2020 RAM 3500 problems & reliability
116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 RAM 3500, alongside 11 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.
2 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2020 RAM 3500 vehicles were involved in 47 fatal crashes with 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 33 | 28% |
| Engine → | 27 | 23% |
| Fuel System, Diesel → | 23 | 20% |
| Power Train → | 12 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 6% |
| Steering | 7 | 6% |
| Wheels | 7 | 6% |
| Unknown / Other | 6 | 5% |
| Tires | 5 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 20 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 44 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 26,350 miles (middle 50% between 6,725 and 63,692 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“High pressure fuel pump recall failed and put my life in danger ⚠️ Terrible experience not only for me but it put in danger a Semi truck driver and others almost got killed”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Sep 10, 2026
“We were pulling camper to Nashville TN. We pulled off I24 toward I65 North. I noticed the engine was raving and it felt like I was missing gears on the transmission. I was roughly 4 miles from my destination when I noticed smoke coming from under the hood on passenger side and flames coming from under hood on…”
Power Train · filed Sep 8, 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly experienced reduced speed and hesitation, and there was a rattling noise coming from the engine as the RPMs increased above 1,500. The vehicle was driven slowly to a local dealer, where the contact was informed that…”
Fuel System, Diesel · filed Aug 27, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- High pressure fuel pump failure
Engineering Analysis EA23001 · opened Mar 17, 2023 · open · led to recall 24V957
- High pressure fuel pump failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE21021 · opened Oct 14, 2021 · closed Apr 14, 2023
Technical service bulletins
762 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 RAM 3500. The 10 most recent:
Passive Entry O/S Dr Handle Prior to replacing an inoperative passive entry door handle, perform Star Online S2623000040.
9100901 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 8, 2026
Radiator - engine cooling
114254 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
Radiator - engine cooling
114255 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
Sensor - turbocharger speed
113744 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
Sensor - turbocharger speed
113742 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
CORE – HEATER
113276 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 6, 2026
CORE – HEATER
113277 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 6, 2026
SWITCH – HEADLAMP
113069 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 29, 2026
SWITCH – HEADLAMP
113070 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 29, 2026
Backup Camera Poor Image Quality Inspection
S2208000045 REV.D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
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 2020 RAM 3500 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 2020 RAM 3500?
- · 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 26,350 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.