2013 RAM 1500 problems & reliability
1,259 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 RAM 1500, alongside 11 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.
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 | 623 | 49% |
| Electrical System | 226 | 18% |
| Engine | 123 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 94 | 7% |
| Power Train | 86 | 7% |
| Service Brakes | 66 | 5% |
| Unknown OR 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%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 63,485 miles (middle 50% between 27,703 and 100,116 miles), based on 588 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“In December 2025, my check engine light came on. Diagnostic codes read P0128 (coolant thermostat) and U1467 (module communication). I took the vehicle to a mechanic, who diagnosed and repaired the issue. Shortly after, the check engine light returned, so the same mechanic replaced the ECM (plug and play). This repair…”
Electrical System · filed Jul 29, 2026
“Power steering has failed. The vehicle is available for inspection. The steering without power assist is worthless. There is no way to avoid any kind of emergency incident. An independent repair shop has verified that the steering doesn't work. No one else has inspected the vehicle. In the dashboard information panel…”
Steering · filed Jul 27, 2026
“The power steering light is on and will not steer properly. The vehicle is well maintained with only 70k. I have read some other issues with steering.”
Steering · filed Jul 25, 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 63,485 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.