Ram 1500: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
22,192 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Ram 1500, model years 2000 to 2026. 10 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2015 (engine 7.2×); 2005 (transmission 8.3×); 2004 (engine 3.4×, transmission 2.5×); 2009 (transmission 3.3×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2010, 2000, 2007. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 1500 | 512 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 3 | |
| 2001 1500 | 1,112 | — | 3 | |
| 2002 1500 | 814 | — | 6 | |
| 2003 1500 | 1,170 | — | 5 | |
| 2004 1500 | 1,098 | engine 3.4×, transmission 2.5× | 8 | |
| 2005 1500 | 1,173 | transmission 8.3× | 7 | |
| 2006 1500 | 792 | — | 12 | |
| 2007 1500 | 517 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 7 | |
| 2008 1500 | 553 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 8 | |
| 2009 1500 | 707 | transmission 3.3× | 4 | |
| 2010 1500 | 488 | transmission 3.2× | 4 | |
| 2011 1500 | 689 | engine 2.9×, transmission 2.4× | 4 | |
| 2012 1500 | 698 | engine 3.2× | 7 | |
| 2013 1500 | 1,283 | — | 12 | |
| 2014 1500 | 1,781 | — | 17 | |
| 2015 1500 | 1,461 | engine 7.2× | 18 | |
| 2016 1500 | 1,564 | — | 17 | |
| 2017 1500 | 886 | — | 13 | |
| 2018 1500 | 667 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 15 | |
| 2019 1500 | 1,498 | — | 30 | |
| 2020 1500 | 644 | engine 3× | 14 | |
| 2021 1500 | 687 | engine 5.2× | 15 | |
| 2022 1500 | 639 | engine 4.8× | 16 | |
| 2023 1500 | 199 | — | 11 | |
| 2024 1500FEW REPORTS | 78 | — | 6 | |
| 2025 1500 | 377 | — | 8 | |
| 2026 1500FEW REPORTS | 105 | — | 9 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Ram models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232025