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Dodge RAM 1500Model year report

2011 Dodge RAM 1500 Problems

Compared with other Dodge RAM 1500 years

Typical for this model

55/100 1.1× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2009, 2010

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
689filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,557miles, 491 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.7L 6-cyl RWD · 14 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 Ram 1500 most often describe electrical problems traced to the integrated power module (TIPM), especially a fuel pump that keeps running or a truck that will not start, and engine misfires tied to camshaft and lifter wear. Complaints are spread across a wide mileage range, from well under 50,000 miles to well past 150,000, and many describe symptoms that appear gradually and then leave the truck stalling or running rough at highway speed.

  1. Electrical system

    Fuel pump runs on or truck will not start (TIPM relay)

    • 178 complaints (26%)
    • median 93,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (148 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,300 (median of 19 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2025

    Owners describe a fuel pump that keeps running after the key is removed, draining the battery overnight, and no-start or stall conditions that sometimes clear after cycling the key. Several complaints state a dealer or independent shop traced the problem to the fuel pump relay inside the totally integrated power module and quoted a module replacement. Some owners say they were told their vehicle was not covered by any recall for this. Reported across a wide mileage range, with many complaints between roughly 85,000 and 180,000 miles, sometimes noticed more in cooler weather.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the TIPM or fuel pump relay has been replaced, and listen for the fuel pump running with the key off. A battery that goes flat overnight after a new battery is a sign to have the module checked.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “This has been on ongoing issue. First would not start finally after trying so many times I just started using another car and I got the fuel pumped replaced then the same issue now the AC unit was not working so I replaced it 3 times. Well now it still does not work and after several attempts to fix it I just give it some time to start now. Only way to start vehicle. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11298045, filed 2020-01, 104,642 miles

    “Nhtsa action number: dp14004 my RAM 1500 2011 has a fuel pump internal relay in the tipm. The battery runs down every night while sitting in my driveway and it has a brand new interstate battery. My alternator has tested out to be in perfect working condition. Previous to my battery dying the truck wouldn't start for several minutes without cycling the key -- now all I have is a dead battery every morning.”

    NHTSA complaint #11375266, filed 2020-11, 93,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Camshaft and lifter wear causing misfire

    • 61 complaints (9%)
    • median 107,500 mi at 8.4 yrs old (50 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $3,800 (median of 15 quotes)
    • filed 2016–2024

    Complaints describe a check engine light with a misfire code on one cylinder, shaking and loss of power at highway speed, and a rattling or ticking noise at startup. Owners say plugs and coil packs were replaced first, and that shops then found worn lifters and camshaft lobes needing replacement, in some cases a full engine replacement. Mostly reported between roughly 75,000 and 160,000 miles, often appearing first as an intermittent misfire during driving.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have a shop scan for stored misfire codes and listen for lifter tick on a cold start; ask whether lifters or camshaft have ever been replaced and keep records of oil changes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My vehicle was in motion on the interstate. The cam shaft lifters fail, causing damage to the cam shaft. This is a very common problem. There is also an issue with the manifold bolts breaking off inside the engine. When I spoke with the Dodge dealer, he advised me that he does these repairs on a daily basis. It is a very common and well known issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #11306958, filed 2020-02, 128,000 miles

    “The check engine light came on while driving and the code was a p305 which is an engine misfire on cylinder 5. We had the truck looked at and the spark plugs were replaced then the coil packs none of which fixed the truck. Finally the dealership said the lifters in the motor failed which damaged the cam shaft. We had to replace the motor in the truck. The dealership even said that the part was faulty and Dodge continued to use them in the engines.”

    NHTSA complaint #11373702, filed 2020-11, 160,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Stalling or loss of power while driving

    • 177 complaints (26%)
    • median 85,500 mi at 6.5 yrs old (150 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,375 (median of 14 quotes)
    • filed 2011–2025

    Owners report the truck shutting off or losing power at various speeds, including on the highway, sometimes restarting after several attempts and sometimes not restarting at all. Several complaints say no warning light appeared and that dealers could not duplicate the failure, while others link it to fuel delivery or electrical faults. Reported from very low mileage up to about 180,000 miles, with no clear pattern in weather or driving conditions.

    What to check: Ask about any history of intermittent no-starts or stalling, and have the fuel pump circuit and battery draw checked during a prepurchase inspection.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Vehicle shuts off on highway at 65 MPH also on street road at 30 MPH . All power lost very dangerous . When pulled to side of road vehicle restarts. Happens after 20 mis of driving and again every 10 mion”

    NHTSA complaint #11366277, filed 2020-10, 6 miles

    “When driving for an hour or so, electric system light goes on and stays on, like right now. When driving also feels like truck will die and then picks up again, these things are when truck is in motion.”

    NHTSA complaint #11366000, filed 2020-10, 48,755 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh or delayed transmission shifting, limp mode

    • 48 complaints (7%)
    • median 63,037 mi at 5.2 yrs old (38 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2026

    Complaints describe hard shifts that jerk the whole truck, the transmission sticking in a gear or dropping into limp mode with a manual-shift code displayed, and solenoid-related faults found on scan. Some owners report a full rebuild or replacement; others describe a powertrain control module reprogram as part of service. Often reported between roughly 40,000 and 90,000 miles, sometimes after highway driving.

    Recall 17V8210002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive at highway speed and note any firm or delayed shifts, and ask whether the PCM reprogram or any transmission service has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Hit a deer with my truck. Fuel pump runs all the time. Had truck tested. Was purl pump relay bypass kit. Other models are recalled for this same reason. Also transmission is stuck in 4th gear. Tested that too. It's the lr solenoid in the com. None of this issues was wrong before hitting the deer. I feel they should be recalled.”

    NHTSA complaint #11297564, filed 2020-01, 126,000 miles

    “The electrical wiring has shorted out the headlights on the driver side and melts all wiring in the area. This is a huge issue with ram in the 2011 years. The other issue is the transmissions start shifting super hard into gear and jerks the whole truck really bad.”

    NHTSA complaint #11341432, filed 2020-07, 115,000 miles

Buying note. A prepurchase inspection should focus on the electrical module and fuel pump circuit, transmission shift quality, and rust on the fuel tank straps; service records showing regular oil changes and any camshaft, lifter or module work are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 689 consumer complaints for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500. 491 of the complaints include a mileage, and 31% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,557 miles. Of all complaints, 28 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 21 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 250 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Dodge RAM 1500 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 55 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (19), Air bags (13), Electronic stability control (12), Tires (10), Wheels (10), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (7), Engine cooling (5), Latches, locks and linkages (4), Seat belts (3), Seats (3), Forward collision avoidance (2), Equipment (1), Interior lighting (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “I have a 2011 RAM 1500 quad cab with the 5.7 hemi engine. The tipm started faulting and not letting the fuel pump run and start the car. Then it stopped the trailer/tow lights connection in the rear not working while I was in the middle of towing a trailer. The anti-slip was activated all the time and it turned off the vehicles radio and back up camera.”

NHTSA complaint #11184880, filed 2019-03, 100,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “1. When I accelerate the truck my service 4wd drive light comes in and when I slow down at 30mph or lower it goes off. I changed out the 4wd motor already and still have the issue. 2. When I release the gas in town at a speed of 40mph or less you can hear a clicking coming from under the vehicle. When I put it in tow/haul the noise will go away though.”

NHTSA complaint #11229785, filed 2019-07, 145,000 miles

Engine: “Engine is loosing power, number 3 cyclinder is not working. I have done tune up and replaced plugs and coils. I have spent thousands on this truck to get it to work. The pic is plugs from #3 cyc after 2 months use. After reading about other ram owners having the same problem I am thinking it is a defect and should be looked into.”

NHTSA complaint #11054873, filed 2017-12, 120,000 miles

Fuel system: “For the past few weeks I have had an electrical drain and a humming sound just found out it is my fuel pump running nonstop with the key removed from my truck I was told it was do to the tipm ( total integrated power module) has gone bad and is a common issue for my year and model”

NHTSA complaint #11404933, filed 2021-03, 92,580 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

31% of the 491 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 40,000 and 112,000 miles.

11%0–106%10–2514%25–5018%50–7516%75–10028%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (491 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,557 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’12100’14’16’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Ram 1500 Pickup 2WD3.7L 6-cyl4-speed automatic142016$4,200
Ram 1500 Pickup 2WD5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic142016$4,750
Ram 1500 Pickup 4WD5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic131915$5,050
Ram 1500 Pickup 2WD4.7L 8-cyl · flex-fuel5-speed automatic141915$4,450
Ram 1500 Pickup 4WD4.7L 8-cyl · flex-fuel5-speed automatic131815$4,450

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 250 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 250 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge RAM 1500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201269870,8756—1653 · TypicalStable
201168975,5574—1655 · TypicalFalling
201048864,6004—1634 · FewerFalling
200967067,0742—1624 · FewerFalling
200855465,0005—1550 · TypicalFalling
200751769,2504—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200679261,1109—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20051,17386,0004—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20041,09970,9925—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20031,17170,0001—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200281570,0003—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20011,11270,0002—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200051378,0002—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199961085,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199852095,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199736199,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1996298122,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1995213117,5000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1994116108,2500—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19936100,0030———Not enough data
19917—0———Not enough data

All Dodge RAM 1500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500?

Owners of the 2011 Ram 1500 most often describe electrical problems traced to the integrated power module (TIPM), especially a fuel pump that keeps running or a truck that will not start, and engine misfires tied to camshaft and lifter wear. The issues reported most often: Fuel pump runs on or truck will not start (TIPM relay); Camshaft and lifter wear causing misfire; Stalling or loss of power while driving.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 have?

NHTSA recorded 689 consumer complaints for the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 214 complaints (31% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 176.

Has the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 (Ram 1500 Pickup 2WD, 3.7L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 reported?

Among the 491 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,557 miles and the middle half falls between 40,000 and 112,000 miles; 31% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.