2013 RAM 1500 problems & reliability
1,276 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 RAM 1500, alongside 11 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 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 components.
25 complaints report injuries (37 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2013 RAM 1500 vehicles were involved in 159 fatal crashes with 56 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 637 | 50% |
| Electrical System → | 227 | 18% |
| Engine → | 123 | 10% |
| Air Bags → | 94 | 7% |
| Power Train → | 86 | 7% |
| Service Brakes → | 69 | 5% |
| Unknown / Other | 50 | 4% |
| Suspension → | 44 | 3% |
| Structure → | 40 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 37 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 29 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 589 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 63,969 miles (middle 50% between 27,825 and 100,200 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that one of the brake calipers was locking up, causing the vehicle to veer from side to side while accelerating. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where a technician diagnosed the…”
Steering · filed Sep 17, 2026
“We were going to the beach a couple of days ago. While I was driving down the highway the power steering went out. All of a sudden I had no control over the steering. I was fortunate enough that the person on the right side of me was alert enough to recognize that something wrong was happening as I quickly veered into…”
Steering · filed Sep 17, 2026
“1. Electric Power steering Rack and Pinion assermbly quit working. Turning into my drive way to park and the power steering completely quit working causing me to almost run into the side of our new ( 1 month 2026 KIA ) before I could get my 2013 1500 stopped. 2.Yes it is avaible for inspection. 3. I have not taken it…”
Steering · filed Sep 17, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure
Recall Query RQ25003 · opened Jul 3, 2025 · open
- Intermittent/Comp Loss of Power Steering
Recall Query RQ23003 · opened Aug 4, 2023 · open
- Vehicle Rollaway
Preliminary Evaluation PE16014 · opened Dec 16, 2016 · closed Jan 25, 2024
- Software security vulnerability
Recall Query RQ15004 · opened Jul 24, 2015 · closed Jan 5, 2016 · led to recall 15V508000
Technical service bulletins
526 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 RAM 1500. The 10 most recent:
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 Rev. K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 29, 2026
Squeak Or Squawk Noise Coming From Either Side Door Of The Vehicle, It Could Be Just One Door Or More. The Noise Can Be Present In Either The Upper Or The Lower Hinge.
S2623000032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates.
31-001-25 REV. B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 16, 2025
Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates.
31-001-25 REV. A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2025
Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates
31-001-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2025
LAMP - DOME
106241 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2025
LAMP - DOME
104974 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2025
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 2013 RAM 1500 has 11 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 2013 RAM 1500?
- · 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.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 63,969 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.