What 608 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab

I am having DEF related issues with my 2020 Ram 1500 ecodiesel that will ultimately cause the vehicle to no longer operate. Ram has an extended warranty for my exact problem but I am being told that my vehicle doesn’t meet the requirements. My vehicle is under the required year and mileage but I’m being told that it doesn’t apply.

NHTSA ODI 11749914

While driving down the highway the vehicle radiator fan kicked on high (could hear it from the cab) then my electronic power steering went out seconds after receiving the “Service Electronic Power Steering” dash light. Since then it is intermittent, EPS returns and then goes out again, each time accompanied by the high fan noise.

NHTSA ODI 11748558

The electronic gear selector on my 2020 Ram 1500 intermittently displays a "Shift to Park" warning while the vehicle is in motion, specifically during downshifting or braking. Each occurrence is accompanied by a physical jerk or lurch, consistent with the vehicle momentarily engaging an unintended gear. The warning clears without driver input. These events occur during active deceleration and represent a loss of predictable vehicle behavior, creating a serious risk of rear-end collision or loss of control. The problem has not been resolved. A dealership inspected the vehicle and recommended a Transmission Control Module (TCM) software update referencing TSB 21-019-24, to be performed at the owner's expense. No root-cause diagnosis was provided. The underlying hardware cause, most likely the gear selector position sensor or transmission range sensor, was not confirmed or ruled out. The dealer is insisting the owner pay for the software update without establishing whether the bulletin covers the reported symptom or whether the vehicle VIN falls within its scope. No warning lamps preceded the first occurrence. The symptom appeared without prior indication and has recurred across multiple drive cycles.

NHTSA ODI 11747945

On June 26, 2026 my 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn truck lost its steering, with no prior warning. This could have resulted in a catastrophic, tragic accident had I been out on the road but it happened as I was attempting to pull out of my driveway. I could have been killed. Other people potentially could have been injured or killed if this happened while driving on the road. I had the truck towed to a local repair shop, who looked at the truck and indicated that due to the type of problem it had to be serviced by a Ram certified repair shop. We then had to truck towed to Quirk, a certified repair service center. Upon their inspection they discovered that the POWER STEERING RACK broke in half! They said that this is unusual for a vehicle with such low mileage of 29,779 miles and that this is very dangerous. The cost to repair my truck is $4,500 and there is a long wait time for the part because of a back order. Why, I wonder is there a back order? Is this a very serious safety issue that other Ram truck owners are dealing with as well?

NHTSA ODI 11747603

Both Driver and Passenger Visor arms have dis-engaged and no longer work to provide shielding from blinding sun. They just hang from thier broken arms and it happened shortly after having purchased this vehicle from a used car dealer, (Kearny Mesa) and they were unable to address since it was not a recall. Obviously they would repair it for $$$$ Did some research and apparently this is a common issue with this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11747707

High Pressure Fuel Pump failed. Pump failure can cause car to stop when not intended. Problem confirmed by an independent service center. Component not inspected by others. No warning lights or messages prior to the failure. The High Pressure Fuel Pump was replaced 4/30/2024 as part on 'Safety Recall Z96 - High Pressure Fuel Pump - Replace High Pressure Fuel Pump' by Merrick Dodge 3614 Sunrise Highway, Wantagh NY 11793.

NHTSA ODI 11747180

The steering system electric power steering rack failed on my 2020 Ram truck. We were unable to steer the truck and could have been in a horrible accident. This was a very dangerous situation. For some reason my truck was not included in the recall that was issued for the 2020 ram truck and I now face an astronomical repair bill in excess of $5000 according to the dealership repair shop. The part is $4500 and I have no idea how much the labor is going to amount to. This is an extreme hardship, not to mention that my family and I could have been killed and others to, if this happened on the highway. There were no warning lights indicating a problem prior to the incident.

NHTSA ODI 11747305

Back window was leaking into the seatbelt. I did take it in for service back in 2022 back window was replaced along with top liner. And it has still continued to leak and just now recently I’ve noticed the water must be going into the cabin mmbecause my screen has what looks to be water in it and continues to leak anytime it rains or I go in the car was and the water goes to the seatbelt I’ll attach photos it’s not letting me attach videos

NHTSA ODI 11746723

Steering wheel locked up. I was in the driveway when this occurred but if I was driving on the road my vehicle could have potentially crashed into something and cause harm to myself or someone else, since I could not steer the vehicle. I had the truck towed to VIP Tire &Service and they checked the truck and determined through diagnosis, that my problem is with the circuit card assembly for the Electric Power Steering gears and that only Dodge Ram service companies can fix the problem and to bring my truck to a Chrysler Dodge service center. So I had my truck towed to Quirk Chrysler in Marshfield. They said that my VIN was not in the recall and that it would not be covered. It obviously should be included in this recall, since this is precisely what my problem is. There were no warning lights indicating a problem. Please add my VIN number to this recall so it will be covered as it should be.

NHTSA ODI 11746773

I PCSd from Springfield, MO to Fort Bliss Texas. I bought the truck [XXX]. I make it to TX. Driving the first Saturday in TX on [XXX] it just shuts down and put me in a very scary situation. I was stuck in the middle of the high way. It does not drive. The Etorque/generator is bad and is now on order from my local Dodge dealership. It literally shut down my truck and will not start, run, nothing. It’s been in the shop for 40 days with a no ETA on the part ordered. This should definitely be a safety recall as it just stalled me on the highway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11746568

While driving and making a turn at a busy, high-traffic intersection, a red steering service warning message/light suddenly appeared on the dashboard. Immediately after the warning appeared, the steering became extremely difficult to operate and felt as though it had locked or jammed. I had to use significant force to turn the steering wheel in order to complete the turn. At the same time, a box truck was approaching the intersection at a high rate of speed. Because I was struggling to steer the vehicle, I was unable to maneuver normally and narrowly avoided a collision. Fortunately, the driver of the box truck was able to stop in time. Had the truck not stopped, a serious accident resulting in severe injuries or fatalities could have occurred. This sudden loss of steering assistance happened without warning and created an extremely dangerous situation. A steering system should not fail while a vehicle is in motion, especially in traffic. The failure significantly reduced my ability to control the vehicle and placed me and other motorists at risk. I believe this may be a safety-related defect and request that NHTSA investigate similar complaints involving steering system failures in 2020 Ram 1500 Limited vehicles. Such failures have the potential to cause catastrophic accidents and should be addressed immediately.

NHTSA ODI 11746205

The radion frequency module has gone bad in my truck. I assume this is due to the rear window leak that is known on these trucks. My rear window was replaced earlier this year do to damage. However, as I search the internet this issue with the radion frequency module is greatly reported and I do not understand why FCA/Mopar have not issue a recall notice on this. Instead owners are having to come out of pocket over $1000 to repair something that everyone knows is an issue.

NHTSA ODI 11745239

At 60mph the vehie suddenly did a 180 and went backwards down the road. Fortunately it was a straight stretch and no oncoming traffic. Rear axle sized up, drive shaft shrown, and rear shaft froze resulting in equivalent of rear brakes onky thus the 180. Rear axle lost all lubrication and this is very similar to existing safety recall on other Ram models but not this one.

NHTSA ODI 11744184

Tailgate gets stuck and will not open.

NHTSA ODI 11740467

While coming to a stop at an intersection, vehicle engine stalled and transmission automatically slammed itself into park, with no warning, nearly causing a collision. This issue has previously been recalled for other Ram Trucks - some were not appropriately recalled and pose a major safety risk.

NHTSA ODI 11738937

Possible main body module, started with a false "bad tail light" notification.. then a "blind spot alert unavailable service required" then screen, ac, and most electrical controls/ actions gone ie (driver side door windows, running board, etc.)

NHTSA ODI 11739066

Driving to work yesterday with the heated steering wheel turned and thought I got shocked so I turned the steering wheel heater off immediately. This morning I turned the steering wheel heater on while driving and burnt one of my finger tips on the steering wheel at approx the 9 O'clock position. Before I could hit the button to turn the steering wheel heater back off a small puff of smoke came from the exact spot on the wheel where my finger was burned earlier. I removed the fuse for the steering wheel heater so it could not come back on.

NHTSA ODI 11735313

Tailgate keeps falling open after I have ensured it was closed. There is an active recall for other rams of this year, but mine isnt listed.

NHTSA ODI 11734111

TIMELINE: 3/2/26: Check engine light and remote start error appeared; no immediate symptoms, planned to have it inspected later. 3/3/26: Truck failed to start after work, leaving me stranded. 3/4/26: Checked for obvious issues (battery, fuses); none found. 3/5/26: Diagnosed and replaced a failed starter; truck started and drove normally. 3/6/26: Vehicle operated normally all day with multiple successful starts. 3/7/26: Truck would not start again. 3/23/26: Vehicle towed to local RAM dealership for inspection. 3/30/26: Dealership determined engine is completely seized and requires replacement. My complaint is that the engine seized abruptly with no warning signs of impending failure. This posed a serious safety risk, as it could have occurred on the highway and caused an accident, injury, or death. The vehicle has approximately 106,000 miles, and all oil changes were performed properly and on schedule. The dealership has refused to inspect the engine to determine the cause unless I pay for their services, and RAM corporate has stated they have no one available to evaluate the issue. This may be due to a defective part that could endanger others and should be investigated to help prevent future incidents. Also during the process of calling RAM corporate, they informed me I had a opem recall for a power train control module, which I had never received any notice of.

NHTSA ODI 11733103

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the dashboard lamination had started peeling and was delaminating. Additionally, there was bubbling on the driver's side and the passenger's side of the dashboard. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11731475

The gas tank does not fill properly and leads to spilled gas while filling the tank. There is a technical bulletin (looks like 14-001-22) that tells mechanics how to fix the issue. I brought my truck to a mechanic who was able to replicate this issue and did confirm with a neighboring Chrysler dealership that they would not help cover the cost of the repair. The mechanic's notes mention that the TSB requires the fuel tank to be replaced entirely. There were no indications that this was an issue prior to it happening 5 weeks into me owning the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11731201

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the accelerator pedal detached. The vehicle was coasted into a nearby apartment complex and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact activated the hazard lights and was towed by AAA to an independent mechanic. The mechanic discovered that the accelerator pedal was missing a bolt and that the accelerator pedal kit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to have the vehicle repaired by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11730112

Tailgate not operational as one of the 5 latch assemblies doesn't know if rear doors are open or closed. If truck has a bed cover it would be impossible to get rear doors open as access would be impossible without destroying the bed cover. I've owned a 2021 & 2020 with this problem covering many production years besides mine. Driving down the road the OPEN SWING GATE indicator starts flashing & buzzing constantly RAM needs to step up & accept responsibility for this design flaw.

NHTSA ODI 11729948

In april of 2024 the MGU on the etourqe system needed replacement. The vehicle went into the shop on April 26 2024 and was released to me on may 16 2024. On march 18 2026 the same vehicle was taken to the shop for the same issue. Today is april 8 2026 and the vehicle is still at the dealer with no time frame of repair. No loaner vehicles for me either time, backordered parts all the while I am forced to pay for a rental vehicle. How can there be a known issue but no resources to handle the demand for parts.

NHTSA ODI 11729964

I reported last year that my dash board has been coming off dut to the heat. Told me I had to repair myself. It's already to the pint where the whole thing is almost completely off

NHTSA ODI 11730055