2016 Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
2,088 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Ram 1500, alongside 17 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 90/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 65,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Ram 1500 sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1994–1996.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all 1500 years
What owners report
“The HPFP that has an unfixed recall on it went out and caused the engine to grenade itself”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
“The electric power steering failed on my 2016 Ram 1500. There was no warning the system had a problem. I had to have the entire power steering unit replaced at a cost of $2200.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
“Fuel sensor fails after filling up vehicle. After filling up tank the vehicle will register full for 30 to 40 miles. Then sensor will fail and read empty which brings in check engine light.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
“The ABS module has gone out in the truck. Ram has no replacements available for the part. The part number is 68295368AC”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
“Abs/Hcu are faulty causing abs and traction control systems to not function causing hazardous conditions while driving”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
“Extreme lag on acceleration from a dead stop. Extreme lag on freeway while trying to pass or merge. Post the aem emissions recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 978 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 51,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 30,000 and 85,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (17)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ram 3500, Ram 1500, 2016-2020 Ram 2500, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
Fix: Dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at…
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the…
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3,…
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting…
Fix: Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed…
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Ram 1500 Classic, 2015-2016 Ram 3500, and Ram 2500 vehicles, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 10,000 lbs. The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) inflator end…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 4, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on May…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ram 1500 and 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the…
Fix: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 1500 Classic Pickup trucks equipped with 3.0L Eco Diesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. The recall began April 16, 2020.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with an 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. Chrysler is also recalling all 2013-2014 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks built before April 1,…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the tailgate latch, free of charge. The recall began May 23, 2019. Chrysler is expected to notify owners of the expanded population on October…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with a power locking tailgate and either a 5 foot, 7 inch or 6 foot, 4 inch bed. The tailgate actuator limiter tab may fracture and cause the tailgate to…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began September 17, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500,…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners…
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 (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 vehicles. Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 1500 trucks. The differential pin retaining screw may come loose while driving, potentially causing the differential to break or lock up.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the differential retaining pin, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016 RAM 1500 trucks manufactured February 19, 2016, to March 3, 2016. The front halfshafts may have been incorrectly manufactured causing them to fracture without warning.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front halfshafts, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling aftermarket Mopar Canvas Seat Covers for certain 2012-2016 RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. These Mopar canvas seat covers were sold through Chrysler dealerships beginning October 15, 2015. The seat covers can impede the…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners to remove the front seat covers and return them for a full refund. The recall began on July 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured January 22, 2015, to September 13, 2015. Contamination on the Electric Power Steering (EPS) control circuit board may cause a short and result in the loss of power…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS unit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 16, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ram 1500 trucks with a 5.7L engine and dual exhaust manufactured August 3, 2015, to August 10, 2015. The affected vehicles may be missing a heat shield for the spare tire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a spare tire heat shield if the vehicle is missing one. Vehicles that have already been sold with an excess of 50 miles will also have their…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured June 17, 2015, to September 28, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been built with rear axles that were incorrectly heat treated.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the axle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 23, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and 6 EWR Death & Injury (D&I) reports describing post recall remedy failures of the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) system in certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 RAM pickup trucks.The…
Component: STEERING
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 380 reports from consumers alleging an intermittent or complete loss of power steering assistance in certain 2013-2016 Ram 1500.The failure allegations occur at various speeds with limited detectability to the driver.On March 23, 2016 Fiat…
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L…
Model years named: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Technical service bulletins
604 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 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 2016 Ram 1500 reliable?
The 2016 Ram 1500 drew 2,088 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 90/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2016 Ram 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Ram 1500 are engine (353 complaints), steering (303), and fuel system (275).
At what mileage do 2016 Ram 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Ram 1500 problems around 51,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 30,000 and 85,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Ram 1500 have recalls?
17 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 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.