Ram 5500 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 147 consumer complaints across the 8 model years of the Ram 5500 (2014–2022) that have at least 5 complaints. 2018 has the most, with 39. Across all years, the part named most often is transmission and drivetrain (46 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 5500 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 26 | 1,973 | 4 | 436 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Rising |
| 2020 | 8 | 25,000 | 9 | 392 | — | Not enough data |
| 2019 | 12 | 136,500 | 9 | 417 | — | Not enough data |
| 2018 | 39 | 80,000 | 8 | 308 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Rising |
| 2017 | 21 | 85,000 | 7 | 277 | — | Falling |
| 2016 | 17 | 82,000 | 7 | 313 | — | Rising |
| 2015 | 13 | 79,000 | 8 | 331 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 11 | 89,971 | 10 | 355 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Transmission and drivetrain46 28%
- Brakes41 25%
- Wheels18 11%
- Steering14 8.4%
- Fuel system13 7.8%
- Engine13 7.8%
- Electrical system13 7.8%
- Suspension9 5.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2016: “Our transfer case failed (blow apart) causing a fire . We had the truck towed to our dealer and for the last three weeks dodge has not allowed the repair to proceed or provided us with contact information or a path forward. We have no truck or plan for it to be fixed. The truck was being driven on a highway at about 50 MPH when the transfer case failed.”
NHTSA complaint #11269389, filed 2019-10, 82,000 miles2018: “On march 23, 2021, while driving on the highway, I started hearing the same humming noise I heard 8 months ago when I had the transfer case problem. This was the new transfer case the dealership had put in, and all of a sudden there was a loud bang/explosion sound from where the transfer case exploded. I was driving at 60 MPH and was not able to brake as I lost the brakes after the transfer case exploded. …”
NHTSA complaint #11404657, filed 2021-03, 100,066 miles2017: “Right front steering tire experienced unusual wear on the outside cord only. Left side ok. Had the alignment checked by dodge up to spec. Had my mechanic on a $50,000 rack check the alignment at my expense. Right front ok left front .7degrees out. Only adjustment is to replace the non adjustable ball joints with offset adjustable ball joints as well as the tires. Fca response was you know we only have a 12000 mile 12 month warranty on the alignment. Truck is almost two years old with 12900 miles. …”
NHTSA complaint #11331308, filed 2020-06, 12,900 milesOther Ram models
11,855 complaintsRam 2500
5,153 complaintsRam 3500
2,354 complaintsRam Promaster
653 complaintsRam Promaster City
97 complaintsRam 4500
35 complaintsRam Promaster 2500
23 complaintsRam Promaster 3500
13 complaints
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. Methodology