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 2020 Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's brother owned a 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously driven parked and left unattended a few hours later, the vehicle spontaneously caught fire. The neighbors alerted the owner that the vehicle had caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and informed him the fire started in the engine compartment. A 2021 Mercedes Benz CLA 250 parked in front of the Ram caught fire as well. There were no reported injuries. A police report was filed. It was unknown if the air bags were deployed. The vehicle had burnt to the frame. The vehicle was still at the owner's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who informed me an adjuster would evaluate the vehicle damage. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000
The contact owns a 2020 Ram1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes applied independently without being depressed. There was no warning light illuminated. While driving over a bump in the roadway, the vehicle inadvertently shifted lanes and the vehicle became uncontrollable. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the death wobble and the vehicle spun out of control and was almost struck by another vehicle. The contact was provided a police escort to the dealer. The 4WD, ABS, and service engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who stated that the tires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that an unknown module needed to be replaced. The dealer also recommended that the tires be replaced for better performance. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. While the vehicle was still on the road, the contact shifted to park(P) and then back to drive(D), and the vehicle returned to normal functionality. However, the contact stated that the failure had occurred six times. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear knob independently shifted gears. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning light and power train warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or right, and while pulling off the roadway the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that there were several unknown warning lights illuminated while attempting to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the E-Torque Alternator had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part to repair the vehicle was on a national backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while her boss was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to two local dealers. The first dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The second dealer informed the contact that the parts needed to complete the repair would not be available for a year and a half. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
The contact owned a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the windshield wiper was operating erratically, the lights began flashing, the emergency lights would not work, and the lock was inoperable. The contact observed smoke coming from the vents and underneath the dashboard. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the contact observed sparks and flames coming from the dashboard that were approximately 5 feet in height. The Fire Department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. A fire report was filed. The contact was not sure if a Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a storage lot. The insurance company was pending a tow. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was unknown. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and almost stalled. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and was advised that the parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated that after driving 35-45 MPH, the contact approached a stop sign, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart after pushing the Push-to-Start button. The traction control warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the key fob not recognized message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to the relay module and PCM and referred the contact to the local dealer. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the PCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie. The contact stated that the alternator was making an abnormal whining noise. The noise had increased and become louder over time. The alternator was making an abnormal grinding sound. While his wife was driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost voltage, stopped, and shut down. The flashers became inoperable. The essential power mode message was displayed. The check engine light was illuminated. The contact had replaced the battery three months prior. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired due to the part being backordered. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 95,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Related recalls
Engine
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the HPFP and inspect and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023.
Engine complaints in other 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 165 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Ram 1500, 26% of the model year's 640 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ram 1500 engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 22V-767 (engine, Oct 13, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Ram 1500 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 4 fires and 0 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.