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

2020 RAM 1500: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 622 safety complaints about the 2020 RAM 1500 with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved September 7, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

622
Complaints
14
Recalls
1
Investigations
5★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 24 crashes, 6 fires, 14 injuries, 1 death.

Key findings
  1. Engine & cooling leads the complaint list, cited in 164 of 622 complaints, followed by Electrical.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 47 of the 622 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. Complaints peaked 5 years after the model year (145 filed in 2025) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  4. 1 NHTSA defect investigation is associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2020 RAM 1500, here is how reports break down by system.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 622 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Engine & cooling
164
Electrical
159
Other / unspecified
111
Visibility & lighting
80
Fuel & propulsion
74
Power train / transmission
62
Steering
59
Body & structure
47

"I am having DEF related issues with my 2020 Ram 1500 ecodiesel that will ultimately cause the vehicle to no longer operate. Ram has an extended warranty for my exact problem but I am being told that my vehicle doesn’t meet the requirements. My vehicle is under the required year and mileage but I’m being told that it doesn’t apply."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Engine · NHTSA ODI 11749914

"While driving down the highway the vehicle radiator fan kicked on high (could hear it from the cab) then my electronic power steering went out seconds after receiving the “Service Electronic Power Steering” dash light. Since then it is intermittent, EPS returns and then goes out again, each time accompanied by the high fan noise."

Owner complaint filed July 2026 · Steering,Electrical System,Engine · NHTSA ODI 11748558

Complaints didn't fade — they kept coming

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2020 RAM 1500 inverts that curve — filings peaked in 2025, 5 years after the model year.

Complaints filed per year — 2020 RAM 1500
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
4
49
54
63
114
115
145
78
1920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through September 7, 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 2020 compares with other model years

Across the RAM 1500 model years we track, the 2014 has the most complaints on file (1,758); the 2020 ranks 11 of 11.

Total complaints by model year — RAM 1500
All complaints on file per model year, as of September 7, 2026
688
695
1,267
1,758
1,441
1,531
868
656
1,465
2020
622
673
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 14 recalls

14 recalls apply to some or all 2020 RAM 1500 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

May 201919V-407
Air Bags

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500 vehicles. The flash memory of the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) may become corrupted, disabling the vehicle's air bags and seat belt pretensioners.

Apr 202020V-208
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500, 1500 Classic and Jeep Compass vehicles. The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.

Jun 202020V-374
Air Bags

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Ram Promaster vans and 1500 pickups. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain airbag which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment.

Aug 202020V-513
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals. In certain accelerator pedal positions, the floormats may prevent the pedal from returning to the normal resting (idle) position.

Sep 202020V-191
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio di…

Sep 202020V-580
Seat Belts

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Wrangler and Ram 2500, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 and 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. In the event of a crash, a front seat belt retractor may not properly slow the occupant's forward movement after locking.

Oct 202020V-622
Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Ram 2500 and 1500 vehicles. The driver side mirror glass can detach from the backing plate and no longer provide a reflective surface. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number …

Aug 202121V-632
Air Bags:Side/Window:Curtain:Inflator

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Ram 1500 Classic, 2015-2016 Ram 3500, and Ram 2500 vehicles, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 10,000 lbs. The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the …

Aug 202222V-638
Back Over Prevention:Display Function

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jeep Wrangler, RAM 1500 and 2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. A radio software error may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Re…

Oct 202222V-767
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.

Dec 202222V-904
Structure:Body:Tailgate:Hinge And Attachments

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers, which could result in the tailgate opening while driving.

Oct 202424V-754
Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Ram 1500 Classic vehicles equipped with heated trailer tow rearview mirrors. The mirror glass may detach from the driver's side heated trailer tow rearview mirror. As such these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehic…

May 202525V-298
Air Bags

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Ram 1500 vehicles. The driver's side air bag may not be connected properly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "…

Jul 202626V-495
Seat Belts:Rear/Other:Anchorage

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

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 2020 RAM 1500 have?

As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 622 complaints about the 2020 RAM 1500 with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.

How many recalls does the 2020 RAM 1500 have?

The 2020 RAM 1500 has 14 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2020 RAM 1500 safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2020 RAM 1500 an overall crash rating of 5 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 September 7, 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.