN FULL THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT COULD HAVE PERMITTED IT TO CONTACT THE HIGHWAY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. WITH THE SPARKS FROM THE STRAP,…
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THE WELDMENT ON THE FRAME THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAP ATTACHES TO FAILED. THE STRAP WAS INTACT. IT DID CONTACT THE DRIVE SHAFT MAKING SPARKS. THE FUEL TANK ALMOST FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK. IF IT HAD BEEN FULL THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT COULD HAVE PERMITTED IT TO CONTACT THE HIGHWAY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. WITH THE SPARKS FROM THE STRAP, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A GOOD OUTCOME. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER WITHOUT A RESOLUTION. I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A NEW WELDMENT. I HAVE THE ABILITY TO REMOVE AND WELD THE NEW ONE ON. THE FUEL TANK IS BEING HELD BY RATCHET STRAPS. I REMEMBER FUEL TANK PROBLEMS WITH PINTO'S AND CHEVY TRUCKS. IN THIS CASE WITHOUT WARNING THE TANK CAN FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND START A FIRE, WITHOUT IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER ONCE THE BRACKET DEGRADES, AN IMPACT WOULD ALSO PRESENT THE SAME RESULTS. I AM NOT LOOKING TO GET BLOWN UP IN THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT IS PREVENTABLE. I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY ANOTHER MOTORIST ALERTED ME TO THE SPARKS. I DO NOT FEEL THE STRAPS ARE A GOOD LONG TERM REPAIR. I HAVE ALSO FOUND OTHER MENTION OF THIS FAILURE ON THE INTERNET. PLEASE HELP!
KEY FOB EJECTS FROM WIRELESS IGNITION NODE CAUSING LOSE OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ON THE INTERSTATE AND IN THE CITY WHILE IN MOTION.
2 YEARS AGO HAD TO REPLACE THE TIPM ON MY TRUCK AND NOE ITS STARTING TO MESS UP AGAIN. TRUCKS JUST DIES WHILE DRIVING NO WARNING. IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT COST ME 1500.00 TO REPAIR
MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START HAD IT DIAGNOSED. FOUND IT WAS ACOMMON PROBLEM. THE TIPM PART# RL692319AJ FOUND TO COST 900.00 CRAZY. IT WAS FOUND TO BE TO COMMON OF PROBLEM NOT TO BE ON A RECALL .......................I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR.
VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING (STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND BRAKE PEDAL BECOME HARD), THE FUEL PUMP RELAY LOCATED WITH IN THE (TIPM) FAILS CAUSES VEHICLE NOT TO START OR RUN, ELECTRICAL ISSUES SUCH AS; SOME LIGHTS WORKING EVERY NOW AND THEN, CIGARETTE LIGHTER BLOWING FUSE,
THE TIPM FAILED ON THE RAM 1500 2011. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED AND CORRECTED ON ALL RAM MODELS. THE FAILURE CAUSED 1) THE TRUCK TO LUNGE FORWARD AND HIT MY HOUSE, 2) THE TRUCK TO NOT START WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BE REPLACE, THE FUEL PUMP TO BE REPLACED, AND FINALLY THE TIPM TO BE REPLACED.
TRUCK MAKES LOUD RUMBLING SOUNDS ON BOTTOM. THERE IS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE TRUCK THAT DRAINS BATTERY RESULTING IN THE TRUCK NOT STARTING. STRANDED MANY PLACES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE
AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER UNDER DASH WENT OUT AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES. AT 105,000 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND ALL 3 FOUND NUMBER 5 CYLINDER OF MY 5.7 CYLINDER ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. AFTER DEEPER INVESTIGATION IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WORN CAMSHAFT LOBE. ALL OIL CHANGES WERE DONE A…
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AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER UNDER DASH WENT OUT AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES. AT 105,000 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND ALL 3 FOUND NUMBER 5 CYLINDER OF MY 5.7 CYLINDER ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. AFTER DEEPER INVESTIGATION IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WORN CAMSHAFT LOBE. ALL OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT PROPER INTERVALS AND USED SYNTHETIC OILS. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS COMMON WITH THE 5.7 ENGINE.
Official recalls
418V160000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting
Mar 8, 2018
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
17V821000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift
Dec 20, 2017
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
13V038000 · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
Feb 6, 2013
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
10V656000 · Suspension:rear:axle:spindle
Dec 24, 2010
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RAM 1500 TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH DECEMBER 2010. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCE A NOISE (GROWL, GRIND) COMING FROM THE REAR AXLE BEARING WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY SEIZE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FAILURE OF THE BEARING COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL INSTALL AN OIL PORT INSERT INTO THE REAR AXLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA19001 · Electrical Overstress
Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications. The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU. In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment. FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle. Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW. These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes. An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time. In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU. This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners. Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW. The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation. The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage. There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation. The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU. If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC. Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC. All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled. In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024. With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
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