The Lemon Index2001 Ram 1500.
The 2001 Ram 1500 is about average by owner complaints: 428 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 113, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 13 to 16 mpg combined. The best Ram 1500 year is 2000.
Covers the whole Ram pickup line (1500, 2500 and 3500): Ram reports their sales together.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,710 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Ram 1500 year. 2001 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 50K to 104K miles on the car (1,131 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- body structure complaints mostly came at 54K–102K miles
- steering complaints mostly came at 33K–99K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 40K–88K miles
Recalls 3
- engine 2006
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.
- tires 2003
ON CERTAIN 4X4 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SNOW PLOW PREPARATION PACKAGE, THE TIRES SUPPLIED ON SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS THAT SLIGHTLY EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TIRE LOAD CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN FEDER…
- airbags 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ram told dealers about
Ram sent dealers 30 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Been shipped with the wrong
- Sensitive steering and exhibit
- Part Description: Seal - Shift Shaft on RFE transmissions Issue Description: This seal…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- Closed2000-2001 dodge ram pickup hood latch2008
- ClosedTire valve2002
- ClosedRear safety belt anchorage disengagement2000
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side — · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000–4950 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.9L 6-cyl, 5.2L 8-cyl, 5.9L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
While driving vehicle hit a bump and vibrated. Consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and took it to the dealer for inspection. Mechanic replaced the transmission gear position indicator
2001 Ram 1500 owner · NHTSA complaint 10073464
More owner reports
While making a slow right turn at about 5-10 mph steering wheel became very hard to turn. Consumer then heard a loud popping sound and airbag light came on. Vehicle not taken to dealer yet. Please add further comments.
NHTSA complaint 890111
There is a grinding noise in the standard 6 speed transmission that gets worse when it is in the reverse gear. This could result in transmission going out at anytime. The cause of the noise was undetermined.
NHTSA complaint 10038179
Quick answers
Is the 2001 Ram 1500 reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew 1.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 113; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ram 1500 year by this measure since 2010 is 2023.
What are the most common 2001 Ram 1500 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (21%), transmission & drivetrain (18%) and suspension (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2001 Ram 1500 have?
3 safety recalls (latest: engine). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2001 Ram 1500 get?
13 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2001 Ram 1500 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 104,100 miles. The middle report was at 75,000 miles, from 1,131 complaints.
Does the 2001 Ram 1500 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 18% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2001 Ram 1500 cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 to $4950 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2001 Ram 1500 have?
3.9L 6-cyl, 5.2L 8-cyl, 5.9L 8-cyl.
What Ram 1500 year is better than the 2001?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2017 and 2013.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works