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Ram PromasterModel year report

2019 Ram Promaster Problems

Compared with other Ram Promaster years

Typical for this model

42/100 0.8× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2016

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
60filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
47,354miles, 18 complaints with mileage
Recalls
9campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2019 Ram Promaster (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about transmission troubles — delayed or harsh shifting, gear shifter problems, and vehicles that will not stay in park — along with a widely reported wait for recall parts. Engine concerns cluster at both ends of the mileage range: coolant leaks and water pump issues on higher-mileage vans, and oil cooler leaks and stalling on lower-mileage ones. Complaints were filed across many years and many conversions, so a van's build and upfit history matters when checking one over.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission shifting and park/gear engagement problems

    • 11 complaints (18%)
    • median 87,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Complaints describe delayed engagement when shifting into drive or reverse, slipping, hesitation on acceleration from a stop, and in some cases the transmission dropping into a lower gear and staying there. Several owners report the van rolling while the indicator shows Park, and others describe repeated transmission replacement attempts. Dealers are often reported as unable to duplicate the shifting complaint, while some vans were diagnosed as needing a transmission replacement. Spread across the mileage range, from under 25,000 miles to over 100,000, with many reports in the 50,000-90,000 mile range.

    Recall 23V301000Recall 20V0360003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the van through stop-and-go traffic and check for hesitation or delayed engagement into drive and reverse. Ask whether recall 61A/23V301000 park pawl work was completed and whether the transmission has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Owner of 2019 Promaster 1500 Transmission failed at 24K, Took to Hilltop CDJ in Richmond Ca. Transmission, under warranty, replaced. 6 Months later I took back to them, As when I engaged the transmission to drive or reverse, There was a 2 min hesitation before the trans kicked into gear. It was never in park. Hilltop kept for 1 week, stated they could not replicate. I drove it that way for over a year. 6 months ago my transmission would not stay in gear, and in calling Hilltop was told the newer trans was not under warranty. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11614961, filed 2024-09

    “I own a 2019 Ram ProMaster. The vehicle previously received the manufacturer recall repair for the transmission park issue (software update). After the recall repair, the vehicle experienced a safety issue where it would roll freely while in “Park,” as if it were in neutral, even though the dashboard indicated “P.” This created a rollaway risk. This happened August 2025 intermittently. Miles on the vehicle 68k. I recently (4/17/2025) serviced the transmission (approximately 73,000 miles) and found significant internal damage evidence. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11732183, filed 2026-04
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Recall parts unavailable for park pawl/transmission repair

    Mentioned in 11 of 55 sampled complaints

    Many complaints are about the recall process rather than a breakdown: owners say they received notice for the transmission park pawl recall, but dealers had no parts and could not schedule the repair. Some describe waiting months or years on a dealer list, and a few report their vans sitting at a dealership awaiting a replacement transmission with no date given. Others note that converted motorhomes could not be serviced at some dealers. Filed over several years from 2020 through 2026, with no clear mileage pattern; some vans had very low mileage.

    Recall 23V301000Recall 20V036000

    What to check: Ask for written confirmation that recall 23V301000 was performed, and check the vehicle's recall status by VIN before purchase. If the van is a converted motorhome, confirm a dealer in your area will perform the work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We have contacted Ram and our local dealer multiple times. Dealer says they are not receiving parts for recall w00. Ram says they are sending a limited number. We were #10 on the dealer repair list a month ago. Now we are 15. Ram and the dealer need to step up and get this issue fixed for all Ram 3500 owners now.”

    NHTSA complaint #11330078, filed 2020-06, 21,000 miles

    “I received notice of a recall in June 2023. I contacted every nearby dealership in my area. None of the company service centers was able to complete the recall service. Because my vehicle has been converted into a motorhome (by a RAM approved upfitter), it is heavier that the standard vehicle and they told me they do not have the proper equipment to complete the anticipated repairs. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11561180, filed 2023-12
  3. Engine cooling

    Coolant leaks, water pump and radiator fan concerns

    Mentioned in 8 of 55 sampled complaints

    Owners describe coolant loss that recurs after dealer repairs, coolant smell, and in some cases overheating. Fleet operators report several vans leaking coolant with some needing engine replacement after overheating. Others describe the radiator fan running constantly or making loud noise, and one reports a melted relay associated with the cooling fan circuit. Mostly reported from around 17,000 to 112,000 miles, often on vans used in commercial or fleet service.

    Recall 25V7200004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check coolant level and look for dried residue around the water pump and radiator, and let the van idle to hear whether either cooling fan runs unusually loud or constantly. Ask whether recall 25V720000 radiator fan work applies to this VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Around 4,000 miles my brand new van died on me going up a small incline round around a small curve. I lost all power and a head on vehicle almost hit me head on because I list all power, I lost power steering, I lost braking power and I and my dad almost died because I was veering off a cliff. I restarted the vehicle and was able to return the vehicle to the road. At around 5,000 miles my air bag light came on for a half of a day driving. I have had radiator fluid smell and leaking. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11404508, filed 2021-03, 4,000 miles

    “The coolant system has been repaired by a Ram certified dealership for the same issue 3 times with current mileage at 17,000. The coolant continues to leak out. We have a fleet of 30 Promaster 1500 and 2500 vans and all of them have coolant leaking issues with 4 requiring engine replacements because of overheating. Sometimes there are warning lamps to let us know to pull over, sometimes not and then it's too late. Please address this asap!”

    NHTSA complaint #11451196, filed 2022-02

Buying note. Check the recall history by VIN and get written proof of completed transmission park pawl work before buying, since parts delays feature heavily in owner complaints. A pre-purchase inspection focused on transmission behavior, coolant leaks and water entry into the engine bay is worthwhile on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 55 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 60 consumer complaints for the 2019 Ram Promaster. 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 56% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 47,354 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns and 246 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 9 Ram Promaster model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 42 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: Tires (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Seats (1), Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “My vehicle has been recalled for a safety issue w00 20v-036. There is no engineering fix yet designed. Winnebago/dodge and it's associated dealers are still selling the vehicle despite the recall while owners wait for corrective measures.”

NHTSA complaint #11317412, filed 2020-03, 4,900 miles

Engine: “When I take my foot off the accelerator and put it on the brake the car slows down but then starts to accelerate again. On a city street at a stop sign/light. A light will briefly flash on dash that says hill holder - see service . I've taken it to be checked. They drove it and could not duplicate. This only happens intermittently so that diagnostic is not going to tell anything.”

NHTSA complaint #11315986, filed 2020-03, 5,600 miles

Other or unknown: “The design in the cab and placement of the cup holders create a safety hazard. The cup holders are right near the floor causing the driver to remove their eyes from the road to get their cup, and even a split second with your eyes off the road could cause an accident. They need to raise the cup holders on the dashboard area and front of the vehicle higher for safety. Reaching down is equally as dangerous as texting and driving at the same time. It is only a matter of time before someone reaches down for their cup and has an accident with the poor design and placement of the cup holders. …”

NHTSA complaint #11232624, filed 2019-07, 27 miles

Brakes: “On steep road descent, brake warning light came on. No loss of brake function. No incident. Cycling engine off then on clears warning light. Parking brake was off, and brake fluid was completely full. No excessive brake heat or smells. This situation has occurred twice separated by a month's time. Both cases on steep descent. Warning light cause unknown.”

NHTSA complaint #11425875, filed 2021-07

Mileage when problems were reported

56% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,480 and 76,000 miles.

33%0–1011%10–2511%25–5017%50–7511%75–10011%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (18 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 47,354 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.

2019202020212022202320242025202612
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.

Recalls and investigations

See all 9 recalls for the 2019 Ram Promaster → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

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. 246 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 246 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ram Promaster

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202566005———Too new
20241140,0007———Too new
20239536,5006——75 · MoreToo new
20226826,6029——80 · MoreRising
202111120,0008——100 · MoreRising
20204264,3155——36 · TypicalRising
20196047,3549——42 · TypicalRising
20183811,00010——45 · TypicalStable
20175742,00010——49 · TypicalFalling
20163347,00014——19 · FewerStable
20156139,04912——51 · TypicalFalling
20147112,00012——69 · MoreStable

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Ram Promaster?

Owners of this model year most often write about transmission troubles — delayed or harsh shifting, gear shifter problems, and vehicles that will not stay in park — along with a widely reported wait for recall parts. The issues reported most often: Transmission shifting and park/gear engagement problems; Recall parts unavailable for park pawl/transmission repair; Coolant leaks, water pump and radiator fan concerns.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2019 Ram Promaster have?

NHTSA recorded 60 consumer complaints for the 2019 Ram Promaster as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2019 Ram Promaster is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 24 complaints (40% of the total), followed by engine with 10.

Has the 2019 Ram Promaster been recalled?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2019 Ram Promaster reported?

Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 47,354 miles and the middle half falls between 5,480 and 76,000 miles; 56% 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.

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.