Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2013 RAM 1500: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 1,251 safety complaints about the 2013 RAM 1500 with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved July 14, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

1,251
Complaints
12
Recalls
4
Investigations
4★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 72 crashes, 10 fires, 37 injuries. No deaths have been reported.

Key findings
  1. Steering leads the complaint list, cited in 617 of 1,251 complaints, followed by Electrical.
  2. Complaints peaked 11 years after the model year (224 filed in 2024) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  3. 4 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2013 RAM 1500, steering issues stand far above everything else.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 1,251 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Steering
617
Electrical
224
Engine & cooling
129
Airbags & restraints
95
Brakes & stability
89
Power train / transmission
86
Other / unspecified
58
Body & structure
52

"I was on my way to work, and the power steering stopped working as I was making a turn. The power sterring light came on in the dash. The mechanic told me he had worked on a few with the same issue, and that it was probably the rack, but he checked the fuses and wiring first. A new rack is $3800."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Steering · NHTSA ODI 11748848

"EPS (Electronic Power Steering) failed while driving. Red steering wheel with exclamation point lights up on dash and loss of steering. Local dealership blamed it on low mileage and lots of city driving when I called them about repairs. They are a week out or more just to diagnose the issue. It has just over 95k miles."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Steering,Electrical System · NHTSA ODI 11748074

Complaints didn't fade — they kept coming

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2013 RAM 1500 inverts that curve — filings peaked in 2024, 11 years after the model year.

Complaints filed per year — 2013 RAM 1500
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
36
58
81
68
51
70
107
71
42
55
176
224
146
66
1314151617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through July 14, 2026). A late peak is the signature of wear-out failures: parts that don't fail until the vehicle has years and miles on it.

How the 2013 compares with other model years

Across the RAM 1500 model years we track, the 2014 has the most complaints on file (1,733); the 2013 ranks 5 of 5.

Total complaints by model year — RAM 1500
All complaints on file per model year, as of July 14, 2026
2013
1,251
1,733
1,425
1,502
1,448
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 12 recalls

12 recalls apply to some or all 2013 RAM 1500 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

Apr 201313V-128
Parking Brake

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 vehicles manufactured December 17, 2012, through January 22, 2013. The parking brake cable equalizer was set incorrectly and may not hold the vehicle on a 20% grade. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the parking …

May 201313V-177
Engine And Engine Cooling

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 RAM 1500 trucks manufactured manufactured June 25, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the coolant bypass valve may stick in a position that does not allow coolant to flow into the heater core. Thus, these vehi…

Jun 201313V-237
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal

Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured September 9, 2012, through March 5, 2013 and equipped with optional premium tail lamps. In the affected vehicles, the turn signal indicator may not flash at a double rate to give a notification to the driver o…

Jul 201313V-287
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 RAM 1500 4x4 trucks manufactured June 26, 2012, through February 5, 2013. Due to a software issue with the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) module, the ESC system may be disabled when the vehicle is started.

Dec 201313V-610
Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chrysler 300 AWD, Dodge Charger AWD, and Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 vehicles equipped with ZF all wheel drive ("AWD") 8HP45 transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission output shaft may fracture.

Jul 201515V-459
Air Bags:Frontal

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option. The affected vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub a…

Jul 201515V-460
Seat Belts

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured June 20, 2012, to January 26, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag inflatable curtains and seat air b…

Jul 201515V-461
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500, 2015 Chrysler 200, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Challenger, 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, and Dodge Durango, and 2013-2015 Dodge Viper vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipp…

May 201616E-041
Equipment

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling aftermarket Mopar Canvas Seat Covers for certain 2012-2016 RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. These Mopar canvas seat covers were sold through Chrysler dealerships beginning October 15, 2015. The seat covers can impede the deployment of the seat thorax airbags.

May 201717V-302
Air Bags

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 vehicles. Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). I…

Dec 201717V-821
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. P…

May 201919V-347
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Tailgate:Latch

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with an 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. Chrysler is also recalling all 2013-2014 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks built before April 1, 2018 with a 6 or 8 foot bed and a power l…

Does your car have an open recall?

Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.

★★★★☆
Overall
★★★★☆
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★☆☆
Rollover

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2013 RAM 1500 have?

As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 1,251 complaints about the 2013 RAM 1500 with NHTSA. The most-reported system is steering.

How many recalls does the 2013 RAM 1500 have?

The 2013 RAM 1500 has 12 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2013 RAM 1500 safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2013 RAM 1500 an overall crash rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.

Methodology & source

All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.

Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.

This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.