Is the 2020 Ram 1500 a bad year?
644 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 159, 3× a quiet 1500 year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 3× the complaints of a quiet 1500 year, spread over 5k–74k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2020 1500 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 33,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 166 (26%) | 2k–80k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 159 (25%) | 5k–74k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel systemSTANDS OUT | 76 (12%) | 15k–50k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 64 (10%) | 6k–42k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 44 (7%) | 7k–47k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 65 (10%) | 7k–54k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 63 (10%) | 4k–65k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Brakes | 42 (7%) | 2k–50k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Air bags | 21 (3%) | 10k–58k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 14 (2%) | 8k–37k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Speed control | 13 (2%) | 1k–22k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 21 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 16 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 10 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 33,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 644 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 7 mention a fire · 12 report an injury · 36 say the car was towed.
125 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Truck fails to properly accelerate creating dangerous moments when attempting to pull into traffic.problem seems to occur more frequent in warmer weather but is occurring more frequently as mileage accumulates.
While driving my 2020 Ram 1500 laramie with only 5k miles on the odometer, I stopped behind a school bus. The truck's start/stop feature activated as it normally does and the engine shut off.
So I am driving on the freeway 70mph and I get a message on my dash that says service shifter then every single light on the dash came on and started to make a beeping noise.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 33,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2020 Ram 1500: 14
The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. An improperly installed seat belt buckle anchor may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The driver's side air bag may not be connected properly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The mirror glass may detach from the driver's side heated trailer tow rearview mirror. Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers, which could result in the tailgate opening while driving. 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.
The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
A radio software error may prevent the rearview image from displaying. A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture. A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
The driver side mirror glass can detach from the backing plate and no longer provide a reflective surface. Missing driver side mirror glass reduces visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
In the event of a crash, a front seat belt retractor may not properly slow the occupant's forward movement after locking. In the event of a crash, if the front seat belts fail to lock, there is an increased risk of injury.
A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
In certain accelerator pedal positions, the floormats may prevent the pedal from returning to the normal resting (idle) position. A pedal that does not return as expected may affect the vehicle's deceleration, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain airbag which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment. In the event of a crash, if the diffuser detaches from the inflator during air bag deployment, the air bag may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury.
The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions. Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
The flash memory of the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) may become corrupted, disabling the vehicle's air bags and seat belt pretensioners. Disabled air bags and seat belt pretensioners increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ram: 621
Repair instructions Ram sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2020 Ram 1500. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The Customer May Complain About a Popping Noise, Grinding Noise, or an Intermittent No Reverse or Forward Transmission Engagement
Engine PNs: MY 24-26 WD/DT (5.7L) Code P00B is being misdiagnosed and incorrect parts are being installed causing over repair
Check Engine Light (CEL) Illuminated with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0106 Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor Performance Setting In The Powertrain Control…
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
High pressure fuel pump failure
Neighbouring years
2019 1500: 1,498 complaints, keep it · 2021 1500: 687 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Ram 1500 year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All 1500 years side by side
Other Ram models: Ram 2500 · Ram 3500 · Ram 5500 · Ram Promaster. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2020 Ram 1500 a bad year?
644 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 159, 3× a quiet 1500 year. At 33,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 3× the complaints of a quiet 1500 year, spread over 5k–74k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Ram 1500?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (166), engine (159), fuel system (76), visibility and wipers (64), body structure (44). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 5k–74k miles.
How many recalls does the 2020 Ram 1500 have?
14 recall campaigns list this model year: Seat belts (NHTSA 26V-495), Electrical system (NHTSA 25V-298), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 24V-754), Body structure (NHTSA 22V-904) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.