The Lemon Index2019 Ram 1500.
The 2019 Ram 1500 is worse than average by owner complaints: 837 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 130, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 37 recalls, and it gets 17 to 23 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 1,822 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ram 1500 year. 2019 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 4K to 49K miles on the car (684 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 5K–45K miles
- steering complaints mostly came at 4K–50K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 6K–65K miles
Recalls 37
- seat belts 2026
The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed.
- airbags 2025
The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
- airbags 2025
The driver's side air bag may not be connected properly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Show all 37 recalls
- airbags 2025
The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
- brakes 2024
Due to a software malfunction, the anti-lock brake system (ABS) control module may disable the electronic stability control system.
- engine 2023
The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
- body structure 2022
The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers, which could result in the tailgate opening while driving.
- fuel system, diesel 2022
A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.
- brakes 2022
The ABS control module software may prevent the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction indicator light from illuminating during certain conditions.
- visibility 2022
The windshield wiper arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to function improperly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
- fuel system, diesel 2021
The High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) may fail, resulting in a sudden engine stall without warning.
- airbags 2021
The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
- seat belts 2020
In the event of a crash, a front seat belt retractor may not properly slow the occupant's forward movement after locking.
- back over prevention 2020
A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse.
- speed control 2020
In certain accelerator pedal positions, the floormats may prevent the pedal from returning to the normal resting (idle) position.
- visibility 2020
The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
- body structure 2020
In certain side loading conditions, the bed step may unexpectedly fail while in use.
- transmission & drivetrain 2020
A gear within the transfer case may not have been installed correctly, possibly causing the vehicle to become stuck in neutral.
- transmission & drivetrain 2020
A build up of pressure and heat inside the transmission may result in a transmission fluid leak from the dipstick tube.
- tires 2019
An incorrect Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor could have been installed during production causing the sensor to not display the low tire pressure warning indicator.
- steering 2019
These vehicles may have been built with a contaminated electric power steering (EPS) gear that may short circuit, potentially resulting in an intermittent loss of power steering assist.
- engine 2019
The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system.
- brakes 2019
The brake calipers may have been manufactured with an incorrect assembly fluid, which can cause the caliper's rubber seals to swell.
- body structure 2019
In the event of a rear impact crash, the rear step kit may cause the rear control arms to contact the fuel tank.
- electrical 2019
The instrument cluster may not properly illuminate driver warnings.
- fuel system, diesel 2019
The fuel lines may leak fuel into the engine compartment.
- tires 2019
The spare tire provided may differ in size and required inflation pressure from the information on the tire placard label.
- airbags 2019
The flash memory of the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) may become corrupted, disabling the vehicle's air bags and seat belt pretensioners.
- transmission & drivetrain 2019
The rear driveshaft may have an incomplete weld fusion between the tube and tube yoke, which may lead to weld cracking or the driveshaft fracturing.
- steering 2019
These vehicles have improperly machined steering column stub shafts that may break, possibly causing the steering wheel to detach from the steering column.
- electrical 2019
Due to an incorrect assembly repair process, the auxiliary battery wire terminal connection may overheat.
- brakes 2019
The affected vehicles have a brake pedal that may move too far and separate from pedal assembly.
- visibility 2019
Vehicles with this combination do not have a functioning windshield defrosting and defogging system.
- steering 2019
The battery ground fastener on the driver-side front fender may have been improperly secured, possibly resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
- seats 2018
The seat track position sensor on the manually-adjusted passenger seats may come loose and out of position, preventing the sensor from detecting if the seat is in the full-forward position.
- transmission & drivetrain 2018
The rear differential may have been insufficiently filled, possibly resulting in its failure.
- electrical 2018
These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging.
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 1603 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Hands Free Module - CTM ?
- Integrated Center Stack If vehicle is found within 50 mile radius of the Detroit Metro area…
- A/C Compressor This applies to 2015 and 2016 UF and PF
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenHigh pressure fuel pump failure2023
- ClosedHigh pressure fuel pump failure2021–2023
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ram 1500 Quad PU/EC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ram 1500 Quad PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ram 1500 Crew PU/CC 2WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ram 1500 Crew PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ram 1500 Classic Regular PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ram 1500 Classic Regular PU/RC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–4350 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
While driving slowing down to make a left turn turn completely turned off. While still in drive was able to get to the side off the road everything was still on a.c. Shut off but power was still on.
2019 Ram 1500 owner · NHTSA complaint 11322899
More owner reports
Instrument cluster works only sometimes on my 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 only has 28,000 miles can't see my digital speedometer gauges fuel information or cruise control settings only comes on when it wants to
NHTSA complaint 11253055
Lost power steering while driving twice. First time was 9/11/2020 dealer said a transmission control module needed to be updated. Happened again just today 9/27/2020. Happened while we were on the highway.
NHTSA complaint 11361390
Quick answers
Is the 2019 Ram 1500 reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.3× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 130; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ram 1500 year by this measure since 2010 is 2023.
What are the most common 2019 Ram 1500 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (19%), electrical (18%) and transmission & drivetrain (15%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2019 Ram 1500 have?
37 safety recalls (latest: seat belts). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2019 Ram 1500 get?
17 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2019 Ram 1500 safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2019 Ram 1500 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 4,100 and 49,400 miles. The middle report was at 16,700 miles, from 684 complaints.
Does the 2019 Ram 1500 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 15% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2019 Ram 1500 cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $4350 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2019 Ram 1500 have?
3.0L 6-cyl, 3.6L 6-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl.
What Ram 1500 year is better than the 2019?
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