Ram 1500 Electrical Problems

Electrical complaints by model year

Which parts fail

• Instrument cluster/panel
  19
• Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
  16
• Alternator/generator/regulator
  7
• 12V/24V/48V battery
  6
• Ignition
  5
• Integrated trailer brake control
  5
• Software
  4
• Ignition › Switch
  3

Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  31943%
• 25k–50k
  15922%
• 50k–75k
  10114%
• 75k–100k
  699%
• 100k–150k
  669%
• 150k+
  233%

What owners report

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.

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving downhill in the mountains at approximately 50 MPH and pulling a 2024 Ember 190MSL Overland RV, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle decelerated as intended; however, the trailer brakes failed to engage, causing the RV to roll sideways and to crash into the rear of the vehicle. The RV's weight distribution was fractured, causing the front end of the vehicle to spin against the guard rail and to face the opposite direction. The contact shifted to Park(P). The RV's weight distribution pinned the muffler, and the bed panel of the vehicle was damaged during the crash. Additionally, the vehicle sustained front-end damage. The check engine warning light was illuminated after the crash. The air bags did not deploy. The were no reported injuries. …

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System) and 26V495000 (Seat Belts); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving and towing a trailer, the brake pedal was depressed, but the trailer brakes failed to engage, causing the vehicle to drift into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that approaching drivers reacted promptly and avoided the vehicle, preventing a crash. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the trailer brakes, brake lights, and taillights were inoperable while towing. The contact disconnected the trailer from the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as intended. The trailer was then transported by a U-Haul truck. …

The contact owns a 2024 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle intermittently stalled and failed to return to normal operation. The braking, electronic stability control, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the generator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. …

The contact owns a 2024 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed on a steep hill, the engine braking system failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the engine braking system failed to activate, and the vehicle independently accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was confirmed. The contact was informed that no repair was available for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the case was closed. The failure mileage was approximately 50.

The contact owns a 2023 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 6 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, and the parking brake unexpectedly engaged. The contact manually disengaged the parking brake. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, a message to "Shift to Park" was displayed, and the low-battery and low-voltage warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted after restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The mechanic informed the contact that the battery had not failed but that the vehicle was experiencing voltage errors. The contact was informed that the battery did not need to be replaced, and no repairs were performed. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed; however, the dealer retrieved DTC: P032F. …

The contact owns a 2023 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, followed immediately by the battery warning light. The contact stated that the instrument panel illuminated and the message "Low Voltage 11.3V" was displayed. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was instructed to return home and immediately call the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, and a local dealer was notified. The contact was informed to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the alternator had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was later informed that the part needed to repair the vehicle was on backorder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested a reimbursement for a rental vehicle. …

Related recalls (10)

NHTSA investigations