2011 Ram 1500 Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 689 owner complaints for the 2011 Ram 1500.

Recalled components: fuel system, powertrain, suspension, equipment, and 1 more. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (100 complaints, 15%). Most-reported area: electrical system (214 complaints, 31%; median mileage when it happened: 86,000).

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Oct 2, 2026

Year to avoidBest year

EPA and NHTSA list this model year as the Dodge Ram 1500. NHTSA files four recalls for this model year under the model name Ram alone, which it also uses for the heavy-duty Ram 2500 to 5500. 10V-616 and 10V-657 are not listed here because NHTSA's summary points only to the heavy-duty trucks; the others are.

6 safety recalls for the 2011 Ram 1500

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA has opened 1 investigation that names the 2011 Ram 1500; it is closed. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.

An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.

What owners report

Owners have filed 689 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Ram 1500. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

• Stalling or shutting off100 · 15%
  Median 89,000 miles at failure, from 83 reports with mileage
• Won't start60 · 9%
  Median 91,500 miles at failure, from 50 reports with mileage
• Shaking, shuddering or vibration51 · 7%
  Median 65,900 miles at failure, from 48 reports with mileage
• Fuel pump failures44 · 6%
  Median 100,400 miles at failure, from 39 reports with mileage
• Loss of power or limp mode40 · 6%
  Median 85,000 miles at failure, from 33 reports with mileage
• Check engine light39 · 6%
  Median 109,000 miles at failure, from 33 reports with mileage
• Misfires or rough running35 · 5%
  Median 110,000 miles at failure, from 31 reports with mileage
• Headlight or exterior light problems19 · 3%
  Median 73,500 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

• Electrical system214 · 31%
  Median 86,000 miles at failure, from 167 reports with mileage
• Powertrain176 · 26%
  Most named: driveline, differential unit (5) · Median 44,000 miles at failure, from 77 reports with mileage
• Engine151 · 22%
  Median 100,000 miles at failure, from 120 reports with mileage
• Fuel and propulsion system128 · 19%
  Median 100,000 miles at failure, from 98 reports with mileage
• Steering45 · 7%
  Median 66,200 miles at failure, from 35 reports with mileage
• Suspension40 · 6%
  Most named: rear (9); rear, axle, spindle (5) · Median 25,200 miles at failure, from 34 reports with mileage
• Exterior lighting29 · 4%
  Median 63,900 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
• Unknown or other46 · 7%
  Median 71,300 miles at failure, from 28 reports with mileage

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Ram 1500 recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2011 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Ram 1500 drew the most (470) and the 2011 drew 148.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2011 Ram 1500 MPG

Questions