Ram 3500 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 2,247 NHTSA complaints, the Ram 3500 years to avoid are 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 — the worst logged up to 9.4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by brakes failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 | 3 | 1 | N/A |
| 2009 | 3 | 3 | 2 | N/A |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 8 | N/A |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 5 | N/A |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 9 | N/A |
| 2013 | 114 | 85 | 18 | CAUTION |
| 2014 | 202 | 135 | 17 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 136 | 92 | 16 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 133 | 86 | 16 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 301 | 251 | 13 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 775 | 697 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 134 | 97 | 14 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 112 | 91 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 62 | 33 | 9 | CAUTION |
| 2022 | 184 | 154 | 12 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 15 | 6 | 5 | BEST |
| 2024 | 37 | 22 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 35 | 17 | 5 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Ram 3500. Full methodology.
Common Ram 3500 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Ram 3500 are brakes, electrical, drivetrain. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
ABS module and hydraulic control unit failure
· Ram 3500 2015–2018Corroborated by 13 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 857 brakes complaints across 2015–2018.
Engine compartment electrical fire or smoking
· Ram 3500 2018Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 134 electrical complaints across 2018, typically 23,000 miles.
Rear wheel studs failure and wheel separation
· Ram 3500 2015–2018Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 101 drivetrain complaints across 2015–2018, typically 110,000–183,901 miles.
Why these years stand out
2014 Ram 3500: 202 owner complaints on federal record, 135 of them severe, plus 17 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
2017 Ram 3500: 301 owner complaints on federal record, 251 of them severe, plus 13 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
2018 Ram 3500: 775 owner complaints on federal record, 697 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
2019 Ram 3500: 134 owner complaints on federal record, 97 of them severe, plus 14 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
2020 Ram 3500: 112 owner complaints on federal record, 91 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
2022 Ram 3500: 184 owner complaints on federal record, 154 of them severe, plus 12 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram 3500.
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FAQ
What years of the Ram 3500 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ram 3500 years to avoid are 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by brakes issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ram 3500?
The 2023 Ram 3500 shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Ram 3500 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Ram 3500's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Ram 3500 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Ram 3500 reliable?
The Ram 3500's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 2,247 NHTSA owner complaints, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 rate "avoid", while 2023 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ram 3500?
The most-reported problem area for the Ram 3500 is brakes, followed by electrical and drivetrain. Confirmed failures include abs module and hydraulic control unit failure, engine compartment electrical fire or smoking, rear wheel studs failure and wheel separation. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Ram 3500 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Ram 3500, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.