2011 Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
989 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Ram 1500, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 85,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2011 sits among all 1500 years
What owners report
“Truck will not start, it acts as if the vehicle doesn't have any fuel. A mechanic diagnosed the issue as the fuel pump relay.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
“The contact owns a 2011 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the rear pinion nut detached. The contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle was seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
“Engine compartment caught fire while driving. Could not put out fire vehicle was total loss.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
“The truck started to have issues starting, when i would turn the key off and on numerous times, it then would kick the fuel pump in and then start. The problem got worse and worse. Once the truck started then it ran fine. It then started to have the fuel pump with the key off and not running.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
“2 years ago had to replace the tipm on my truck and noe its starting to mess up again. Trucks just dies while driving no warning. It just a matter of time before i have to replace it again. It should be a recall. It cost me 1500.00 to repair”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
“Takata recall my truck switch into high speed gear speeded up may have caused a crash sterring became hard to control in motion on a city street”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 682 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 79,389 miles. Half of those reports fall between 48,000 and 114,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks currently, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will bolt a bracket reinforcement to the frame, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact…
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007,…
Fix: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners…
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RAM 1500 TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH DECEMBER 2010. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE EXPERIENCE A NOISE (GROWL, GRIND) COMING FROM THE REAR AXLE BEARING WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY SEIZE.
Fix: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL INSTALL AN OIL PORT INSERT INTO THE REAR AXLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 20V024.
Technical service bulletins
250 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Ram 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Ram 1500 reliable?
The 2011 Ram 1500 drew 989 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2011 Ram 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Ram 1500 are electrical (244 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (179), and engine (156).
At what mileage do 2011 Ram 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Ram 1500 problems around 79,389 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 48,000 and 114,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Ram 1500 have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Ram 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.