2019 Ram 1500: Problems & Reliability
AVOID2019 Ram 1500: AVOID — 1,449 owner complaints (2.29 per 1,000 sold), 1.6× the 1500 median year.
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2019 is 2.35, where 1.00 is a typical 1500 year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.75. Severity drives it: 64% of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury or involve a safety-critical system (engine, powertrain, steering, brakes or fuel).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, published U.S. sales, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2015–2026 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
1,449
NHTSA complaints
2.29
Complaints per 1,000 sold
1,155
Service bulletins
30
Recall campaigns
2019 Ram 1500 recalls
30 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2019, reported between May 17, 2018 and Jul 30, 2026.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V495000 | Jul 30, 2026 | Seat belts › Rear/other › Anchorage |
| 25V824000 | Dec 1, 2025 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain › Inflator |
| 25V298000 | May 8, 2025 | Air bags |
| 25V010000 | Jan 16, 2025 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain › Inflator |
| 24V653000 | Sep 5, 2024 | Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module |
| 23V411000 | Jun 8, 2023 | Engine & cooling |
| 22V904000 | Dec 8, 2022 | Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and attachments |
| 22V406000 | Jun 9, 2022 | Fuel system, diesel › Delivery › Fuel pump |
| 21V632000 | Aug 12, 2021 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain › Inflator |
| 20V580000 | Sep 24, 2020 | Seat belts |
| 20V191000 | Sep 10, 2020 | Backup camera / back-over prevention › Sensing system › Camera |
| 20V513000 | Aug 27, 2020 | Speed control / throttle › Accelerator pedal |
+18 more campaigns on the NHTSA record.
2019 Ram 1500 service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 1,155 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2019 — more than the 551 of the median 1500 year from 2015 to 2026. Coded bulletins most often cover electrical system (303), structure (153), engine & cooling (106). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2019 vs. the year before and after
From the 2018 to the 2019, owner complaints jumped 2.2× (667 → 1,449) — a step backward. The 2020 that followed fell by more than half (1,449 → 644), so the 2020 has the lighter record so far.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 1500 | SOLID | 667 | 494 | 15 | — |
| 2019 (this page) | AVOID | 1,449 | 1,155 | 30 | — |
| 2020 1500 | CAUTION | 644 | 1,202 | 14 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Ram 1500 years to avoid.
Nearby 1500 years with a better rating: 2018.
Know what to pay for the right 2019 Ram 1500 — then negotiate it
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FAQ
Is the 2019 Ram 1500 reliable?
2019 Ram 1500: AVOID — 1,449 owner complaints (2.29 per 1,000 sold), 1.6× the 1500 median year. CarWhere's verdict score for the 2019 is 2.35, where 1.00 is a typical 1500 year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.75.
What are the most common 2019 Ram 1500 problems?
The 2019 Ram 1500 has 1,449 NHTSA owner complaints and 1,155 manufacturer service bulletins on file; the component breakdown is on NHTSA's record for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2019 Ram 1500 have?
30 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2019 Ram 1500, most recently 26V495000 (Jul 30, 2026, seat belts); 25V824000 (Dec 1, 2025, air bags); 25V298000 (May 8, 2025, air bags). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2019 Ram 1500 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2019 Ram 1500 come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the per-1,000 rate divides complaints by published U.S. 2019 calendar-year sales; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. The live complaint feed was unavailable at render, so the complaint count is the verdict engine’s stored count. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.