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Ram 1500Model year report

2021 Ram 1500 Problems

Compared with other Ram 1500 years

More complaints than typical for this model

67/100 1.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Open NHTSA investigationHigh pressure fuel pump failure

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2023

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
683filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
35,000miles, 109 complaints with mileage
Recalls
151 do-not-drive
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4–5 / 5stars overall, 10 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 5.7L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2021 Ram 1500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2021 Ram 1500 most often describe the engine shutting off or losing power while driving, sometimes with the transmission shifting into park on its own, and many link these stalls to the fuel-pump recall or to a software update the dealer could not complete. Electrical trouble (water getting in and battery/starting problems), transmission complaints, and a cluster of anti-lock braking and stability-control warning-light reports appear next. Stall reports are concentrated at low mileage, while braking and electrical issues tend to show up later.

  1. Engine

    Engine stalls or loses power while driving

    • 289 complaints (42%)
    • median 16,000 mi at 1.6 yrs old (45 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $4,000 (median of 7 quotes)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe the engine cutting off without warning while driving at various speeds, sometimes on a turn or while pulling away from a stop, and in some cases the truck shifts itself into park and applies the parking brake. Several complaints tie the loss of power to the diesel high-pressure fuel pump recall and say the parts were not available or the repair did not stop the problem. Dealers often could not duplicate the stall, replaced a key fob, or advised that a failure had to occur before a repair could be made. Mostly reported under 30,000 miles, often shortly after purchase and at low speed or during turns.

    Recall 22V767000Recall 23V265000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel-pump recall (22V767000) and the PCM software recall (23V265000) were completed and whether any stall has been logged. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a test drive that includes slow turns is worthwhile.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Was driving down the road when the truck stalled and prompted me to put it into park to start. It then automatically went to park without me doing anything and applied the parking brake on its own.”

    NHTSA complaint #11416647, filed 2021-05, 3,292 miles

    “On two separate occasions while within 5 minutes of starting the truck while moving forward on a city street both times it initiated on a turn the truck turns off and tells you put the vehicle in park to restart. The emergency brake is also illuminated. The truck has less then 200 miles on it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11408118, filed 2021-04, 150 miles
  2. Fuel system

    Stalls tied to high-pressure fuel pump failure

    Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the truck losing motive power and failing to restart, with owners saying the dealer confirmed a high-pressure fuel pump failure under recall 22V767000. Several note that the recall part was unavailable for an extended period, and a few report the fuel problem came back after the pump was replaced. A diesel owner describes a no-start traced to the CP4 pump and a secondary pump. Reported from roughly 10,000 to 85,000 miles, often during driving rather than at startup.

    Recall 22V7670002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Confirm with a dealer by VIN that the fuel-pump recall was performed and ask for the repair paperwork. Service bulletins describe inspecting the fuel module connector before replacing parts for long-crank or fuel-gauge concerns.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH hauling a trailer, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine). …”

    NHTSA complaint #11542124, filed 2023-09, 28,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and was unable to be jump-started. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that fuel was not reaching the fuel housing. The contact was informed that the CP4 high-pressure fuel pump was previously replaced under an undisclosed recall in 2024. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who had previously completed the recall repair. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11734548, filed 2026-04, 85,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    ABS and stability-control warnings, soft brake pedal

    • 153 complaints (22%)
    • median 38,063 mi at 3.8 yrs old (30 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2021–2026

    Owners report the ABS and electronic stability control warning lights coming on, sometimes with a spongy or low brake pedal and reduced braking force. Some complainants had received notice of recall 24V653000 but say the repair was not yet available; others were told a software update or ABS repair was needed. One owner describes the pedal going to the floor while reversing downhill. Typically reported between about 35,000 and 75,000 miles, though a few appear at lower mileage.

    Recall 24V653000Recall 21V037000 · DO NOT DRIVE

    What to check: Check whether recall 24V653000 (ABS/ESC software) was applied, and note any warning lights on the test drive. Ask about wheel-bearing and brake-pedal feel history.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS and ECS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall related to the ABS. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11688348, filed 2025-09, 62,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,126.”

    NHTSA complaint #11653443, filed 2025-04, 40,126 miles
  4. Electrical system

    Water intrusion and electrical starting faults

    • 113 complaints (17%)
    • median 48,129 mi at 4.5 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,247 (median of 9 quotes)
    • filed 2021–2026

    Owners describe water leaking past the third brake light or rear taillight and reaching modules, causing a stall or a no-start, and dealers identifying the battery pack control module or RF hub as failed. Others report a clicking noise traced to a faulty alternator and a no-start where the panel lights up but the engine will not crank. Complaints also mention a radio message about a power surge on the USB hub. Mostly reported from about 45,000 to 85,000 miles, plus a few early leaks noticed within the first few thousand miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Inspect the headliner and rear cab area for water stains or corrosion, and test the brake light and camera. Ask whether the radio/USB software bulletins have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the instrument panel lights illuminated but the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the RF Hub had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 81,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11761686, filed 2026-09, 81,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted but stalled again. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was water leaking from the third brake light and had leaked onto the battery pack control module and RF hub, and the parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,259.”

    NHTSA complaint #11660887, filed 2025-05, 46,259 miles

Buying note. Check recall status by VIN (fuel pump, PCM software, ABS/ESC, rearview camera) and ask for paperwork showing each was completed, since owners frequently report parts were unavailable. A scan for stored codes and a test drive that includes slow turns, braking, and reverse in low light will surface most of the reported complaints.

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 683 consumer complaints for the 2021 Ram 1500. 109 of the complaints include a mileage, and 68% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 35,000 miles. Of all complaints, 27 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 23 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns (1 marked do-not-drive) and 1,130 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 Ram 1500 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 67 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than 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: Air bags (27), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (27), Electronic stability control (16), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (15), Exterior lighting (13), Suspension (9), Lane departure (8), Engine cooling (4), Seat belts (4), Wheels (3), Tires (2), Equipment (1), Hybrid propulsion system (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “Vehicle turned off and had to be restarted as I was switching from break to gas after stopping at a stop sign. I had to restart the vehicle in the middle of the intersection. Radio and all instrument lights remained on. No error lights came on. This has happened on 4 separate days , weeks apart at different locations and under different weather conditions.”

NHTSA complaint #11413950, filed 2021-04, 1,000 miles

Electrical system: “Truck has stalled twice pulling into traffic. Both times I have been taking a right turn.speed when it happens around 10 MPH. It tells me to put my car in park and toun on the engine, this is going to get someone killed. I have been looking online and other people are having these issues.”

NHTSA complaint #11415725, filed 2021-05, 2,200 miles

Other or unknown: “Just purchased truck a few days ago. Only 350 miles on it now. On 9-27-21 at approximately 8:50am, I was taking my son to school. I stopped at a stop sign and then proceeded to make a right turn onto the roadway when all of a sudden the engine cut off. Everything else stayed on in the truck. It would not allow me to apply the brakes, start the engine, turn the steering wheel, etc. It traveled across the roadway, into oncoming traffic lane, and then came to a soft stop by itself halfway on the roadway. …”

NHTSA complaint #11434478, filed 2021-09, 350 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I parked my truck, shut off the engine, and exited and went inside. I was walking my dog several minutes later and seemed to notice my truck moving backwards. I saw the fresh tracks in the snow in front of my truck and realized that it was rolling backward on my driveway. I got in, pressed the brakes to stop the rolling and tried cycling the power. My keys were inside so I rushed in to get them and then back to the truck. It started without changing the shift selector knob, so it had definitely been requested to engage park.”

NHTSA complaint #11383816, filed 2020-12, 500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

68% of the 109 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 8,200 and 59,700 miles.

26%0–109%10–2533%25–5015%50–7511%75–1006%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (109 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 35,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

2020202120222023202420251582026
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.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2021 Ram 1500. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
1500 · crew cab 2WD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 · crew cab 4WD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 · extended cab 2WD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 · extended cab 4WD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 Classic · extended cab 2WD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 Classic · regular cab 2WD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 Classic · crew cab 2WD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
1500 Classic · extended cab 4WD★★★★☆4 / 4553 · 21.9% risk
1500 Classic · regular cab 4WD★★★★☆4 / 4553 · 21.9% risk
1500 Classic · crew cab 4WD★★★★☆4 / 4553 · 21.9% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2021 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking optional.

Neighbouring years: 2020: same overall rating; 2022: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2021 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
1500 2WD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic152217$4,450
1500 4WD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic152117$4,450
1500 Classic 2WD3.6L 6-cyl8-speed automatic172520$3,350
1500 Classic 2WD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic152217$4,450
1500 Classic 4WD3.6L 6-cyl8-speed automatic162319$3,550
1500 Classic 4WD5.7L 8-cyl8-speed automatic152117$4,450
1500 TRX 4WD6.2L 8-cyl8-speed automatic101412$6,850
1500 2WD3.0L 6-cyl · diesel8-speed automatic223226$3,700
1500 4WD3.0L 6-cyl · diesel8-speed automatic212924$4,000
1500 HFE 2WD3.0L 6-cyl · diesel8-speed automatic233326$3,700
1500 2WD3.6L 6-cyl · hybrid8-speed automatic202522$3,050
1500 2WD5.7L 8-cyl · hybrid8-speed automatic172319$4,000
1500 4WD3.6L 6-cyl · hybrid8-speed automatic192421$3,200
1500 4WD5.7L 8-cyl · hybrid8-speed automatic172219$4,000

1 more EPA-rated versions are not shown.

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

See all 15 recalls for the 2021 Ram 1500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

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. 1,130 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,130 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ram 1500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20261033,4509—21Too new to compareToo new
20253655,3318—21Too new to compareToo new
2024779,5006—20Too new to compareToo new
202320317,872114–51718 · FewerToo new
202263126,500164–51757 · TypicalRising
202168335,000154–51767 · MoreRising
202064025,000144–51751 · TypicalRising
20191,49418,000294–51781 · MoreRising
201866733,0001542026 · FewerRising
201788437,6001342040 · TypicalRising
20161,55451,1921642054 · TypicalRising
20151,45965,0001742049 · TypicalRising
20141,77763,7001642056 · TypicalRising
20131,28162,0001142037 · TypicalRising
20093781,7072——0 · FewerFalling

All Ram 1500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ram 1500?

Owners of the 2021 Ram 1500 most often describe the engine shutting off or losing power while driving, sometimes with the transmission shifting into park on its own, and many link these stalls to the fuel-pump recall or to a software update the dealer could not complete. The issues reported most often: Engine stalls or loses power while driving; Stalls tied to high-pressure fuel pump failure; ABS and stability-control warnings, soft brake pedal.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2021 Ram 1500 have?

NHTSA recorded 683 consumer complaints for the 2021 Ram 1500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2021 Ram 1500 is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 276 complaints (40% of the total), followed by electrical system with 198.

Has the 2021 Ram 1500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2021 Ram 1500 do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2021 Ram 1500 4–5 out of 5 stars overall, across 10 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2021 Ram 1500 get?

The EPA rates the 2021 Ram 1500 (1500 2WD, 5.7L 8-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,450 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2021 Ram 1500 reported?

Among the 109 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 35,000 miles and the middle half falls between 8,200 and 59,700 miles; 68% 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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. 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.