2012 Dodge Ram 5500 problems & reliability
40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Dodge Ram 5500, alongside 9 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 21 | 53% |
| Power Train | 9 | 23% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 18% |
| Engine | 3 | 8% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 5% |
| Structure | 2 | 5% |
| Suspension | 2 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 21 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 30,000 miles (middle 50% between 13,700 and 59,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Ram. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph the vehicle started making noise coming from the engine compartment. The smoke originates from the engine compartment and the exhaust pipe in the rear of the vehicle and when the accelerator was depressed the vehicle did…”
Engine · filed Apr 11, 2023
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ram 5500. While performing maintenance on the vehicle, the contact noticed that the frame was cracked in the rear on both sides near the rear wheels. The vehicle was taken to wickstrom chrysler jeep dodge ram (located at 660 w northwest hwy, barrington, il 60010, (847) 382-5400), but was…”
Structure · filed Jun 14, 2019
“The ignition switch is faulty! The switch must be moved around in the switch to start the truck. Additionally while driving the truck may just quite running, this causes the power steering and brakes to become manual. This becomes very dangerous when hauling loads as stopping distances are greatly increased, not to…”
Electrical System · filed Dec 27, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Electrical overstress
Engineering Analysis EA19001 · opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024
Technical service bulletins
223 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Dodge Ram 5500. The 10 most recent:
Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning
S1203000003 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
9100653 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2025
LAMP - DOME
106241 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2025
LAMP - DOME
104974 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2025
LAMP - DOME
103774 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2025
SEAL - OUTPUT SHAFT
102387 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 19, 2024
SEAL - OUTPUT SHAFT
102389 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 19, 2024
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Dodge Ram 5500 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Dodge Ram 5500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 30,000 miles — worth a pre-purchase inspection if the car is near that mileage.