2016 RAM 1500 problems & reliability
1,538 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 RAM 1500, alongside 16 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 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.
52 complaints report injuries (72 injured, 5 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 RAM 1500 vehicles were involved in 240 fatal crashes with 83 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 → | 309 | 20% |
| Engine → | 291 | 19% |
| Service Brakes → | 242 | 16% |
| Power Train → | 202 | 13% |
| Electrical System → | 192 | 12% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 189 | 12% |
| Unknown / Other | 126 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 111 | 7% |
| Fuel System, Diesel → | 80 | 5% |
| Suspension → | 67 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 31 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 733 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 53,800 miles (middle 50% between 30,300 and 89,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while pulling out of the garage and onto the driveway, the steering wheel seized, and the message "Power Steering Needs to Be Serviced" was displayed. The contact turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle the following day, the steering wheel operated…”
Steering · filed Sep 11, 2026
“The ABS warning light,electronic stability/traction control warning light, and red Brake warning light are illuminated simultaneously on the instrument cluster. The combination of these warning lights concerns me because it appears to indicate a failure or malfunction involving the ABS/brake-control system. I am…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Sep 10, 2026
“It appears to be a fuel leak. The incident happened less than 200 miles after having a dealer perform the NHTSA recall 22V-406, FCA recall Z46. The truck caught fire while pulling a travel trailer. The only way we were aware of it was a passing motorist saw flames shooting out from under the right side. As soon as we…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Sep 5, 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
- High pressure fuel pump failure
Engineering Analysis EA23001 · opened Mar 17, 2023 · open · led to recall 24V957
- Vehicle Rollaway
Preliminary Evaluation PE16014 · opened Dec 16, 2016 · closed Jan 25, 2024
Technical service bulletins
604 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 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
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission models: 845RE, 8HP45, 850RE, 8HP50, 8HP70, 8HP75, 8HP75-PHEV, 8HP75-LCV, 8HP90, 8HP95. Transmissions may…
S2621000003 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning…
S1408000384 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 4, 2026
Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS Related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning…
S1408000384 REV.I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 14, 2026
If Safety Recall Z46 has not been completed, order 68235275AB.
9100743 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2025
If Safety Recall Z46 has been completed, order 68632011AA.
9100744 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 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 2016 RAM 1500 has 16 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 2016 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 53,800 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.