2016 Ram 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,534 owner complaints analyzed
16 distinct recall campaigns
51,596 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 752 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 307 of 1,534 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 345 | 22.5% |
| Steering behavior | 317 | 20.7% |
| Engine operation | 92 | 6.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 90 | 5.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 77 | 5.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 57 | 3.7% |
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 | 307 |
| Engine | 291 |
| Service Brakes | 240 |
| Power Train | 201 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 189 |
| Electrical System | 185 |
| Unknown Or Other | 126 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 105 |
Steering: 307; Engine: 291; Service Brakes: 240; Power Train: 201; Fuel/Propulsion System: 189; Electrical System: 185; Unknown Or Other: 126; Vehicle Speed Control: 105
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 174 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 176 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 163 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 102 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 95 |
| 150,000 and above | 42 |
Under 25,000: 174; 25,000 to 49,999: 176; 50,000 to 74,999: 163; 75,000 to 99,999: 102; 100,000 to 149,999: 95; 150,000 and above: 42
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (176). 782 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 51 |
| 2017 | 82 |
| 2018 | 88 |
| 2019 | 231 |
| 2020 | 136 |
| 2021 | 99 |
| 2022 | 101 |
| 2023 | 183 |
| 2024 | 208 |
| 2025 | 228 |
| 2026 | 127 |
2016: 51; 2017: 82; 2018: 88; 2019: 231; 2020: 136; 2021: 99; 2022: 101; 2023: 183; 2024: 208; 2025: 228; 2026: 127
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 345 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 317 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 92 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 10840213 · 2016-03-07 (March 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 450.
Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10840213 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10859918 · 2016-04-17 (April 17, 2016)
THURSDAY MORNING APRIL 14 I GOT INTO MY TRUCK TO GO TO WORK. PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND START THE ENGINE. TURNED THE TRANSMISSION ROTARY KNOB ON THE DASH TO R AND BACK OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO GO TO P FOR PARK. AS I WAS GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK AND TAKING MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE TRUCK STARTING MOVING FORWARD GOING BACK INTO THE GARAGE. IT PINNED ME BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT AND THE GARAGE DOOR OPENING. I WAS ABLE TO REACH FOR THE KNOB AGAIN TO PUT IT BACK INTO REVERSE. I…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10859918 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10915347 · 2016-10-11 (October 11, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED IN A CRASH. UPON IMPACT, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT'S BODY STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HANDS AND HEAD. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED AFTER THE CRASH. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10915347 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10948381 · 2017-01-30 (January 30, 2017)
STEERING WHEEL POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THERE IS A INTERMITTENT POPPING NOISE BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN . AT TIMES I CAN FEEL VIBRATION OF THE POP BEING TRANSFERRED UP THE STEERING COLUMN TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND INTO MY HANDS. THIS POPPING NOISE STARTED A MONTH AND A HALF AGO AND IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE, MORE FREQUENT, AND HAS MIGRATED WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AS WELL. THIS POPPING NOISE HAPPENS WHEN TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10948381 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10860127 · 2016-04-18 (April 18, 2016)
THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS BLEEDING DOWN; WHEN YOU PART THE VEHICLE FOR 24 HOURS, THE FIRST TIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE IS NO POWER ASSIST. ONCE THE ENGINE STARTS, THE BOOST WILL RETURN. THE DEALER STATES THAT THEY HAVE 4 OTHER VEHICLES ON THEIR LOT THAT HAVE THIS SAME CONDITION, SO THEY STATE THAT IT IS "NORMAL OPERATION". THIS ISN'T CONSISTENT BEHAVIOR WITH OTHER VEHICLES AS THE BOOSTER SHOULDN'T BLEED DOWN. I'M CONCERNED OF A LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED BRAKING.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10860127 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10914501 · 2016-10-07 (October 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPURCHASED BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115.
Owner-reported narrative. 115 miles reported. Look up ODI 10914501 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10958221 · 2017-03-02 (March 2, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED INACCURATE INFORMATION. THE DRIVER WAS UNAWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH MORE THAN TEN GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANK. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 06/23/2017*JS
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10958221 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11057415 · 2017-12-29 (December 29, 2017)
THE VEHICLE HAS AN UPGRADED 32 GALLON FUEL TANK, HOWEVER ON E WITH THE FUEL LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE ONLY TAKES 24 GALLONS MAXIMUM. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE WHICH HAS NO FIX AT THE MOMENT. THE DEALER CLAIMS THE SOFTWARE STILL READS THE 26 GALLON STANDARD FUEL TANK.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11057415 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10899113 · 2016-08-29 (August 29, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED FROM THE DRIVE POSITION TO THE PARK POSITION. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY SHIFT INTO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS TO BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,629.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,629 miles reported. Look up ODI 10899113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10913958 · 2016-10-05 (October 5, 2016)
OUR COMPANY LEASED THIS VEHICLE FROM BAYSIDE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE ON 4/22/2016 AS PART OF AN EIGHT VEHICLE FLEET. ON 6/24/2016, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WAS NOT ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE BAYSIDE DEALERSHIP. MECHANICS NOTED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE WITH JUMPER CABLES, BUT MALFUNCTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED DIMMING. THE MECHANICS REPLACED THE BATTERY AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO US THE SAME DAY. ON 8/4/2016, THE ENGINE ONCE AGAIN FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE BA…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,125 miles reported. Look up ODI 10913958 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10913964 · 2016-10-05 (October 5, 2016)
OUR COMPANY LEASED THIS VEHICLE FROM BAYSIDE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE ON 4/21/2016 AS PART OF AN EIGHT VEHICLE FLEET. ON 6/30/2016, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE BAYSIDE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANICS DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED AND REPLACED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED TO US ON 7/1/2016. ON 8/2/2016, THE VEHICLE ONCE AGAIN FAILED TO START AND WARNING LIGHTS WERE ENGAGED ON THE INDICATOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE BAYSIDE DEALERSHIP. MECHANICS FOUND THAT THE BATTERY HAD F…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10913964 at NHTSA ↗