Skip to content
Electrical systemPart report

2012 Dodge RAM 5500 Electrical system Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
18%of 40 total for the year
Median mileage
30,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the electrical system of the 2012 Dodge RAM 5500, 18% of the 40 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 30,000 miles. 4 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“On the evening of july 30, 2015 while driving my 2012 Dodge RAM 5500 utility truck, there was a fire in the engine compartment which I believe was due to recall p65. This recall is for the diesel fuel heater electrical connector. This vehicle was taken to dealerships multiple times for repair, yet I was told that no part was available to perform recall. This truck was deemed a total loss.”

NHTSA complaint #10748608, filed 2015-08, 164,000 miles

“On march 2, 2014 while sitting in our 2012 Dodge 5500 4 x 4 the low fuel light came on and we opened hood and tipm was smoking again. We just got the truck back from the dealer from the first tipm fire 4 days before. I jumped out of the truck and disconnected the batteries and fled from harms way.”

NHTSA complaint #10573471, filed 2014-03, 14,100 miles

“On october 1 2015 at 6:45 in the morning our RAM 5500 was backed into the driveway and turned off. Shortly thereafter the driver noticed smoke and opened the hood. There was a fire. He used the fire extinguisher to put it out and disconnected the battery cables. We had the truck towed. I contacted Dodge and wasn't informed that I would hear from an investigator from Dodge that was going to look at the truck. I was told they wanted to investigate why the fire happened. After multiple phone calls over the next few days placed to Dodge I was getting no answers. …”

NHTSA complaint #10780648, filed 2015-10, 28,000 miles

“When driving the magnetic key ignition module was shorting out. This caused the truck to loose the majority of drivers control at 65 MPH on the highway, then the key would make contact and restart the motor causing convulsions in running. This operating condition almost caused a semi truck to rear end my truck. …”

NHTSA complaint #10821759, filed 2016-01, 76,000 miles

“The ignition switch is faulty! The switch must be moved around in the switch to start the truck. Additionally while driving the truck may just quite running, this causes the power steering and brakes to become manual. This becomes very dangerous when hauling loads as stopping distances are greatly increased, not to mention nearly impossible to steer. If you are going around a corner when this happens you may not make the corner resulting in a collision with oncoming vehicles. …”

NHTSA complaint #11163746, filed 2018-12, 30,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2012718%
2011417%
200815%

Other parts of the 2012 Dodge RAM 5500

Steering
21 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
9 complaintsEngine
3 complaintsFuel system
3 complaintsAir bags
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsOther or unknown
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Dodge RAM 5500

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology