2011 Dodge Ram 2500 Powertrain (other) Problems

Warped head / blown head gasket

NHTSA ID

11611894

Incident

Aug 30, 2024

TRANSFER CASE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

NHTSA ID

11414470

Incident

Sep 7, 2019

Mileage

325,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES RECURRED ONCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11280379

Incident

Nov 15, 2019

Mileage

68,000 mi

SEVERAL MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF CAUSING EXHAUST TO LEAK EARLY. POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS DEPENDING ON HOW BAD THE LEAK IS, NOT TO MENTION THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. VERY KNOWN AND COMMON ISSUE BUT FCA WILL ONLY ADDRESS IF THE VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY PERIOD. VEHICLE IS 7 YEARS OLD BUT ONLY HAS 37,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11164693

Incident

Dec 27, 2018

NHTSA RECALL 17V-821 THIS VEHICLE BEING OFFERED FOR SALE WITH CLEAN HISTORY/CARFAX REPORT. RECALL NOT COMPLETED. DEALER: AUTONATION DODGE RAM ARAPAHOE 10743 EAST ARAPAHOE RD., ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112 866 331-0726

NHTSA ID

11120729

Incident

Aug 16, 2018

Mileage

140,130 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VIBRATION FOLLOWED BY A LARGE EXPLOSION. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE AND A HOLE WAS OBSERVED IN THE FLOOR AREA ALONG WITH FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE CONTACT CALLED 911 WHERE THE POLICE OFFICER WAITED FOR THE TOW TRUCK. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (LITHIA CHRYSLER, 7171 WEST CANEL DR, KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON 99336) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVELINE BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND SENT A REPRESENATIVE TO DO A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT. APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THE VIN SEARCH REVEALED ONE RECALL, WHICH WAS NOT IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11065279

Incident

May 12, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE CRACKED , 981 HOURS ON THE MOTOR AND 36,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK, THE CAB FILLS WITH EXHAUST SMELL, THE BOLTS ARE DEFECTIVE SEE ODI 10937913

NHTSA ID

10956049

Incident

Nov 5, 2016

GOING INTO A CURVE FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. DOES NOT DO IT CONSISTENTLY BUT HAVE HEARD OTHER RAM OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN MY RAM DOES THIS YOU HAVE TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE DUE TO LOOSING CONTROL. AT SOME POINT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH.

NHTSA ID

10733671

Incident

Jul 20, 2013

Mileage

44,761 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10578224

Incident

Apr 7, 2014

Mileage

74,000 mi

WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE TIE ROD BROKE CAUSING BOTH FRONT TIRES TO TILT INWARD. I HAPPENED TO BE AT A DEALER'S LOT AND HAD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS LOCATION. UPON CONTACTING MY DODGE DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL AND THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER WHERE I WAS TOLD - ON THREE SEPARATE CALLS - THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I'VE SINCE FOUND A PUBLISHED NOTICE BY CHRYSLER, STATING MY EXACT MAKE & MODEL AND THE EXACT TIE ROD BREAKAGE AS BEING PART OF A RECALL. CHRYSLER HAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT OF MY REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $600 ON A $50,000 TRUCK WITH ONLY 40,000 MILES. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT MYSELF AND A PASSENGER HAD JUST EXITED OFF A MAJOR INTERSTATE WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70 MPH AND I WAS TOWING A BOAT. I CAN NO LONGER TRUST DODGE VEHICLES, THEIR CUSTOMER CARE DUE TO THEIR LACK OF SAFE PRODUCTS.

NHTSA ID

10567300

Incident

Sep 6, 2013

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED AND IT BEGAN TO IDLE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

NHTSA ID

10557139

Incident

Dec 3, 2013

Mileage

48,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V038000 (POWER TRAIN) HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE OVER ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10544059

Incident

Jan 1, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD ABNORMALLY WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, AND THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,800.

NHTSA ID

10454000

Incident

Feb 1, 2012

Mileage

6,000 mi

FIRST INCIDENT, WHILE DRIVING, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT WARNING LIGHT WENT ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. COULD NOT RESTART UNTIL VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, PUT IN PARK AND THE KEY WAS CYCLED FROM ON TO OFF AND BACK. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE ON 11/28/10 BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF DIAGNOSTIC CODE P2121, "ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR PERFORMANCE.". PART WAS ORDERED (IT WAS ON BACKORDER), REPAIR WAS SCHEDULED FOR 12/12/11 AND VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. ON 12/5/11 THE FAILURE REPEATED ITSELF, ON 12/12/11 THE PART WAS REPLACED. ON 1/5/12 SAME FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN, ALTHOUGH THIS TIME I WAS TOWING AN 8000 POUND CAR TRAILER. WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, NARROWLY AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AS A STALL CAUSES LOSS OF BOTH POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, NOT TO MENTION LOSS OF THE EXHAUST BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10442599

Incident

Nov 27, 2011

Mileage

8,750 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE IDLE, THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE INTO DRIVE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO GET IT TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. ALSO, WHEN MAKING TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT A GRINDING NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10416676

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

7,000 mi

TRAVELING 70MPH LOST RPM AND ACCELERATION; THEN TRUCK BECAME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. 3 YR OLD DAUGHTER SAID TRUCK SMELLED FUNNY. EXITED FREEWAY ABOUT A MILE TO MAYBE 2 MILES AFTER INCIDENT; MADE A U-TURN TO DODGE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 2MILES AWAY. BURNING SMELL COMING UNDER THE TRUCK. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT AND THE BEARINGS HAD MELTED, AND THERE WAS FLUID IN IT. THE TRUCK DID NOT HAVE 4,000 MILES ON IT YET 2011 DODGE 2500 HEAVY DUTY DIESEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378425

Incident

Dec 16, 2010

Mileage

3,833 mi