RoadVitals

2016 RAM Promaster 3500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Mar 4, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 RAM Promaster 3500, most frequently naming the engine, powertrain (other) and electrical categories. 186 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine521.7%
  • Powertrain (other)417.4%
  • Electrical417.4%
  • Exterior lighting313.0%
  • Brakes28.7%
  • Tires & wheels14.3%
  • Body & structure14.3%
  • Driver assistance14.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

ElectricalTires & wheels
Filed Mar 4, 2022

The contact owns a Roadtrek Simplicity RV built on a 2016 Ram Promaster 3500 chassis. The contact stated that while in a parking lot, a fellow motorist informed her that something had been dragging underneath her vehicle. The contact discovered that the winch that attached her spare tire to the vehicle was loose and that the spare tire connected to the winch was gone. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where they replaced both the winch and the spare tire; however, the failure occurred twice. The contact also stated that the battery failed to hold a charge. There was a beeping sound coming from the battery indicating that the charge was low. The contact believed that the battery failure was related to the spare tire failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ID
11455224
Incident
Feb 1, 2022
Mileage
82,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 24, 2021

I'VE ONLY BEEN TAKING IT TO THE RAM DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED IN MAY STILL HAVE NOT GOT IT FIXED RIGHT ONE MINUTE I COULD BE DOING 40 AND THEN I NEXEN YOU KNOW THE RPMS ARE UP TO 7 IN THE DROP DOWN IN A JERK SO HARD TO GET INTO GEAR ALMOST BREAKS MY FREAKING NECK THEN I WILL SHIFT IN I GET UP TO 65 ANYTHING OVER 65 IT STARTS JERKIN AND THEN DROPS BACK DOWN AND I CAN'T GET BACK STARTED AGAIN I HAD TO PULL OVER THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LET EVERYTHING COOL LOB DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME ALREADY CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM THE SPEED CONTROL HIM SENSOR I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I CAN DO I AM TAKING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY DON'T IN A LIGHT TO KNOW WHY THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIX THEIR PROPERLY

NHTSA ID
11413689
Incident
Apr 20, 2021
Mileage
378,569 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 3, 2021

MY 2018 RAM PROMASTER 3500 WAS HAVING PROBLEM WHEN I PUT IN REVERSE, IT WAS JERKING AND I HAD TO PUSH EXTRA GAS TO REVERSE IT. I TOOK IT TO DEALER, THEY SAID YES IT HAS PROBLEM IN TRANSMISSION AND I HAD TO LEAVE MY VAN TO FIX IT. THEY TOOK 4-5 DAYS, BUT DIDN'T FOUND EXACT CAUSE AND THEY JUST FLUSH TRANSMISSION FLUID. THEY TOLD ME "IF YOU FACE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN PLEASE COME BACK WE WILL HELP YOU EVEN WHEN WARRANTY EXPIRE". ONE WEEK LATER IT WAS HAVING AGAIN SAME ISSUE AND EVEN MORE THING, IT WAS JERKING WHILE I AM DRIVING ALSO AND REVERSING WAS SAME LIKE BEFORE. I TOOK IT AGAIN TO SAME DEALER, BUT THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. NOW MY PROBLEM IS MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED BUT I AM HAVING SAME PROBLEMS. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT WHEN I HAD WARRANTY. IT SOUNDS LIKE MY LOSS EVEN I HAD WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
11406215
Incident
Jan 4, 2021
Mileage
58,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 7, 2021

OVER 4 YEARS NT FIXED HAZARD TO DRIVE POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD SAFETY HEALTH ISSUES WINNEBAGO IGNORES MY SAFETY HELP REQUEST HAVE NT DERIVEN THIS VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED DUE TO STAFF AVAILABILITY. *JS

NHTSA ID
11399601
Incident
Mar 9, 2019
BrakesElectrical
Filed Feb 25, 2021

RECEIVED RECALL HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CONTACTS WITH NHTS AND WINNABEGO NO HELP WIFE WILL NOT RIDE IN AFRAID OF SUGGESTED FIRE HAZARD HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM ANY ONE PAST RECORDS SHOULD SHOW CONCERN POSSIBLE PROPANE EXPLOSION RECALL 17V-108 18V-546 16V598 FIRE SAFETY IS CONCERN

NHTSA ID
11397893
Incident
Feb 25, 2021
Mileage
10,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 7, 2021

2016 PROMASTER WITH 2017 WINNEBAGO TRAVATO ..DRIVER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON WITH NOTICE TO SERVICE. I HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY SINCE JANUARY OF 2020 TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. FILED WITH PROMASTER CASE MANAGEMENT JAN 2020. RECALLS ON FAN AND CABLE WERE TAKEN CARE OF ON 11/19/20. THEY COULDN'T'/WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIRBAG ISSUE...SAME AS ALL THE OTHER DEALERSHIPS I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO. NO HELP

NHTSA ID
11395052
Incident
Jan 15, 2020
Mileage
18,000 mi
EngineOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed May 18, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM PROMASTER 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 19V818000 (EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 20V036000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE

NHTSA ID
11324964
Incident
Apr 17, 2017
Engine
Filed Jan 28, 2020

A COOLING FAN STALL / SEIZURE EVENT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL OVERLOADING OF THE FAN MOTOR POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN THE THERMAL DEGRADATION OF THE BRUSH HOUSING, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE. ON THIS RECALL I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION. I CALLED THE FCA NUMBER AND IT JUST HANGS UP BEFORE I CAN TALK TO SOMEONE

NHTSA ID
11302582
Incident
Nov 15, 2019

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

1804823

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT

wiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK

S1408000384

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On

3100122

STRUCTURE

Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes when welding steel body panels and structural components.

3100122

STRUCTURE

Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes when welding steel body panels and structural components.

3100122

STRUCTURE; STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:DOOR

Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes when welding steel body panels and structural components.

S2209000004

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT

If a Mopar oil filter is not available, use a filter that meets or exceeds USCAR36 specification and is compatible with semi and full synthetic oils.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

RAM Promaster 3500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024100
2023200
2016Viewing130033.8

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.