Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that he was hit head-on by another vehicle. The contact stated that although the airbag warning lights illuminated the instrument panel; however, the airbags failed to deploy. The contact was taken to the hospital where he was treated for the soreness to his back. The other driver was able to walk away from the accident and appeared to not be injured. A police report was filed at the scene (DIV421070591). Due to the accident, the vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard and was deemed a total loss. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there was a recall on the vehicle(recall unknown); however, he was informed that the recall was not related to the airbag failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 242,000. …
The contact owned a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 60-65 MPH on the highway, he crashed head-on into a culvert. The driver side air bag failed to deploy, and the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract. A police report was filed. The ambulance arrived on scene and transported the driver to the hospital where he suffered from a chipped and fractured vertebrae. The driver was the only occupant at the time of the failure. The vehicle was deemed totaled. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot where the insurance company was retrieving the vehicle from. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle crashed into the rear of the a second vehicle causing severe damage to the front end. During the crash the air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained a fractured right foot and bruises the arms and torso which required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was being driven by a friend into the parking lot at approximately 3 MPH, the two front and side curtain air bags deployed inadvertently and injured the driver's neck. The friend was in the process of taking the keys out of the ignition when the failure occurred. There was a crash data log and air bag warning light illuminated. There was no medical treatment. The contact disconnected the battery and control module so no additional failure occurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,990
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. Additionally, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the seat needed to be removed to inspect the air bag sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000
Vehicle has been serviced 7 times by Lithia Nissan with continuing issues last service date was May 22nd 2023 in which the following services were performed; Oil filter housing, 2 gaskets, installed OEM oil cooler and cleared codes, Pin fit issues with master switch, repaired pin issue. Vehicle has been serviced 2 times by Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Eugene address 2121 Martin Luther King Jr. BLVD. Eugene OR 9740[phone] Last service date Oct. 2nd 2023 in which the following services were performed; Engine system repair, injector-fuel, cleared codes, Pin fit issues with master switch repaired pin issues. Vehicle serviced 1 time by Goodyear location 164 W 7th AVE Eugene OR 9740[phone] service date Oct. …
My 2013 Ram 1500 has had issues with the horn not working when the middle of the steering wheel is pushed but sounds when the key fob is used to lock doors. The EVIC control on the steering wheel would also not work. This started in 2018 where the problem was intermittent. This was part of recall R36 where the rubbing of the steering wheel harness on the retainer springs could cause an electrical short and or inadvertent air bag deployment. I took my vehicle to Bill Volz WestchesterDodge, Cortland Manor, NY for the recall on 10-19-15 with 18,205 miles. I feel the work wasn't done properly because the problem reoccurred in less than 3 years and about 6,000 miles later. The horn and EVIC has not worked in over 7 months. My concern is that I could be driving on a major interstate when my vehicle airbag deploys causing a crash. …
The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V459000 (Air Bags) and was repaired under recall. The contact stated that after the recall repair, the Cruise Control would inadvertently activate or deactivate intermittently. The contact stated the remedy included tying and rerouting the wires so that other essential wiring could not disconnect and cause additional failures. The owner informed the contact that the speedometer failed intermittently, and the transmission failed to shift properly while driving. The contact stated that the failures had become more persistent over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness inside the steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
My truck for several years has intermittently turned off all safety features and steering control, i.e. air bags, traction control, anti lock breaks, and power steering all turn off randomly which in turn disables the cruise control, towing functions, etc. In the past I could turn the truck off then back on and the problems would dissappear, Now the problem has escalated and is occurring at shorter intervals now turning it off doesn't work and its getting dangerous. There is various recalls for these problems with same make and years model trucks, but mine is not included. I've tried contacting the dealer but they basically say sorry we can't help you unless your truck is added to the recall list. It's just not right that 1000's of vehicles the exact same as mine have been recalled for the exact same problems but not mine. Thanks for your time!
The airbag light turns on and beeps. The truck is available for inspection. A dealership told us it was the sensors that have gone bad. It is odd that all the sensors would go bad all at one time. Concern is if there is an accident, the air bags will not go off as intended. There is also concern that the airbags could go off while driving. Also it is beeping often while driving and it is distracting. There are no other issues. But we see that there has been recalls in the past over airbag systems on this truck. We are very concerned since the truck carries very precious cargo.
Related recalls
Air bags › Side/window › Curtain
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 vehicles. Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC).
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags › Frontal
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends.
Airbag complaints in other 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2013 Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 94 complaints about the air bags of the 2013 Ram 1500, 7% of the model year's 1,279 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ram 1500 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-302 (curtain, May 9, 2017); NHTSA recall 15V-459 (frontal, Jul 22, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2013 Ram 1500 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 21 crashes, 0 fires and 27 injuries to air bags 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.