2013 RAM 5500 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 2013 RAM 5500, 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
- Engine233.3%
- Powertrain (other)233.3%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
- Suspension116.7%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
02/26/15 WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.... #1 - WATER PUMP & WATER PUMP BEARING DEFECTIVE - COOLANT LEAKED, LEAKS AROUND SHAFT, BELT DAMAGE DUE TO FAILED WATER PUMP. #2 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AFTER REPAIR COMPLETE PCM CODES P2509 BCM POWER SIGNAL INT P20EE SCR NOX CAT EFFICIENCY P20EE HAS A FLASH P2560 COOLANT LOW - CAUSED BY REPAIR #1 SO THE WARRANTY COVERED THE WATER PUMP AND WATER PUMP BEARING THAT WERE DEFECTIVE, BUT NOT THE BELT THAT WAS DAMAGED DUE TO IT. ALSO DURING THIS REPAIR IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT NEVER WENT OFF AFTER REPAIR AND A P20EE THAT ONLY TEMPORARILY GOT RESET. 03/20/15 WARRANTY RUNNING OUT, BUT LUCKILY STILL COVERED... P20EE ERROR HAS BEEN PRESENT THE LAST 2 DAYS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE LAST REPAIR. BECAUSE OF P20EE, THE TRUCK WENT LIMP AND THE DRIVER IS ABOUT 45 MIN TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WITH A DIESEL TECH. TRUCK BOUGHT BRAND NEW JULY 2014. ALL MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE. TRUCK WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ALL WE WANT IS FOR THE TRUCK TO RUN WITHOUT ISSUES. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? I CAN SEE IT GIVING UP IN A FEW YEARS, BUT LESS THAN A YEAR? ITS A COMMERCIAL TRUCK. *TR
WHEN I PULLED OUT FROM A STOP INTO THE INTERSECTION I REALIZED THE CARS WERE CLOSER THAT I FIRST THOUGHT, AND WHEN I INSTINCTIVELY PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, NOTHING HAPPENED FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE ETERNITY BUT MAYBE JUST A PORTION OF A SECOND BEFORE THE ENGINE RESPONDS. THIS DELAY COULD BE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AS YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO, AND COULD THEREFORE ALLOW YOU TO BE IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO. THIS "DEAD PEDAL" SYNDROME HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK ON THE ROAD IN THE LAST YEAR. *TR
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
02/26/15 WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.... #1 - WATER PUMP & WATER PUMP BEARING DEFECTIVE - COOLANT LEAKED, LEAKS AROUND SHAFT, BELT DAMAGE DUE TO FAILED WATER PUMP. #2 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AFTER REPAIR COMPLETE PCM CODES P2509 BCM POWER SIGNAL INT P20EE SCR NOX CAT EFFICIENCY P20EE HAS A FLASH P2560 COOLANT LOW - CAUSED BY REPAIR #1 SO THE WARRANTY COVERED THE WATER PUMP AND WATER PUMP BEARING THAT WERE DEFECTIVE, BUT NOT THE BELT THAT WAS DAMAGED DUE TO IT. ALSO DURING THIS REPAIR IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT NEVER WENT OFF AFTER REPAIR AND A P20EE THAT ONLY TEMPORARILY GOT RESET. 03/20/15 WARRANTY RUNNING OUT, BUT LUCKILY STILL COVERED... P20EE ERROR HAS BEEN PRESENT THE LAST 2 DAYS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE LAST REPAIR. BECAUSE OF P20EE, THE TRUCK WENT LIMP AND THE DRIVER IS ABOUT 45 MIN TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WITH A DIESEL TECH. TRUCK BOUGHT BRAND NEW JULY 2014. ALL MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE. TRUCK WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ALL WE WANT IS FOR THE TRUCK TO RUN WITHOUT ISSUES. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? I CAN SEE IT GIVING UP IN A FEW YEARS, BUT LESS THAN A YEAR? ITS A COMMERCIAL TRUCK. *TR
WHEN I PULLED OUT FROM A STOP INTO THE INTERSECTION I REALIZED THE CARS WERE CLOSER THAT I FIRST THOUGHT, AND WHEN I INSTINCTIVELY PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, NOTHING HAPPENED FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE ETERNITY BUT MAYBE JUST A PORTION OF A SECOND BEFORE THE ENGINE RESPONDS. THIS DELAY COULD BE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AS YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO, AND COULD THEREFORE ALLOW YOU TO BE IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO. THIS "DEAD PEDAL" SYNDROME HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK ON THE ROAD IN THE LAST YEAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE RAM 5500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS WEARING OUT THE TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT END WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
PULLSTAR PUMP HOIST & UTILITY BODY > TOTAL WEIGHT 17,000LBS BOTH REARMOST SHACKLE BOLTS FOUND OVER ONE HALF THE WAY OUT OF PLACE WITH THREADED ENDS WITH NUT MISSING. NEAR DISASTER.
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 .