Transmission sometime do not go in gear
2021 RAM 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2021 RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 134.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 2500 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
Limited mileage data: 15 of 107 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
107 reportsThe integrated brake controller fails to provide braking to my travel trailer when attempting to stop. Multiple times this has pushed my truck into an intersection. There are no warning lights or failure messages. The brake controller is configured correctly as the issue has only been occurring the past few months and it was …
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The integrated brake controller fails to provide braking to my travel trailer when attempting to stop. Multiple times this has pushed my truck into an intersection. There are no warning lights or failure messages. The brake controller is configured correctly as the issue has only been occurring the past few months and it was working as intended prior.
The passenger side seat belt retractor failed on this truck a couple of months ago. We had the parts replaced by the local dealer and did not think anything about it until our second truck also had the same issue and seriously hurt my mother. Report number 11597310. As the same part failed on two different trucks in a short pe…
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The passenger side seat belt retractor failed on this truck a couple of months ago. We had the parts replaced by the local dealer and did not think anything about it until our second truck also had the same issue and seriously hurt my mother. Report number 11597310. As the same part failed on two different trucks in a short period of time, we googled the issue and found lots of other RAM truck owners complaining of the same issue. We called RAM and they said there is no recall for the issue and there was nothing they would do. If this part fails, causing the retractor to lock and continue to "rachet" down on the passenger is could cause serious harm to people. My mother was hurt and we had to force the emergency release at the base of the seatbelt to get her out. If a person is alone in the vehicle when this part fails there is no way they could escape and it could cause a fatality.
Passenger side seatbelt locked in place and would not release. It continued to retract but would not release. We had to use the emergency release mechanism at the base to get the passenger free from the seatbelt. This was super scary. The seatbelt is in perfect condition, the truck has never been in an accident or had any o…
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Passenger side seatbelt locked in place and would not release. It continued to retract but would not release. We had to use the emergency release mechanism at the base to get the passenger free from the seatbelt. This was super scary. The seatbelt is in perfect condition, the truck has never been in an accident or had any other issues. It has been perfectly maintained. We took the vehicle into the closest dealer and they stated that it was a known issue and charged us $200 to replace a solenoid part. We googled the issue and found thousands of people that had the same issue. We called Chrysler Ram at 800-853-1403 and they said there wasn't a recall for this truck specifically, but it was very similar to several other recalls for seatbelts for the same year and model of truck; however there was nothing that they could do to help.
The leather dash cover is peeling/ separating from the dash panel. The way it is peeling I don’t believe the passenger airbag will deploy properly. There are seams that should split when the airbag deploys, but I think with the leather pealing it will just push the cover up and direct the airbag in the wrong direction.
When placing the truck in first gear to control speeds on steep declines both on and off road the vehicle's RPMS will climb significantly and the truck will accelerate abruptly under it's own power until it reaches 21-25mph. At which point the RPM's come down and truck begins to slow as expected. Once truck reaches a speed of …
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When placing the truck in first gear to control speeds on steep declines both on and off road the vehicle's RPMS will climb significantly and the truck will accelerate abruptly under it's own power until it reaches 21-25mph. At which point the RPM's come down and truck begins to slow as expected. Once truck reaches a speed of 11mph the RPM's begin to climb again and the truck accelerates(Not due to gravity, but accelerates under it's own power) aggressively. It will continue to do this pattern until you either reach flat ground or switch gears. Safety is at risk due to uncontrolled descent down steep mountain passes. Constantly having to apply breaks to prevent the truck from going off the road. This safety liability is exacerbated when towing a trailer. I have reported the issue to the dealer multiple times with their claim that the vehicle is behaving as expected. I have not experienced this with any other vehicle. This is not common vehicle behavior. No warning Lamps, Messages or Other symptoms. Reproducible on any hill with steep enough descent.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V835000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufa…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V835000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owned a 2021 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving 55-60 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a cow, causing the front bumpers to bend 2 ft. inward. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained bruises on the left arm, on the shoulder, on the chest, on the right elbow and on the right knee. The contact did…
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The contact owned a 2021 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving 55-60 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a cow, causing the front bumpers to bend 2 ft. inward. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained bruises on the left arm, on the shoulder, on the chest, on the right elbow and on the right knee. The contact did not seek medical assistance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was awaiting to be totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,500.
While driving in stop & go traffic traveling at speeds less than 15mph, when I stepped on the brake pedal to slow / stop my RAM, the brake pedal failed to activate the brakes and the vehicle continue in a forward motion causing my RAM to collide with the vehicle traveling in front of me. After the collision, my RAM pushed the v…
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While driving in stop & go traffic traveling at speeds less than 15mph, when I stepped on the brake pedal to slow / stop my RAM, the brake pedal failed to activate the brakes and the vehicle continue in a forward motion causing my RAM to collide with the vehicle traveling in front of me. After the collision, my RAM pushed the vehicle I hit into the center shoulder of the freeway. My RAM continued its forward motion (up an shallow grade) for another 1/4 mi. My constant stabbing and continual pressure failed to stop or slow my RAM. I eventually I brought my vehicle to a stop by depressing the "emergency brake pedal". While I was attempting to stop my RAM in appeared the throttle continued to deliver the engine power even though my right foot was on the brake pedal.
My 2021 Ram 2500 6.7 truck quit on me driving down the road. When I raised the hood I could smell burned wires and see smoke. Luckily, it was raining or I think my truck would have burned up. I noticed melted plastic and burned wires on the drivers side of the truck. This particular truck had an Electrical system recall and sho…
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My 2021 Ram 2500 6.7 truck quit on me driving down the road. When I raised the hood I could smell burned wires and see smoke. Luckily, it was raining or I think my truck would have burned up. I noticed melted plastic and burned wires on the drivers side of the truck. This particular truck had an Electrical system recall and shows to have been completed. (Safety Recall 13A/NHTSA 23V-060) If this recall was completed, maybe something else needs to be checked out. The truck is currently at a dealership to be repaired, but I will still be scared of it catching on fire because the dealership cannot tell me why or how the fire started. 03
Official recalls
825V765000 · Air Bags:frontal; Steering:steering Control Module
Nov 6, 2025
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering:steering Control Module
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
Air Bags:frontal
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
23V060000 · Electrical System:wiring:relays/solenoids
Feb 9, 2023
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Ram 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, and 4500, 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the heater grid relay with the ignition on or off.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short in the relay can result in an engine compartment fire with the ignition on or off, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the relay, free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2023 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers on or about 3/23/2023 and begin notifying owners on or about 4/5/2023. Phase 2 will include 2022 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2021 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers and owners on or about 4/27/2023 for Phase 2 and 5/11/2023 for Phase 3. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed March 28, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 13A. This recall is an expansion of and supersedes recall number 21V-798.
22V904000 · Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments
Dec 8, 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers, which could result in the tailgate opening while driving.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unintended tailgate opening while driving may result in a loss of unsecured cargo, possibly creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tailgate striker alignment to the box latch and adjust, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is ZB8.
22V835000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 10, 2022
FCA US, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Ram 2500 and 2020-2022 Ram 3500 vehicles. A build-up of pressure and heat inside the transmission may result in a transmission fluid leak from the dipstick tube.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Leaking transmission fluid may contact an ignition source within the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission dipstick and transmission vent assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is ZA3.
22V140000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc); Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Mar 10, 2022
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 2500 and 2021-2022 Dodge Durango vehicles, and 2019-2022 3500 cab chassis with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs. The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 2500 and 2021-2022 Dodge Durango vehicles, and 2019-2022 3500 cab chassis with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs. The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence: An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 2500 and 2021-2022 Dodge Durango vehicles, and 2019-2022 3500 cab chassis with GVWR less than 10,000 lbs. The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence: An ESC malfunction indicator light that fails to illuminate during an electronic stability control problem can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z20.
21V925000 · Air Bags:side/window:curtain
Nov 24, 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 2500, Ram 3500, and 2021 Ram 1500 Classic pickup trucks. The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) assemblies may have been manufactured with the incorrect amount of compressed gas, which can result in an improper air bag deployment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that deploys improperly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y99.
21V798000 · Electrical System:wiring:relays/solenoids
Oct 14, 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 3500, 2500 pickup trucks, and Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. An electrical short in the relay may cause a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park these vehicles outside of buildings or structures, and not near other vehicles, until the vehicle has been remedied. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. This recall has been superseded by 23V060.
21V163000 · Electrical System
Mar 11, 2021
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Ram 2500, 3500, and 3500, 4500, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay, which could result in a vehicle fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Customers are advised to not park these vehicles inside of buildings or structures, or near other vehicles until the vehicle has the final repair completed. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y08. This recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-798.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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