Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2010 Ram 2500. While driving approximately 60 MPH, smoke suddenly appeared under the hood. After stopping the vehicle, the contact noticed flames coming from the engine compartment through the wheel well of the vehicle. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and towed from the scene. A fire report was filed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 110,000. Consumer took the vehicle to auto one (grand island, ne, [phone]) for repairs. The manufacturer did not provide assistance or a reason for the failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 11V350000 (steering), 13V529000 (steering), and 14V635000 (engine and engine cooling, fuel system, diesel). While driving 55 MPH, the control gauge indicated high and the truck overheated. The engine engulfed into flames. The contact veered to the side of the road and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle overheated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.
From statement of operator "while performing road maintenance activities I was driving up a grade at low speed while in four wheel drive and in low gear. The first indication of a problem was a sudden burst of smoke from under the hood accompanied by the engine oil light coming on. I tripped the hood release, went to the front of the vehicle to open the hood. The smoke from the engine compartment prevented me from safely locating the hood release. I then retrieved the fire extinguisher from the vehicle and applied it the best I could to the engine compartment. At the same time another employee retrieved an additional 2 fire extinguishers from another forest service truck and applied their contents in a similar fashion. The application was insufficient to extinguish the fire. Over the subsequent half hour to 45 minutes the vehicle became fully engulfed in fire. …
I received a ve5 late life emission performance degradation recall in January 2021. I had the recall performed on 1.27/2021 at razzari Dodge, merced. They installed a new cat converter and exhaust manifold. When I got my truck back, I had an CEL error code p2271 o2 sensor. I had to pay $707.74 and $978.98 to get the truck running. I had no previous CEL. I think they broke the wiring harness or o2 sensors when they performed the recall. . I think the ve5 recall repair, should make the entire emissions system function, including the control electronics.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the service engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle started to jerk violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the exhaust gas pressure sensor was damaged and needed replacement. The contact also stated that this was the second time the failure occurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,503.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ram 2500. While driving 65 MPH, the engine stalled and the check engine light illuminated. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the computer failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired several times, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was approximately 38.
It's a random occurrence. While I'm starting it, I have to restop when I'm driving no warning, it's a manual transmission. That adds a huge danger when your truck dies in motion it's a big truck it's a work truck which makes it even more horrifying.!! Please take this seriously this is a huge danger I can't stress how important this is and I'm sure all the all of them are
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ram 2500. The contact stated that the exhaust system regeneration required now warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
Was driving under cruise control at 75mph on i95 north in the middle lane, and noticed my truck started slowing down and engine had stalled. Power steering and power brakes went out and there was traffic coming up behind me in all three lanes, so I had difficulty steering the truck off to the side of the road. All electronics remained on, key was still in on position, and there were no status indicators anywhere on the instrument panel or evic to indicate there was a problem. The fuel gauge was still over half full. Once the truck came to a stop, I put it back in park and turned the key off. I was then able to start the truck back up and continue driving the rest of the way home without another incident. I took the truck into the dealer the next day and they were unable to find any fault codes from the ECU. …
Upon purchasing this used pickup I performed an inspection of the under carriage I noticed that the oil pan had a pretty significant dent in it. It was obviously caused by a skid plate that was mounted on the front axle of this truck from the factory. I went online and found many owner of this model had the same issue. One person was successful in getting a dealership to remove the skid plate and replace the oil pan. The service department said that the skid plate was only meant to be put on the gasoline models not the diesel models. This is due to not having enough clearance. This can cause a hole in the oil pan which can easily lead to an expensive but needless engine failure. This is unacceptable on a truck that cost $50000, Dodge should perform these repairs and skid plate removal for these models for no cost.
Engine complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2010 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2010 Dodge Ram 2500, 11% of the model year's 236 complaints. The component named most often is engine › diesel (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2010 Dodge Ram 2500, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 39% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.