Most common 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 problems
Share of the 469 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Ram 2500 complaints by model year
Best Ram 2500 years: 2002, 2000, 1998. Years to avoid: 2006, 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 recalls (1)
Air bags
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the Ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from May 16, 2000 through October 23, 2000; st.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began June 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed,…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500:
2000-2001 Dodge Ram pickup hood latch
The agency opened this investigation based on 30 complaints alleging that the hoods on model year (my) 2000 and 2001 Dodge Ram pickup trucks flew up and blocked the driver's vision.these vehicles have a primary hood latch and a secondary (backup) hood latch.the secondary latch is designed to secure the hood if the primary hood latch is not properly closed or otherwise malfunctions.in these complaints, the secondary…
What 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 owners say
Body & structure all 181 →
The dashboard in this truck has been crumbling to pieces. It is to the point now the gauge cluster and passenger air bag are barely in place. This is a common occurrence on all of these dodge rams and it is definitely a safety hazard
Broken dash parts are falling inside the dash and my headlights have developed an intermittent while driving at night they simply turn off for a brief period of time I recycle the switch and a few seconds they come back on at highway speeds this is a serious safety issue additionally the broken dash cap is distracting this creating an issue and distracted driving in ohio is illegal. I have researched this issue and amazed to find out it covers multiple years and there are hundreds of complaints o n line related to this issue. Additionally there are wires exposed to the occupants and I am not sure they are safe they can easily become work and shorted out thus creating a fire hazard/ please help by recalling this issue to Dodge..
Steering all 69 →
My vehicle was in motion driving on a highway at the rate of 45mph-50mph my husband was driving, I was passenger, and my 2 year old son was in his car seat in the back. All the sudden we hit a small bump in the road, no bigger than your average pot holes and the entire truck broke out into an abrupt shake! It was throwing my husbands and my body around the shake was so intense the steering was controllable but extremely hard. It felt as though our tires were flying right off the vehicle. My husband braked and the violent shake seized and we immediately pulled over and parked the truck. We check and shook all tires they were secure. We looked under the truck everything seemed in place and secure. …
I just experienced a very severe auto accident in my 2001 Dodge Ram, the truck was totaled and the jaws of life had to be used to extract me from the vehicle. I had contacted my dealer prior to this (several months ago) complaining of steering problems (wandering), and the dealer informed me,they could not fix the problem because he was receiving pressure from Dodge to stop replacing steering components on these trucks. He also informed me, he has a number of documented cases of this problem--16 or so. There is also information that the state of maine forced Dodge to replace 20 or 30 of these vehicles due to steering problems. I would appreciate it if you would begin an investigation of this issue as it appears that there are a significant number of complaints about the steering of this make/model of vehicle (check your own database). …
Suspension all 39 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle wobbled while driving. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but a failure could not be found. The technician replaced the steering box, ball joint, and front stabilizer shocks; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the failure began when the vehicle was purchased, but no one could repair the failure. The contact called lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of billings (2229 king ave w, billings, mt 59102, [phone]) and was informed to schedule an appointment. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.
When exiting at highway speed and coasting and hitting a bump the truck shook violently to the point of almost loosing control. After searching on the internet for a cause it appears this is a common problem with Dodge rams called the death wobble.. It never happened before and have a problem believing something so extreme could be worn bushings or suspention parts that wear out over long periods of time.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 a good car?
Based on 469 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Ram 2500 rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Ram 2500 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500?
The body & structure — 181 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the steering (69) and suspension (39).
How many recalls does the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2001 Dodge Ram 2500, the most recent from May 8, 2001 (air bags). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Ram 2500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2000 and 1998. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2003 and 2004. See the full Dodge Ram 2500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 23% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.