2012 Dodge RAM 2500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
283 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
52,995 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 179 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 109 of 283 complaints (38.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 85 | 30.0% |
| Braking behavior | 36 | 12.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 5.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 5.7% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 4.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 109 |
| Electrical System | 48 |
| Engine | 44 |
| Power Train | 33 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 24 |
| Suspension | 22 |
| Service Brakes | 14 |
| Unknown Or Other | 14 |
Steering: 109; Electrical System: 48; Engine: 44; Power Train: 33; Fuel/Propulsion System: 24; Suspension: 22; Service Brakes: 14; Unknown Or Other: 14
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 39 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 46 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 30 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 22 |
Under 25,000: 39; 25,000 to 49,999: 46; 50,000 to 74,999: 30; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 22
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (46). 104 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 83 |
| 2015 | 70 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 20 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2012: 5; 2013: 10; 2014: 83; 2015: 70; 2016: 17; 2017: 20; 2018: 33; 2019: 14; 2020: 8; 2021: 5; 2022: 7; 2023: 6; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 85 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 36 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10555213 · 2013-12-08 (December 8, 2013)
I WAS DRIVING UP TO A STOP SIGN WHEN MY BRAKES GOT VERY HARD. WHEN I WENT TO TURN, IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. EVERY TIME I PUSH THE BRAKES THE STEERING LOCKS UP BUT WHEN I ACCELERATE I GET THE STEERING BACK. I ALMOST RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10555213 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10556545 · 2013-12-18 (December 18, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE AT APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V529000 (STEERING) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE THE DEALER HAD PERFORMED MODIFICATIONS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE BEING PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRE…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,970 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556545 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450410 · 2012-03-05 (March 5, 2012)
YOU CAN NOT CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK WHEN TOWING. IT WONDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE THE FRONT END CHECKED. IT CHECKED OK. BF GOODRICH INSTALLED 4 NEW TIRES AT 1900 MILES. TRUCK STILL ROAD WALKS WHEN TOWING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO APPLY THE BRAKES. OTHERWISE, THE SWAYING MOTION OF THE TRUCK, WILL MAKE YOU LEAVE THE ROAD. I KNOW IT IS NOT THE TRAILER THAT I AM TOWING. REASON #1: I HAVE ALL THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT TO TOW THIS TRAILER PROPERLY. REASON #2: IS THAT I HOOKED THE SAME TRAILER ON MY…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10450410 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560086 · 2014-01-15 (January 15, 2014)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AHEAD WAS COMING TO A STOP BECAUSE OF A TRUCK MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO STAY AT THE SAME SPEED.I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT 1,800 RPM.I THEN PUT THE TRUCK INTO DRIVE WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED AND IT STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT THE TRANSMISSION VERY HARD. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES AS I DROVE HOME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD IT SERVICED FOR A RECALL AND THE PROBLEM OF A STUCK …
Owner-reported narrative. 31,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10573798 · 2014-03-20 (March 20, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN GEAR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JUMP FORWARD AND THE FAILLURE WAS RECURRING OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10573798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10543352 · 2013-09-12 (September 12, 2013)
ON MONDAY 9-2-2013 I DROPPED OF MY TRUCK AND TOOK MY CAR FOR A RIDE. WHEN I RETURNED TO GET MY TRUCK FOR WORK I REALIZED THAT THE CENTER DASH HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE.THE TRUCK WAS FULL OF SMOKE SO I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY. ON 9-3-2013 I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO REPORT THE INCIDENT BUT I AM NOT GETTING ANY CALL BACKS FROM THEM SO KNOW IM LETTING THE INSURANCE COMPANY HANDLE IT.I HAVE OBTAINED A SURVEILLANCE TAPE COPY OF THE FIRE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10543352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10690825 · 2015-02-26 (February 26, 2015)
I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN EARLY DECEMBER 2014 STATING THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH A DIESEL FUEL HEATER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON MY TRUCK THAT MAY LEAD TO O-RING FAILURE AND POTENTIAL FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER TWICE AND AS OF LAST CONTACT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN A "FIX" MIGHT BE AVAILABLE. SINCE POSSIBLE FIRE IS THE RISK AND THE DEALER, INITIALLY, DID NOT EVEN KNOW THEY WAS/IS A RECALL, I AM CONCERNED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT CHRYSLER SINCE THE DEALER KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT. SINCE I WAS TALKING WITH THE CHRYSLER DEALER THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690825 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10652151 · 2014-11-03 (November 3, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10652151 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10786215 · 2015-10-27 (October 27, 2015)
PRIOR TO EPA EMISSIONS RECALL I WOULD ACHIEVE DIESEL FUEL EFFICIENCIES AS HIGH AS 21 MPG HIGHWAY, PULLING A 18 FOOT TRAILER AT A 1 HOUR DURATION. THE CITY MPG AVERAGED TO 13-15 MPG, SINCE THE EMISSIONS RECALL UPDATE MADE ON THIS VEHICLE, MPG HAS AVERAGED BETWEEN 10-13 MPG ON HIGHWAY WITH NO LOAD/NO TRAILER AND AVERAGES BETWEEN 9-11 MPG IN CITY. THESE BENCHMARKS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY COMPARED AND ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN SAME. TO ADD TO THIS ISSUE, THERE HAS BEEN A LOSS OF POWER THAT HAS CAUSED UNEXPECTED HESITATION IN A NUMBER OF INSTANCE…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10786215 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10692279 · 2015-03-05 (March 5, 2015)
RECALL P65, RECEIVED NOTICE IN OCT. 2014, CONTACTED DODGE DAY LETTER WAS RECEIVED. ASKED IF VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AT WHICH TIME THEY STATED "WE CAN NOT TELL YOU IF YOUR VEHICLE IS SAFE OR NOT", ASKED TO SCHEDULE SERVICE AND INFORMED NO PARTS AT THIS TIME...FAST FORWARD 5 MONTHS..ON THE DODGE WEBSITE IT CLEARLY STATES MY VEHICLE MUST BE INSPECTED FOR FUEL LEAK ON THIS RECALL...SO I CALL DODGE AND ONCE AGAIN I'M TOLD NO PARTS YET, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED, SO I ONCE AGAIN ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT I WON…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10692279 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11048021 · 2017-11-22 (November 22, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LIFTERS DETACHED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE MISFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR, THE SPARK PLUGS, AND COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN…
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11048021 at NHTSA ↗