Ram 3500 Acceleration Problems

Owners have filed 204 complaints about speed control & acceleration problems with the Ram 3500 — 9% of all 3500 complaints. The worst model years are 2018 (108), 2017 (29) and 2013 (15). Problems typically start around 28,000 miles. No acceleration recall has been issued for the 3500.

204complaints
2018worst year
28ktypical miles
0related recalls
4crashes
0fires

Acceleration complaints by model year

’07’09’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26151567291084315254
Acceleration complaints per model year, Ram 3500.
YearComplaintsShare of year's complaintsTypical mileage
2026415%—
2025512%—
202424%4,000 miles
202253%—
202112%—
202033%—
201943%41,000 miles
201810813%40,000 miles
2017299%122,000 miles
201675%8,000 miles
201564%27,000 miles
2014157%1,000 miles
20131513%21,000 miles

Which parts fail

  • Cruise control
    9
  • Accelerator pedal
    2

Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    2957%
  • 25k–50k
    1020%
  • 50k–75k
    612%
  • 75k–100k
    12%
  • 100k–150k
    48%
  • 150k+
    12%

What owners report

Vehicle sends cluster warnings about Auto Emergency Braking unavailable/inoperable, Electronic Stability Control needs service, Antilock Brake System needs service, Parksense Unavailable, and ultimately the Check Engine indicator illuminates after restarting the vehicle. An error code also is present in the computer, U1412. This has happened twice now in a two week period. These systems are critical to safe operation of he vehicle, especially in emergency braking conditions, and could affect both the operator and the general public if they indeed failed. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, yet, and is scheduled for 5/8/2026

2026 3500 · May 2026

This is related to the 2025/2026 Ram 3500 U1412 code relating to anti lock brake system. On this date I got an ABS warning light and check engine light. The vehicle would not turn off, was not sure if it was in gear or not, and multiple other lights came on the dash. Vehicle towed to dealership. They said they could not reproduce the error and that all the codes disappeared due to the batteries dying overnight. They replaced both batteries and returned vehicle. Have since had same problem twice more with one requiring towing again. If this problem happens on roadway while being operated it would be very dangerous on roadway.

2026 3500 · Jan 2026

I have experienced two major issues. The dash cluster went blank. Not able to see any of the gauges. Vehicle ran, drove. Turned the truck on and off. Opening & closing the door to power off the truck. 15+/- minutes for the dash to return to normal. Supposedly an update to the program is pending. Second and major issue; while backing up, the truck came to a stop by itself, blocking an intersection. I was not able to place the truck in any gear. Warning light notified me that the truck was not in park. We were unable to push the truck out of the intersection. The dealer says when the "Wheel Speed Sensor" failed the truck is programed to be immobilized. I have recently returned from a trip to the Rockies pulling a 35 foot 5th wheel RV. I have traveled several mountain roads. One 12 mile stretch with a 8% grade. …

2025 3500 · Aug 2025

While driving with a trailer after leaving a jobsite in [redacted] , the vehicle experienced a sudden electrical failure while in motion. The instrument cluster/speedometer screen went completely black and the vehicle lights stopped functioning properly while driving at night. During the incident, we lost the speedometer display and visibility from the vehicle lighting system, creating a serious safety hazard while towing a trailer on public roads. Because of the electrical failure, we were forced to pull off on the side of the road to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. After shutting the truck down and waiting approximately one hour, the vehicle was restarted and the systems eventually began functioning again. This vehicle is used regularly for commercial towing and jobsite operations. …

2025 3500 · Nov 2025

Without warning the transmission failed. Along with loss of power, when the tranny failed, the ability to use the exhaust brake also fails. The ability to manually downshift fails. I was on steep winding roads in North Idaho (Elk River) when this occurred with three passengers aboard. Once I was able to stop, I was on a steep uphill grade with no forward gears or shoulder to pull over on. I had to coast in neutral back down the mountain to an appropriate site to get off the road. All of this with no forward or reverse gears. The vehicle was towed to a dealership where it was determined to have the K-1 snap ring failure in the Aisin transmission. This problem is common enough that parts to repair the transmission are on back order with no definitive eta available.

2022 3500 · Jun 2023

Sudden loss of forward gears. Failure happened on highway at highway speeds. Had to carefully maneuver the truck off the road. Failure in both towing and unloaded operation. Truck will not shift in or out of drive (1-4) but reverse is still functional. Diagnostic trouble code P0731-00 and P0734 "Gear 1 and 4 Shift Incorrect Ratio". Both the dealer and RAM confirm this transmission failure. RAM has realeased a TSB which covers this failure but hasn't released a recall.

2022 3500 · Apr 2024

At 28,000 miles my vehicle in the middle of the Highway going up a hill stall and suddenly lose boost or was inoperable to safety get out of the road. i was able to do a unsafe maneuvering to get out of the way with the momentum of speed that i have at the moment When this happened a message on my screen said power boost service require,contact your dealer. Later and after the poor customer service in moreno valley ca. And yuma az my local dealer provide., i found out that my fuel pump(cp4) went down,completely destroyed on the inside sending metal particles trough the entire fuel system. …

2020 3500 · Sep 2021

DEF reservoir got low and light came on indicating about 300 miles until truck goes into limp mode 5 MPH. Added 1 gallon of DEF and the guage showed to be in the safe zone. The computer system never registered that fluid was added and truck went into limp mode on the way home. When in limp mode you are unable to move vehicle off the roadway in a safe manner or even drive on any roadway without major risk of getting hit. Truck has to be towed to a dealership to have the computer reset. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. Ironic that first responder and government vehicles with this same engine ect are omitted from the limp mode function due to safety concerns but not the general public.

2020 3500 · Jan 2022

Frequently asked questions

Which Ram 3500 years have acceleration problems?

By NHTSA complaints, the 2018 (108), 2017 (29), 2013 (15), 2014 (15) and 2016 (7) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 2018.

Is there a recall for Ram 3500 acceleration problems?

No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Ram 3500 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.

At what mileage do Ram 3500 acceleration problems start?

Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 28,000 miles; 76% happened before 50,000 miles.

What part fails most often?

Owners most often name the cruise control (9 mentions), followed by the accelerator pedal (2).

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.