Most common 2026 Ram 1500 problems
Share of the 101 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ram 1500 complaints by model year
Best 1500 years: 2024, 2013, 2023. Years to avoid: 2025, 2019, 2022, 2016. Compare all years →
2026 Ram 1500 recalls (9)
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system sensors may fail to detect low tire pressure and/or fail to illuminate the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the tire pressure sensors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 27, 2026.
Air bags › Side/window
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. A connector for the driver and front passenger side air bags may not be secured properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the sensor connections, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 27, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403.
Back over prevention › Software
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. A radio software error may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: The radio software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Compass, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, Ram Promaster, Ram Promaster EV, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, Chrysler Voyager, and 2026-2027 Chrysler…
Remedy: Radio software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 2, 2026.
Seat belts › Rear/other › Anchorage
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and attach the seat belt buckle anchor to the body structure as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 18, 2026.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The headlight wiring may cause the parking lights and daytime running lights to flicker on and off, or fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403.
Show 3 more recalls
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Cab Chassis, Ram 4500 Cab Chassis, and Ram 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. A software error may cause the instrument panel display to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 5, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 35D.
Electrical system › Integrated trailer brake control
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Jeep Wagoneer S, 2025-2026 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Cab Chassis, Ram 4500 Cab Chassis, Ram 5500 Cab Chassis, and 2026 Jeep Cherokee vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trailer tow module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning March 17, 2026. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Ram Cab Chassis, and Ram 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. A software error may cause the instrument panel cluster display to be blank.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and update the instrument panel software or replace the instrument panel cluster, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2025.
What 2026 Ram 1500 owners say
Electrical system all 49 →
On September 14, 2026, my 2026 Ram 1500 Limited, with approximately 6,000 miles, caught fire while parked and unattended in my workplace parking lot. I had driven the vehicle approximately six minutes to work and parked it at approximately 1:30 PM. I did not notice any warning lights, warning messages, smoke, unusual smells, or other indications of a problem while driving or when I parked the vehicle. At approximately 2:25 PM, a coworker noticed smoke coming from the parked vehicle. He approached the vehicle and then ran inside to alert others. Workplace surveillance cameras captured the incident. Management reviewed the footage, which shows the truck sitting parked and unattended before smoke becomes visible, followed very quickly by visible flames. The fire developed very rapidly. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire, and a fire investigator responded to the scene. …
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); 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 contact stated that a 24-foot trailer was identified as a 48-foot trailer, which caused the trailer brakes to fail to properly stop the trailer, and the manual brake was used to stop the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for 6 -7 months or longer. The dealer stated that 14 other vehicles were waiting for the same repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer informed the contact that there was no way to speed up the parts availability. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Engine & cooling
Vehicle returned from warranty repair at MainStreet CDJR of Lansing with severe mechanical negligence and federal compliance breaches. The dealership left critical drivetrain components completely loose, including rear transmission mount bolts and cooler lines, creating an immediate highway safety hazard. A separate, certified Ram dealership has since inspected the truck and generated a formal work order explicitly documenting: "Loose bolts left from prior dealer." Furthermore, the initial dealership assigned an uncertified student trainee (Tech ID 1078) to perform this advanced powertrain warranty work and subsequently signed off on a critical federal occupant safety restraint recall completion. The General Manager verbally admitted to the consumer that the servicing technician was uncertified and currently still attending training classes. …
Shortly after a "low oil pressure" message appeared the vehicle shutdown and coasted to a stop before a suitable place to investigate the issue could be found. Vehicle would not restart. An "low oil add two quarts message" appeared. Engine temp was ordinary. No issues observed under the hood. Oil was found to be dripping from the engine bay to the rear passenger area under the passenger side of the truck. Dealer mechanics diagnosed a catastrophic loss of oil and engine seizure. My wife and I were stranded approximately 800 miles from home and had to arrange for travel home. The vehicle is currently sitting at the dealership in Lincoln, Illinois awaiting my approval for an engine replacement, while I work out the details of a resolution with Ram Care/Stellantis.
Driver assistance
I purchased a new Ram RHO Dec 31 2025, on Saturday, January 17th 2026 1:03 AM, I received an email, a triggered alert 1) Driver Assistance Blind Spot Monitoring System Triggered Allert, Schedule your Service Appointment. I made an appointment for a shake in wheels and blind spot monitoring I brought it to Joey Accardi Ram Pompano Beach Fl, I picked up the truck with the same issue. I called Rick the service advisor and explained to him, still not right, and expressed a concern that the mechanic must have driven my truck hard, because everything was all over the place in bed of pick up. Rick assured me they don't let those specialty vehicles out for test drive; they don't go out on the road. …
Emergency brake comes on during car wash and engine turns off. Car crashed into the back of the truck on 7-7-26 causing damage to the front of their vehicle. Truck was evaluated by dealership who "reset the electronics" but it continues after this service.
2026 Ram 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl hybrid | 8-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 19 / 24 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl hybrid | 8-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 6.2L 8-cyl supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 10 / 14 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2026 Ram 1500 a good car?
Based on 101 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2026 1500 rates avoid: 3.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the 1500 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 2026 Ram 1500?
The electrical system — 49 complaints, 49% of all complaints for this model year, most often about integrated trailer brake control. Next are the engine & cooling (12) and driver assistance (11).
How many recalls does the 2026 Ram 1500 have?
There are 9 recalls for the 2026 Ram 1500, the most recent from September 29, 2026 (pressure monitoring and regulating systems). 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 Ram 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024, 2013 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2019, 2022 and 2016. See the full Ram 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2026 Ram 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 4,000 miles; 83% 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.