Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2025 | 3 | 50% | — |
| 2024 | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2023 | 25 | 26% | 33,000 miles |
| 2022 | 10 | 15% | 27,000 miles |
| 2021 | 13 | 12% | 64,000 miles |
| 2020 | 9 | 21% | 70,000 miles |
| 2019 | 17 | 28% | 47,000 miles |
| 2018 | 12 | 32% | 33,000 miles |
| 2017 | 23 | 40% | 81,000 miles |
| 2016 | 13 | 39% | 80,000 miles |
| 2015 | 19 | 31% | 58,000 miles |
| 2014 | 14 | 20% | 4,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Check engine light came on the 2nd day I owned it. The van was converted to an Entegra Ethos Class B RV by Entegra/Jayco, and had over 2000 miles in it when I bought it (New 2026) from La Mesa RV in Tucson AZ on Oct 4, 2025, after they transferred it from the Phoenix La Mesa RV location. After checking the engine light code with an Auto Parts store, it was shown to be an issue with the 6th cylinder. After getting the runaround from 2 Dodge dealers (system down, too busy, no certified tech), I took it to a privately owned garage who diagnosed low compression in the 6th cylinder. They were concerned for my safety to drive it. With this testing info written by the private garage, I got the Dodge dealer in Tucson to take it in and start the diagnosis process. It is an engine defect from initial manufacturing of the engine. …
The check-engine light came on my 2nd day of ownership (less than 100 miles driven by me, but 2032 miles on it when purchased new - RV conversion from Entegra Coach through LaMesa RV), on October 5, 2025. After diagnosis at a Ram dealership (Larry Miller Dodge Ram in Tucson AZ), they identified the code was misfire on cylinder 6, which caused low compression, with a root cause of the intake valves being improperly seated during manufacturing. The dealership replaced some cylinder and engine parts, but the issue recurred on Cylinder 4 after driving it about 5000+ miles, on June 13, 2026. Again, misfire check-engine code and loss of compression on cylinder 4. The engine ran very rough and had loss of power. The engine is still under investigation by another Ram dealership service department (Crest Auto World, Center Conway, NH). …
While driving down the interstate, the vehicle shut off completely without warning. I had to put it in park and quickly turn it back on. It drove for a few hundred miles and did it again. Then, at miles 9769 and 9980 it did it again. 4 times in less than 10,000 miles on the vehicle. No engine warnings, nothing. Just shuts off at all different speeds, without warning. Dashboard completely shuts off, and vehicle does not coast - just comes to an almost immediate stop.
Vehicle is overheating without gauges showing a problem. Had a mechanic check it out and the cooling fans are not working. I have seen there is a recall for this problem, but my VIN is not listed. This is a known problem, but RAM needs to widen their scope of vehicles that are affected by this fire risk.
The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); 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 contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a humming sound coming from the vehicle, and the contact became aware that smoke was coming from the engine compartment. Shortly afterwards, the battery was disconnected, the fan was running, and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The contact stated that the headlights, hood, windshield, and grill were damaged by the fire. There was no one in the vehicle at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries sustained. …
The contact owned a 2023 Ram Promaster 2500. The contact stated that the employee had reported that the front end of the vehicle had caught on fire immediately after parking the vehicle. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the incident. The fire was extinguished by the fire department, which reported that the fire originated from the front end of the vehicle. There was no injury sustained. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle had completely burned. The contact stated that the fire seemed to have originated near the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was totaled. No police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that they were not liable for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
On November 3, 2023 I was driving the van on the NYS Thruway. I had stopped at a rest area to use the facilities. When I returned to the van about 5 minutes later the vehicle was smoking profusely and objects were falling out of the engine area. By the time i got to the van there were flames coming out of the engine area and the entire front of the van was engulfed in flames. Luckily someone had called the fire department and the flames were extinguished quickly. In the meantime I had removed 2 Alpacas from the rear of the van with the help of witnesses. There were no warning signs of an issue with the engine. No warning lights and not burning odor. So, yes, I feel the I, my alpacas, and others safety were put at risk. I am so thankful that the fire started while I was stopped at the rest area and not while driving on the thruway and avoided a real tragedy. …
The contact owns a 2022 Ram Promaster 2500. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH in the rain, the power steering and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the dealer became aware that there was water inside the power steering connector and determined that the steering rack and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 26,602.
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Radiator assembly
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2026 Ram ProMaster vehicles. The electrical circuit for the radiator fan may overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cooling fan module and fuse. In addition dealers will provide an addendum for the manual and label for the power distribution center.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ram Promaster years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2023 (25), 2017 (23), 2015 (19), 2019 (17) and 2014 (14) model years. Engine complaints make up 26% of all complaints for the 2023.
Is there a recall for Ram Promaster engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 25V-720 (radiator assembly, Oct 23, 2025). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ram Promaster engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles; 48% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the exhaust system › emission control › urea injection system (def) (1 mentions), followed by the engine › engine control module (ecu/ecm) › software (1).
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.