Buying a used 2021 RAM 3500? Check these 9 recalls first
Fire-related recalls dominate, and two of them — a diesel heater relay and an engine fire risk — came with instructions to park the truck outside until repaired. A transmission fluid leak, breakable wheel studs, a driver airbag that may not deploy and side curtain airbags that can deploy improperly follow. Complaint volume is comparatively low at 62 unverified NHTSA reports, with no crashes or injuries but four fires, clustered in electrical and power train areas.
Before you buy
- Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
- Verify the heater grid relay and engine fire recalls are repaired, since both required parking outside
- Ask whether either airbag recall (driver deployment, curtain deployment) has been performed
- Ask about any electrical or power train issues, the top owner-reported areas
- Open recalls are repaired free at any RAM dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.
Recalls covering the 2021 RAM 3500
| Recall | Area | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Ram diesel trucks: heater grid relay can catch fire | Electrical System | critical |
| Ram Diesel Trucks Heater Relay Can Cause Fire · park outside | Electrical System | critical |
| Ram 2500 and 3500 transmission fluid leak fire risk | Power Train | critical |
| Ram Heavy Duty Diesel Trucks Engine Fire Risk · park outside | Electrical System | critical |
| Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 wheel studs may break | Wheels | high |
| Ram 1500 through 5500 driver airbag may not deploy | AIR Bags | high |
| Ram pickups' side curtain airbags may deploy improperly | AIR Bags | medium |
| Ram and Durango stability control warning light may not work | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | medium |
| Ram pickup tailgate may open while you drive | Structure | medium |
What owners have reported to NHTSA
62 complaints filed for this model year, including 0 mentioning a crash, 4 a fire and 0 injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.
| Problem area | Complaints | Recall in this area? |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 17 | Yes |
| Power Train | 11 | Yes |
| Engine | 10 | None found |
| Wheels | 7 | Yes |
| Brakes | 6 | Yes |
| Structure | 5 | Yes |