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Ram 2500Model year report

2020 Ram 2500 Problems

Compared with other Ram 2500 years

Typical for this model

56/100 1.1× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2021, 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
162filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
10,500miles, 54 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns 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
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
—not in EPA data

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Ram 2500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Ram 2500 most often describe diesel fuel-system trouble, concentrated on the Cummins 6.7L high-pressure fuel pump, and many complaints also concern how long recall repairs take. Reports often describe a truck that stalls or loses power while driving or towing, sometimes without warning and sometimes at low mileage. A smaller but recurring set of complaints covers steering assist loss, electrical and infotainment faults, and body hardware such as a tailgate that opens on its own.

  1. Fuel system

    Diesel high-pressure fuel pump failure and fuel-system

    • 53 complaints (33%)
    • median 21,000 mi at 2.1 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe the truck losing power, stalling, or failing to restart, sometimes with knocking or shuddering beforehand; several had it towed. According to the complaints, dealers found a failing high-pressure fuel pump that sent metal particles through the fuel system, in some cases requiring replacement of the pump and much of the fuel system. Some owners report repeated calls to the dealer about recall repairs, reporting that parts were not yet available. Reports in the sample range from roughly 700 to over 125,000 miles, with many under 20,000, often while driving or towing at highway speed.

    Recall 21V880000

    What to check: Ask whether the high-pressure fuel pump recall was completed and whether the pump or fuel system has been replaced. Check for a check-engine light, listen for unusual noise at idle, and ask for service records showing the fuel filter was changed on schedule.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was traveling and around 655 miles from home. My truck was idleing and started making a loud knocking noise. I turned it off and then it wouldn't start again. I called chrysler roadside assistance and had it towed to the nearest dealer, bluebonnet chrysler dodge and Ram. After my vehicle sat there for 4 days, they finally looked at it and determined that my cp4 fuel injector pump had failed. It is all covered by warranty, but now I'm 655 miles from my truck with nothing to drive.”

    NHTSA complaint #11404304, filed 2021-03, 15,110 miles

    “We were just leaving the desert after a weekend trip when there was a weird noise from the engine area. As I opened the hood and the truck died and never started back up. The truck was towed to local dealer which is 350 miles from home were it sat for 7 days until we could make it back out there. My trailer was also towed and I had to use a friends truck to get it. Then stopped by the dealer to find out what's going on. Fuel system shot. 15,838 for repair. Now my truck is a 2020 Ram 2500. Purchased in august 2020. 4,900 miles on the odometer. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11373793, filed 2020-11, 4,900 miles
  2. Fuel system

    Recall repair parts unavailable for months

    • 35 complaints (22%)
    • median 21,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2021–2026

    Many complaints describe being told that the parts for a fuel-system or transmission recall were not available, with waits described as weeks to many months. In several reports, owners say the dealer declined to perform the repair or that the truck remained with the dealer awaiting parts. A few owners say they had not yet experienced a failure but were uneasy driving the truck. Reports cluster in 2021 through 2023, frequently on trucks with 4,000 to 70,000 miles.

    Recall 21V880000Recall 22V835000Recall 22V140000

    What to check: Ask the seller or dealer for proof that open recalls were completed and get any outstanding campaign numbers in writing before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Dealer unable to get recall parts since the inception of the recall. Dealer says they only receive a couple of DIPSTICKS a month. Long waiting list. I called Chrysler to no avail. Ridiculous wait for a dipstick!”

    NHTSA complaint #11593274, filed 2024-06

    “The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System/Diesel). The local dealer was contacted, and he was informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Recently, the contact stated that an abnormal humming noise was coming from the engine. The contact also stated that while driving 70 MPH, the service required message flashed on the instrument panel but quickly disappeared after illumination. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11495749, filed 2022-12, 70,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Electrical and infotainment faults, hard starting

    • 33 complaints (20%)
    • median 10,000 mi at 1.5 yrs old (17 state mileage)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Complaints describe dead or blank radio and dashboard displays, a message about a USB power surge after which the USB hub stops working, and a truck that would not start until the starter was replaced. Owners also describe a seat heater that overheated and burned the seat upholstery, and noisy exterior mirrors. Reported across a wide range, commonly from a few thousand to about 50,000 miles, sometimes within days of purchase.

    Recall 20V1910002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test the radio, screens, USB ports, remote start and unlock, and every seat heater. Ask whether the rearview camera software update and any door-handle or mirror bulletins were applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2020 Ram 2500 purchased brand new. I along with many others from forums and other groups are having a issue with the remote/remote start. The remote start works fine, but once the truck is remote started and running and you attempt to unlock the vehicle to enter, it won't unlock. I have had this happen numerous times and have actually had to use the physical key to open the truck when it is remote started. I have tried both remotes and it has the same issue so it can't be the remotes. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11374630, filed 2020-11, 25 miles

    “This vehicle was bought less than a month ago. The first week 3 tires sensors are out and not working, then yesterday, oct. 20, 2020 the engine light came on and won't go out. We called the dealer and were told that it wasn't any problem to keep driving the truck. They told us the soonest they could see it was this friday, oct. 23, 2020 and they do not have any loaners. So here I am stuck at home afraid to drive the Ram truck costing more than $70,000 because I might ruin the engine. This is uncalled for in a brand new vehicle!!”

    NHTSA complaint #11365611, filed 2020-10, 980 miles
  4. Engine

    Engine noise and internal damage

    • 8 complaints (5%)
    • median 35,000 mi at 3.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe tapping, knocking or squealing noises from the engine area, in some cases growing louder and leading to a diagnosis of piston or internal engine damage. Others report the engine running rough or seizing and needing replacement, and one owner was told the grid heater had overheated and damaged the engine. Complaints also mention pulley or belt squeak that recurred after repair. Sample reports run from about 4,900 miles up to 300,000, with several under 50,000.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Listen for tapping or knocking at cold start and at idle, and ask for oil-change records. Ask whether the engine has been replaced or any internal repair was performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Have a squeak that started about 200 miles ago, (have 4900 mile on truck). Did some research and many other people have this problem with the 2019-2020 cummins 6.7 motor. It seems to be some sort of pulley or the belt. The truck is brand new with only 4900 miles and should not have any squeak coming from the belts or pulley. People are having to replace pulleys and belts 7 plus times and still the problem hasn't been fixed. Dealer I took my truck to couldn't fix the issue. Fca needs to address this.”

    NHTSA complaint #11372512, filed 2020-11, 4,500 miles

    “The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, a tapping sound was heard, which gradually grew louder. The next day, the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a piston 5 failure, and the dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11748901, filed 2026-07, 46,000 miles
  5. Steering

    Loss of power steering assist while driving

    • 7 complaints (4%)
    • median 4,596 mi at 1.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2023

    Owners report the wheel suddenly becoming very hard to turn, sometimes with a power-steering warning message on the dash and sometimes with no warning at all. In some complaints the assist returned after restarting or after engine speed rose, then failed again. Dealers in the sample replaced or repaired components under warranty, and at least one owner said the problem came back. Most sample reports fall between roughly 4,000 and 35,000 miles, sometimes at stops and sometimes at highway speed.

    What to check: During a test drive, note whether steering effort stays consistent at low engine speed and while parking. Ask whether the steering assist has been repaired or diagnosed before.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While coming to a stop I lost complete power steering and was barely able to turn the wheel to move to the side of the road. No messages, lights or codes came up on the dash. Truck only has 4,900 miles on it and was full on power steering fluid. After checking everything I attempted to drive from the side of the road. When the RPM's rose the power steering worked normal. When I approached the next stop and let my foot off the gas and the RPM's lowered, I lost power steering again at approximately 30 MPH, leaving me unable to steer.”

    NHTSA complaint #11397627, filed 2021-02, 4,900 miles

    “While driving down the highway power steering quit working followed along with a light on on the dashboard claiming that power steering failed. It became extremely hard to turn even at highway speeds.”

    NHTSA complaint #11343809, filed 2020-08, 1,330 miles

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 162 consumer complaints for the 2020 Ram 2500. 54 of the complaints include a mileage, and 81% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 10,500 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 729 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 10 Ram 2500 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 56 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: Seat belts (3), Air bags (2), Electronic stability control (2), Equipment (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Engine cooling (1), Forward collision avoidance (1), Lane departure (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seats (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “Truck died in traffic. Lost all power steering, brakes, etc. Almost caused a multiple vehicle accident, and left me stranded in the middle of traffic until I could get assistance to move. There was no warning or notice before the truck just quit working. A warning light came on after the truck died and stated exhaust system failure. See dealer immediately .”

NHTSA complaint #11399710, filed 2021-03, 6,972 miles

Engine: “This is the worst truck I've ever purchased, a simple fix needed to the pulley tensioner and the clutch fan is needed..been to dealer twice going a 3rd time . The fuel pump cp4 is a danger to drivers and pedestrians as these trucks are meant for pulling heavy loads and mostly on interstates which makes it a danger. The cp3 is needed back in the trucks as there is a horrible fuel pump chatter at this point and an iminant failure is coming soon. Also the truck rolls in park like 5 feet for no reason while off in park”

NHTSA complaint #11384318, filed 2020-12, 6,500 miles

Electrical system: “As I was operating my vehicle on I95 northbound smoke began to pour out of my vents. I was able to pull over and was able to determine there was a fire behind the radio in my truck. I immediately grabbed the personal affects that I could grab and called 911. However within 5 minutes the cab of the truck.was engulfed im flames.”

NHTSA complaint #11687105, filed 2025-09

Other or unknown: “Vehicle engages the forward collision warning and active braking at reduced speeds when turning inside of a parking garage. Numerous complaints online confirm similar instances. I had to manually turn off the forward collision active breaking just because it was so sensitive I was not able to move at any speed inside of a parking garage (particularly when approaching a corner to move up in levels) without the active braking occurring. Any vehicle following would be at increased risk of colliding with my vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11327290, filed 2020-06, 750 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

81% of the 54 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 4,000 and 40,500 miles.

46%0–1019%10–2517%25–506%50–754%75–1006%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (54 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 10,500 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.

202020212022472023202420252026
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 2020 Ram 2500. 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
2500 · crew cab 2WD★★★★☆3 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
2500 · crew cab 4WD★★★★☆3 / 4553 · 29.2% risk
2500 · regular cab 2WDnot rated———4 · 19.8% risk
2500 · regular cab 4WDnot rated———3 · 29.2% risk
2500 · extended cab 4WDnot rated———3 · 29.2% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2020 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning not available, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2021: 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.

Recalls and investigations

See all 10 recalls for the 2020 Ram 2500 → · 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. 729 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 729 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ram 2500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026298688——Too new to compareToo new
2025662,4006——Too new to compareToo new
20245912,0005——Too new to compareToo new
20234923,50084—6 · FewerToo new
202218118,000124—59 · TypicalRising
202110834,00084—33 · FewerRising
202016210,500104—56 · TypicalFalling
20191938,72512——45 · TypicalFalling
20182,60752,00094—77 · MoreRising
201769846,500114—50 · TypicalRising
201625924,000124—51 · TypicalStable
201521535,000134—32 · FewerFalling
201434430,000144—57 · TypicalFalling
201317839,70014——17 · FewerFalling
20095161,0001———Not enough data

All Ram 2500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Ram 2500?

Owners of the 2020 Ram 2500 most often describe diesel fuel-system trouble, concentrated on the Cummins 6.7L high-pressure fuel pump, and many complaints also concern how long recall repairs take. The issues reported most often: Diesel high-pressure fuel pump failure and fuel-system; Recall repair parts unavailable for months; Electrical and infotainment faults, hard starting.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 Ram 2500 have?

NHTSA recorded 162 consumer complaints for the 2020 Ram 2500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Ram 2500 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 70 complaints (43% of the total), followed by engine with 33.

Has the 2020 Ram 2500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2020 Ram 2500 do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2020 Ram 2500 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Ram 2500 reported?

Among the 54 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 10,500 miles and the middle half falls between 4,000 and 40,500 miles; 81% 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.

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.