2026 RAM 2500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2026 RAM 2500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes1234.3%
- Electrical1028.6%
- Engine411.4%
- Driver assistance38.6%
- Exterior lighting38.6%
- Powertrain (other)25.7%
- Visibility12.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Brake pedal very soft and sink to the floor you have to pump the brake pedal to get hard pedal
I was towing my 21-foot boat on a trailer equipped with surge brakes while driving down a slight downhill grade. As I approached a stop sign and applied the brakes, the brake pedal felt extremely spongy. I had to press the pedal all the way to the floor, and the truck still would not stop as expected. After that incident, I noticed the brake pedal remains spongy even when I’m not towing anything. I took my 2026 RAM 2500 to the RAM dealership in [XXX] today (XXX), to have the braking system inspected. The dealership told me they could not find anything wrong with the brakes. Their recommendation was to pump the brake pedal twice to build up brake pressure. My concern is that this is not an acceptable solution. In an emergency braking situation, there may not be enough time to pump the brakes before needing to stop. I need to be able to rely on the brakes to provide full stopping power with a single application of the pedal. This experience has raised serious safety concerns about the braking system on my 2026 RAM 2500. If the dealership is unable to identify or correct the problem, I would appreciate your assistance in investigating this issue and helping me find a proper resolution before it leads to a potentially dangerous situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Stellantis issued a STAR service order regarding the digital rearview mirror not operating. I bought my truck in April of 2026 and the mirror was inoperable. Ram dealers have had the truck in the shop for over 10 weeks and cannot fix this safety issue. A STAR number and two claims numbers have been assigned. Stellantis Customer Service cannot understand what is being said and no rental car afforded. In essence, they cannot fix this problem. It must be forced for Stellantis to fix this wide spread problem.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 2500. The contact stated that on three occasions while driving, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. A computer update was previously completed, but the failure recurred. The dealer later informed her the failure was due to the battery. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a Star case and was informed about a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 200.
I was in the middle of a 1 hr long drive and my DEF gauge went from 2/3 full to empty nearly instantly. I received a message on the dash that said my speed would be limited to 5 MPH in 200 miles. Thankfully, I was within easy driving distance to a dealer, so I dropped if off yesterday (still waiting for their assessment of the issue), but what if I was in the middle of nowhere, and couldn't get to a dealer before that 200 mile limit was reached? What if the dealer couldn't see me for weeks/months which is not uncommon these days? These emissions control systems have gotten absolutely out of control and change needs to happen. 2026 RAM 2500 Laramie Mega Cab w/ approx 1,650 miles (yes, one thousand, six hundred and fifty miles)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The backup camera does not work properly as delivered from the dealership. The problem is intermittent, hard to reproduce reliably and is occurring on a brand new unit. The vehicle is very large with huge blind spots and poses a risk to others when reversing.
Truck has 170 miles and it suddenly slammed on the breaks on the highway stating that the EBS failed. A loud humming sound came from the transmission and now the truck is saying service transmission and service brakes. The truck will need to be towed to a dealer to review as it is not drivable at this time .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Brakes and lights on trailer don’t work.Truck thinks it has a trailer connected to it all the time ,even when no trailer is not attached. Not sure I can trust this vehicle. It’s been looked at by dealer, they say part is back order no date for it to be fixed. IS THIS SAFE !!!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I own a Ram 2500 (VIN: [XXX] ) that has experienced a persistent and worsening rough idle. The engine shakes violently at idle, RPMs fluctuate unpredictably, and the vehicle feels as if it may stall. This occurs at stoplights, in traffic, and after warm-up. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership multiple times for this issue. Despite repeated visits, diagnostics, and inspections, the problem has not been resolved. I was told the condition is “normal” or that a future software update may address it, but the issue continues and is getting worse. In addition to the rough idle, the vehicle has experienced intermittent electrical issues, including warning lights, erratic behavior of vehicle systems, and inconsistent performance. Similar complaints are widely reported by other Ram 2500 owners online, including rough idle, engine surging, stalling, and electrical failures. Why This Is a Safety Concern!!!!! This defect creates a serious safety risk. The rough idle causes violent shaking and unpredictable engine behavior, raising concern that the vehicle may stall while stopped or when maneuvering in traffic. Loss of power or stalling at intersections, in traffic, or while towing could lead to a collision. Electrical issues further increase the risk by potentially affecting engine management, warning systems, lighting, or driver information displays. Online forums and consumer complaint databases show numerous reports of similar issues, including loss of acceleration, stalling while driving, and electrical failures. Because the issue is unresolved despite multiple repair attempts and appears to be systemic, I believe this represents a safety-related defect that warrants investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When my truck is put into Neutral gear position and my foot is taken off the brake the trucks message center shows "Press Brake and TURN shifter to desired gear". Unfortunately, this is impossible to do as these trucks are only equipped with Column shifter handles and not dash mounted rotary knobs. It is literally impossible to follow this direction as given. I have to imagine giving a customer a direction that is physically impossible to carry out is likely a safety violation for the manufacturer.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The backup camera does not work properly as delivered from the dealership. The problem is intermittent, hard to reproduce reliably and is occurring on a brand new unit. The vehicle is very large with huge blind spots and poses a risk to others when reversing.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .