Home · 2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab · Complaints

What 687 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (687)Crash / fire / injury (35)Electrical system (214)Transmission & drivetrain (175)Engine (151)Fuel system (140)Steering (45)Suspension (40)Lights (29)Brakes (25)Body & structure (23)Speed control (19)

8 of 687 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Sep 16, 2021BrakesCrash

Hydraulic control unit, anti-lock brake system failed which resulted in "no brakes". Truck went through garage door. Could have happened on the road or stopping for pedestrian's. Problems reported to and confirmed by an independent service. The hydraulic control unit has not been inspected. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure. The hydraulic control unit was kept by the independent service and can be inspected. Parts have been replaced.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11433210

Aug 27, 2021BrakesCrash

Driving up to closed garage door going approximately 2 mph. Catastrophic brake failure and vehicle went through garage door. 1. Total brake failure due to failure of "hydraulic control unit, Anti-lock brake system. A. Unit was replaced by PTL Tire & Auto in Ham Lake because of safety issue. B. Part available for inspection - unknown (PTL Tire & Auto is looking to see if they still have the part.. C. PTL can write a letter regarding the failure. 2. Total brake failure while driving up to garage door. 3. Confirmed by independent service (PTL Tire & Auto) 4. Vehicle was not inspected except for independent service. 5. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?

NHTSA ODI 11430731

Jun 13, 2018BrakesFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE VIBRATED. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CALIPER WAS SO HOT THAT SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE WHEEL AREA. THE CONTACT WAITED UNTIL THE CALIPER COOLED OFF AND DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO, BUT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. *TT

NHTSA ODI 11101653

Mar 9, 2016SteeringBrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE SHOOK HARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING AND THE WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND A KNOT ON THE LEFT SIDE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ODI 10845834

Feb 25, 2016Electrical systemSpeed controlBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING TO APPROXIMATELY 100 MPH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNED OFF; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE REVVED EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A ROLLING STOP WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO SELL THE CONTACT A NEW VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 10838497

Jul 29, 2015BrakesCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON A HILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED YARDS AND CRASHED LANDING UPRIGHT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE TWO UNKNOWN INJURED THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10744776

May 11, 2012BrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT WAS LEAVING AN INTERSECTION AT 35 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AS A VEHICLE ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN IN FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY AND DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE FAILURE ONCE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

NHTSA ODI 10458114

Oct 27, 2011BrakesAirbagsWheelsCrash1 injury

I HAD A CAR WRECK IN A 4 MONTH OLD 2011 RAM 1500 4 WD QUAD CAB ON OCT 3 RD 2011, I WAS PUSHED INTO A METAL GUARD RAIL AND CONCRETE WALL AT 70 MPH, THE FROMT PASSENGER WHEEL BROKE COMPLTEY OFF AND BOTH FRONT SIDE WERE IMPACTED HARD ENOUGH TO BED THE FRAME ON BOTH SIDES, NO BRAKES BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT, I DID HABE MY SEAT BELT ON, NONE OF THE FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT ANY TIME. THE CAR THAT HIT ME HAD SULL AIR BAG DEPLYMENT. I JUST HAD THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT 17K MILES AND TIRE ROATION WHICH TOLD ME "QUOTE" THIS TRUCK HAS SEVERAL RECALLS THAT WERE NOT MAILED OUT TO THE OWNERS". THEY DID NOT TELL ME WHAT THE RECALLS WERE THEY ONLY SAID THAT THEY CHAGED THE OIL AND ROATED THE TIRES AND CHECKED THE COUMPUTER FOR "ISSUES". *TT

NHTSA ODI 10432975

Working with the data? Download all 687 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab verdict →