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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2013 Ram 1500 Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
86about this part
Share
7%of 1,281 total for the year
Median mileage
23,806miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 86 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2013 Ram 1500, 7% of the 1,281 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 23,806 miles. 18 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

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

“Has occurred 3 times within 30 days. At low speeds between 15mph and 35mph, engine stops, gauges go dead and aprox 6 seconds later the transmission slams into park. 1st time it happened I was lightly breaking & coasting for a stop light; 2nd time I was cruising about 35mph; and 3rd time I was accelerating from a dead stop across 4 lanes of traffic. …”

NHTSA complaint #10672562, filed 2015-01, 26,000 miles

“As soon as I start the engine, a loud ticking noise is coming from the engine. After inspecting it, I have broken exhaust manifold bolt that causes exhaust to exit at the head. The exhaust escapes before it reaches the catalytic converter and the muffler thus causing the loud noise. This is a very common problem with the Ram hemi engines. It is commonly known as the hemi tick . Although this has been a widely known issue, Ram has not issued a recall.”

NHTSA complaint #11259099, filed 2019-09, 80,000 miles

“Dodge Ram 1500 key fob will not start the vehicle. The fob is not reliable, as it has failed yearly since we owned the vehicle. We fear that failure to start poses a safety hazard, as the vehicle could not be removed from a dangerous situation if it stalls.”

NHTSA complaint #10954160, filed 2017-02, 84,585 miles

“My truck rolled down a hill while in park through my garage and was stopped my rolling into my tractor. My truck was less than a year old and almost totaled. Plus I was hurt trying to jump into the truck to get to the brakes as it was rolling”

NHTSA complaint #10936652, filed 2016-12, 2,000 miles

“Truck started tapping 4-5 weeks ago. I was advised that it was probably an exhaust manifold leak... To get it fixed at inspection. 5 days ago, truck started skipping and the cil came on. Error code po302. Mechanic diagnosed as cam lobe failure. The truck has 113,500 miles on it all highway. Synthetic oil; plus fuel. Based on my research... This is a problem that seems to be prevalent. Chrysler should cover this repair. $3500 repair cost for a truck less than 5 years old. Unfair to say the least.”

NHTSA complaint #11055597, filed 2017-12, 113,500 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20261010%
20254913%
20241519%
20232914%
202210617%
20219914%
20206310%
201920714%
2018609%
20179811%
201620213%
201522615%
201419211%
2013867%
2009924%

Other parts of the 2013 Ram 1500

Steering
642 complaints
Electrical system
227 complaints
Engine
123 complaints
Air bags
94 complaints
Brakes
79 complaints
Other or unknown
51 complaints
Fuel system
50 complaints
Suspension
44 complaints
Body and structure
40 complaints
Vehicle speed control
37 complaints
Exterior lighting
31 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
18 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2013 Ram 1500

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 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