Ram 3500 Electrical Problems

Electrical complaints by model year

Which parts fail

• Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
  9
• Integrated trailer brake control
  4
• Wiring
  1
• Software
  1
• Wiring › Interior/under dash
  1
• Ignition
  1
• 12V/24V/48V battery
  1
• Instrument cluster/panel
  1

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

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  4745%
• 25k–50k
  1514%
• 50k–75k
  2120%
• 75k–100k
  55%
• 100k–150k
  99%
• 150k+
  77%

What owners report

The contact owns a 2026 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message that the trailer was not connected was displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 failure mileage was 11,000.

The contact owns a 2026 Ram 3500. The contact stated that occasionally while hauling a trailer and driving at various speeds, the factory-integrated Trailer Brake Controller failed to respond as intended. Additionally, while driving during strong winds, the vehicle was pushed off the road onto the shoulder and onto the grass. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact noticed the failure on the drive back after the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake lights and turn signals failed to function as intended. The contact lived in a rural area and stated that at night it is dark, and the brake lights nor the turn signals were operable. The contact felt that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the parts for the recall repair were available. However, the parts were allocated to unsold vehicles first, and there was no estimated time for the recall part to be available. …

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 3500. The contact stated that the front passenger's side, rear passenger's side, and driver's side seat belt reminder (SBR) system was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a third-party engineer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the vehicle was only designed with a front driver's seat belt reminder (SBR). The manufacturer later informed the contact that Ram engineers had confirmed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 18.

The contact owns a 2024 Ram 3500. The contact stated that upon purchasing and driving the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that it was a new vehicle odor. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the contact noticed clear smoke coming from the vents. Additionally, the contact stated that the rearview was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cab heater had experienced an internal short circuit, causing the wiring and grid heater to melt. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact sustained extreme fatigue, sore throat, nausea, headaches, ringing ears, and vomiting. The contact had not received medical assistance but had taken a 3-day leave from work. …

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2024 Ram 3500. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 58,449. It was later discovered that the mileage was 169,301 upon scanning the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2023 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the seat belt warning light was intermittently illuminated while the seat belt was securely buckled. The messages "Service ESC" and "Service Trailer Brake System" were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Despite having taken my 2023 Ram 3500 HD truck to the Ram dealer 3 times for the same recall, the issue still persists. The recall in question is B2A/NHTSA 23V-799 related to a malfunctioning SCCM that results in high beams activating with left turn signal activation. Also, left turn signal activates with high beam pass activation. Per Ram's protocol, they performed a software reboot upon the first attempt. The problem quickly returned. I returned to the same service department who did not perform any service on the vehicle despite the ongoing problem for more than one week. I took the truck back as it was my main mode of transportation. Because this safety issue has not resolved, I attempted to take it back to a different Ram service center who wanted to perform some incredibly involved electronic disconnection of all systems. …

Related recalls (10)

NHTSA investigations