Ram Promaster Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 — based on 574 NHTSA complaints across 12 model years (2014–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 574 NHTSA complaints, the Ram Promaster years to avoid are 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 — the worst logged up to 3.9× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by steering failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 71 | 44 | 13 | CAUTION | — |
| 2015 | 60 | 39 | 13 | CAUTION | 2015 ProMaster problems → |
| 2016 | 69 | 45 | 15 | CAUTION | 2016 ProMaster problems → |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 10 | N/A | 2017 ProMaster problems → |
| 2018 | 37 | 23 | 10 | SOLID | 2018 ProMaster problems → |
| 2019 | 56 | 41 | 9 | AVOID | 2019 ProMaster problems → |
| 2020 | 40 | 21 | 5 | CAUTION | 2020 ProMaster problems → |
| 2021 | 104 | 34 | 8 | AVOID | 2021 ProMaster problems → |
| 2022 | 56 | 28 | 8 | AVOID | 2022 ProMaster problems → |
| 2023 | 64 | 50 | 5 | AVOID | 2023 ProMaster problems → |
| 2024 | 12 | 5 | 5 | N/A | 2024 ProMaster problems → |
| 2025 | 5 | 4 | 4 | N/A | 2025 ProMaster problems → |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Ram Promaster. Full methodology.
ProMaster problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Ram Promaster problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Ram Promaster are steering, engine, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Power steering failure - water intrusion and corrosion
· Ram Promaster 2022–2024Corroborated by 16 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 37 steering complaints across 2022–2024, typically 21,000–68,974 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,700–$5,200.
Recall remedy delay - cooling fan fire risk unresolved
· Ram Promaster 2021–2023Corroborated by 8 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 44 engine complaints across 2021–2023.
Rear-view camera failure or intermittent black screen
· Ram Promaster 2021–2022Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 31 electrical complaints across 2021–2022, typically 35,000–100,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2019 Ram Promaster: 56 owner complaints on federal record, 41 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram Promaster.
2021 Ram Promaster: 104 owner complaints on federal record, 34 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram Promaster.
2022 Ram Promaster: 56 owner complaints on federal record, 28 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram Promaster.
2023 Ram Promaster: 64 owner complaints on federal record, 50 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Ram Promaster.
Know what to pay for the right Ram Promaster — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
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Buying a used Ram Promaster? See what the seller isn't telling you.
The CarWhere Used Car Report checks salvage records, salvage-auction listings, stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail, and full market history for one VIN — $16.99, one time.
FAQ
What years of the Ram Promaster should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Ram Promaster years to avoid are 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by steering issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Ram Promaster?
No single Ram Promaster year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Ram Promaster 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 Promaster's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Ram Promaster 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 Promaster reliable?
The Ram Promaster's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 574 NHTSA owner complaints, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Ram Promaster?
The most-reported problem area for the Ram Promaster is steering, followed by engine and electrical. Confirmed failures include power steering failure - water intrusion and corrosion, recall remedy delay - cooling fan fire risk unresolved, rear-view camera failure or intermittent black screen. 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 Promaster across every model year on record. Retrieved November 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 Promaster, 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.