9 RAM 1500 Years You Should Steer Clear Of At All Costs, According To Drivers

Over the years, the Ram 1500 has established itself as one of the leading pickup trucks on the U.S. market. In 2025, it placed fifth for overall sales, moving 374,059 units, and its increased focus on luxury and comfort, alongside plenty of performance, continues to keep the truck near the top of the segment. Among its qualities is reliability, which you would hope for in a vehicle designed to withstand extensive, demanding usage. However, there are still some model years that should be approached with extra caution.

Only a handful of mass-market nameplates throughout history have a flawless track record when it comes to reliability. Unfortunately, the Ram 1500 is not one of them, with various model years experiencing a wide range of issues. Some are only cosmetic, but this truck, in some guises, is no stranger to serious faults that can take it off the road. Taking into account owner feedback for the respective years, these are the Ram 1500 models that you should avoid at all costs on the used market.

Towards the tail end of the second-generation Dodge Ram 1500, things started to take a downturn for the flagship pickup truck. The years before were much more reliable and trouble-free, which is a little strange, considering most vehicles have their troubles ironed out by the end of a generation's run. A few models stand out, but the first of the worst second-gen Ram 1500s looks to be the 1999 model year. 

One issue that the 1999 model year draws a handful of complaints for is the transmission. Difficulty switching gears is common, but abrupt, total failures are the most commonly reported issue on CarComplaints.com. The 46RE automatic is the gearbox that gets the most flak, so be incredibly wary if you're thinking of going for one of these trucks, and make sure the maintenance history has been solid over the years. 

But even more troublesome than the transmission for the 1999 Ram 1500 is an issue inside the cabin, more specifically the dashboard cracking. Even owners who take extra care of their cars report that they couldn't do anything to stop the cracks from appearing. It's not an issue that'll stop you from driving, but it certainly won't be nice to look at.

Moving into the next century, the 2000 model year also had its fair share of issues, most of which were related to a cracking dashboard, but the overall volume of complaints wasn't as high as the 1999 truck. And it's certainly not one to be avoided as much as the 2001 model year. Once again, the dashboard presents itself as the major culprit in submitted complaints, alongside issues with the transmission using the same units offered in 1999.

The third generation of the Ram 1500 was introduced the following year, but unfortunately, Dodge couldn't fix the Achilles heel for this truck at the time: the dashboard. The 2002 model year records the highest number of complaints regarding the cracking dashboard out of all model years. Elsewhere, engine overheating problems started to creep in and replace transmission complaints, with owners reporting major failures with the 4.7L V8 due to oil sludge and blown head gaskets, often costing thousands to repair. On RepairPal.com, coolant leaks are also noted.

Things don't look much better for the second year of the third-generation Ram 1500. The cracking dashboard makes a return once again, as do engine issues. Frequent stalling can occur, with the 5.7L HEMI engine sometimes needing full rebuilds after failures. Another major cause for concern with the 2003 Ram 1500 is a rusted frame, with fixes only managing to slow the issue for a limited time. 

Throughout the rest of the third generation's run until 2008, things started to improve for the Ram 1500 across the board, with overall complaints dropping off. For the 2009 model year, the fourth generation of the truck arrived and, going by what owners report, it had a pretty successful launch as far as reliability goes. The 2010 model year doesn't look too bad either. In 2011, though, now just named the Ram 1500, issues started to reappear for the nameplate. Not with the dashboard this time, but mainly with electrical problems. 

For the 2011 model, in particular, owners have frequently reported issues with the TIPM, which has subsequently led to fuel pump failures. Replacing the part isn't cheap. Trucks fitted with the 5.7L HEMI engine also appear prone to camshaft and lifter failures, which can shred the engine completely if not taken care of. For the 2012 model year, the cam and lifter issue became the most commonly reported by owners on CarComplaints.com. The TIPM still causes some hassle in the 2012 model year, but it's not as widely mentioned as it is for the 2011 truck.

Unfortunately, the two following model years don't see much improvement when it comes to overall complaints submitted by owners. Starting with the 2013 Ram 1500, the truck has plenty of reports aimed at the infotainment system, which is the most commonly reported issue on CarComplaints.com. The center touchscreen may turn off completely, or you might experience more localized issues with things like the radio or GPS. 

According to owners providing information on the NHTSA's website, both the 2013 and 2014 Ram 1500 suffer extensively from power steering issues. Quite a few of these reports cite complete failures of the system, which, at high speed, is, of course, incredibly dangerous. The transmission may be a pain point for the 2014 model, specifically, with owners reporting multiple instances of incorrect gear changes and bumping when trying to get it into the right gear. One more thing to note with the 2014 Ram 1500 is potential exhaust leaks stemming from the manifold. It's not as widely reported as other issues, but certainly worth noting when checking a model over.

The final model year that we'd advise avoiding, if possible, is the 2019 Ram 1500. The first of the current generation for the pickup truck, the 2019 model year doesn't have nearly the same number of complaints as others on this list, but it does have one of the highest totals among newer models. If you're wanting a used model instead of paying the roughly $41,575 price tag for the latest version, paying a little more for an early 2020s model should help you avoid some of the following issues.

On the NHTSA's website, the types of complaints vary quite significantly, but one that stands out once again is problems with the power steering. Despite being an all-new model, owners still report the system intermittently losing power, mainly at low speeds this time around. The same sentiment is shared by owners on CarComplaints.com, who note that the wheel can get stuck in the 11 o'clock position. Inside the cabin, 2019 models also fell victim to electrical issues, with things like the radio, air conditioning, and even some crucial safety and driver-assistance tech being unreliable. The first models in a new generation tend to be prone to some issues, but given the number of complaints, the 2019 Ram 1500 is one to avoid, especially.

To select the model years of the Ram 1500 for this list, we looked at various sources, including CarComplaints.com, RepairPal, and the NHTSA's website, to see which vehicles have the most complaints and issues overall. We also made sure that the issues reported for the model years were consistent across the board, while also reviewing individual complaints on dedicated forums for the pickup truck.