2001 Ram 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
561 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Ram 2500, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 19/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 92,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2001 Ram 2500 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2001 sits among all 2500 years
What owners report
“Dash cracked 7 years ago and has been falling apart steadily since then. Shards of dash pose a safety issue in the event of a wreck. Known problem with dodge trucks of this year range.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
“The vehicle has excessive steering that tends to dart to the right and the left caused by steering gear box. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
“Dash pad is cracked all to pieces. Sharp pieces are coming off and could potentially be dangerous. This is a safety concern and dodge should recall this.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
“I just wanted to report this about my truck , the steering wanders all over the road and have heard from other owners that theirs does to. I have carried it to the dealer one time and they adjusted the steering wheel but it has started back again.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
“The brake line that runs on the frame rail from the front to the rear had a blow out directly behind the gas tank when pressing the break peddle to come to a complete stop in my driveway”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
“Consumer called complaining about having problems with the engine oil. Also stated that while driving the vehicle all the engine oil blow out. Dealer was contacted and stated that the oil filter was put in wrong. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 2500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 377 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 117,724 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT K&N FUEL PERFORMANCE KITS, P/NOS. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, AND 57-1530. ALSO, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE KITS WERE SOLD UNDER THE MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTS BRAND NAME (P/NOS. P5007069 AND P5007070). ALL…
Fix: K&N WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOUND DEADENER MATERIAL INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSING. NOTE: THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE BUILT AT THE WARREN ASSEMBLY PLANT ("S" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 16, 2000…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 18, 2001. ALSO SOME 1997-200 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2001 Ram 2500. 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 2001 Ram 2500 reliable?
The 2001 Ram 2500 drew 561 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 19/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 2001 Ram 2500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Ram 2500 are body & structure (181 complaints), steering (73), and other (50).
At what mileage do 2001 Ram 2500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Ram 2500 problems around 85,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 117,724 miles.
Does the 2001 Ram 2500 have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Ram 2500. 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.