What 161 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ram 2500 Regular Cab

The contact owns a 2020 RAM 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the engine was running unusually rough and the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed engine. The contact was informed that the heater intake bolt was detached and entered into the number 6 cylinder. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure regarding the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,128.

NHTSA ODI 11748863

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, a tapping sound was heard, which gradually grew louder. The next day, the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a piston 5 failure, and the dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000.

NHTSA ODI 11748901

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while standing directly behind the tailgate, the contact heard an audible "click", and the tailgate independently unlatched and opened, striking the contact's chest, and the contact was forcefully knocked to the ground. Due to the severity of the impact and injury, the contact was immobilized on the ground for 45 minutes while calling out for emergency assistance. The contact sustained a broken femur. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V904000 (Structure), in which the vehicle did not have the recall remedy performed to prevent the failure. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer determined that no repair was needed and marked the recall as complete. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer for a reinspection, with a diagnostic fee included, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact mentioned being concerned for their safety when driving the vehicle. The failure mileage was 35,272.

NHTSA ODI 11743463

My 2020 Ram 2500 Mega Cab truck Dash Leather Covering is coming loose from it base and may interfere with the passenger Air Bag deployment that is under the loose material. My truck has only 36,000 miles on it and has been garaged kept since I purchased it new. *I found this information online. Ram 2500 trucks (2019–2023) frequently experience dashboard leather bubbling or delamination, particularly over the passenger airbag area. This bulging can compromise airbag deployment and is caused by adhesive failure, often requiring a full dashboard replacement. I contacted my local Ram service center. They advised my to contact Ram corporate regarding this Safety Issue. Key Details Regarding the Issue: •Cause: The glue holding the leather/vinyl to the dash substrate fails, leading to bubbling and peeling, which can create a ridge over the passenger airbag deployment zone. •Safety Risk: A warped or bulging dashboard can interfere with the proper deployment of the passenger-side airbag.

NHTSA ODI 11728458

Massive oil leak that everyone has issues with also has a grid heater bolt that fails and causes engine damage. The oil leaks are terrible for the environment and causing leaks all over every road

NHTSA ODI 11722748

The reverse went out while driving

NHTSA ODI 11717800

Hood liner repeatedly drops down out of its mounting points on the edge near the engine firewall. This is a manufacturing engineering deficiency that relies on shaped material to hold the liner in place. The dealer has replaced it three times, and the same thing continues to happen. Chrysler refuses to address the issue. My concern is what happens if the liner completely drops down on the engine while in operation.

NHTSA ODI 11716542

While towing, my trailer brakes and lights come off and on randomly. I've had the wiring repaired on my trailer and it did not fix the issue. I've almost been in several accidents while towing, It is very unsafe.

NHTSA ODI 11716032

Def pump failed twice with this vehicle and with that it does not allow the vehicle to run any faster than 5 mph after the countdown ends. Unknown how the exhaust being plugged and service was done to clean the exhaust ended up having the fuel pump and turbo charger needing replaced. Not sure if they went hand in hand and one causing the other. So far the vehicle only has almost 78,000 miles on it. Change oil and fuel filters at the vehicles scheduled computer system reports on the vehicle. I was having issues from service center having trouble resetting the exhaust system, which they said the system was not sealing properly. Took them a couple of days to get part from dealership to get it to seal and reprocessed the test which they said passed exhaust reset. That would explain the poor fuel rating of only getting 9 miles per gallon. If there was a complete fuel pump failure, not sure if that would compare to this being a safety issue. Not sure how engine would react, due to it completely failing or if the turbo would cause the vehicle to be unsafe. The vehicle is currently at dealership and only 1 out of the 3 are even available to fix this problem. Def pump is available, but unknown when the others will arrive. Service shop said it could be 3 weeks or 8 months for parts to come in. Due to being a back ordered item. Spent $70k for this vehicle, just to have it spend over 2 months in the shop. I do my own oil and fuel filter changes, due to it being faster and cheaper than any dealer or shop.

NHTSA ODI 11713822

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, traffic started to slow down, and the vehicle failed to stop as intended while depressing the brake pedal. The contact depressed the brake pedal again, and the vehicle abruptly stopped and veered to the left. The contact was able regain control of the vehicle and pulled over to the shoulder. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the ABS, 4x4, and brakes warning lights were illuminated, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, a metallic burning odor was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. When the tow truck driver lowered the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front driver’s side wheel seemed bent. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703837

2500 Truck randomly activates emergency braking for no reason. Occurs a couple times a month. Every occurrence has zero obstructions in front. I took it to the Tate Ram dealer (frederick MD) and they refused to update their software unless I pay them +$285.00. The Ram dealer is even aware of the software issue. I told them this is a life safety issue and not my fault. I requested the fix immediately but refused. I also have an active full MOPAR warranty, and they still said it's not covered. This is insane

NHTSA ODI 11694963

As I was operating my vehicle on I95 northbound smoke began to pour out of my vents. I was able to pull over and was able to determine there was a fire behind the radio in my truck. I immediately grabbed the personal affects that I could grab and called 911. However within 5 minutes the cab of the truck.was engulfed im flames.

NHTSA ODI 11687105

I pushed my breaks and the hydro booster started spraying fluid inside the cab I lost my breaks I was backing up down my sister's drive way hit a telephone pole with the back of the truck it made a little dent

NHTSA ODI 11683879

Subject: Fuel System Failure Resulting in Engine Damage – 2020 RAM 2500 Pickup VIN: [XXX] Complaint Summary: I am submitting this complaint to formally report a dangerous and costly fuel system defect in my 2020 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup (VIN: [XXX] ) that has resulted in catastrophic engine damage. Although Chrysler has issued a recall for the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) in many 2020 Ram trucks equipped with the 6.7L Cummins engine, I was told that my vehicle was not included in the recall—even though it exhibits all the classic symptoms of HPFP failure. This is a safety hazard and a potential emissions violation. Details of the Incident: In June 2025, I brought my truck to Tracy Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM after experiencing engine misfires, loss of power, and a knocking noise. The dealership diagnosed a P0303 cylinder misfire and noted a fuel smell in the engine oil, as documented in repair order #[XXX]. Despite extensive diagnostic work—including compression tests, leak-down, and injector swaps—the misfire remained unresolved, and a tapping noise persisted. The technician explicitly noted fuel contamination in the oil and suspected internal engine damage due to a fuel system issue. To further investigate, I submitted an oil sample to Blackstone Laboratories. The lab confirmed the engine oil was heavily diluted with diesel fuel—over 10% fuel contamination, which reduced the viscosity from 5W40 to the equivalent of 5W20. This is consistent with HPFP failure leaking fuel into the crankcase. The oil report also noted excessive steel wear and recommended immediate oil change and fuel system inspection. At no time was a check engine light present, nor was there a clear diagnostic code for HPFP failure. Chrysler continues to deny responsibility even though the evidence clearly points to a failed HPFP—a well-documented issue for this engine model and year. The cost of diagnosis and parts alone has exceeded $4,000, and the engine is likely destroy INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11679223

The parking brake will not operate. Upon inspection the teeth on the gear are broken causing it to lock at top position. Dealership would not warranty safety part at 30,059 miles on vehicle so now I am left with no parking brake to protect vehicle from rolling on hill. Keep in mind vehicle is always used for towing 12,000 pounds or more.

NHTSA ODI 11671827

Ram and it's parent company know there is an issue with the brake systems on their 3/4 ton pickup trucks. The 2500's. There is excessive travel in the brake petal and not enough pressure builds up in the system to activate the brakes correctly and adequately. It's all over the ram 2500 online forums. Many people are experiencing this issue with new trucks. Ram and its parent company Stellantis are unwilling to do anything about it.

NHTSA ODI 11671333

Too much travel in brake pedal. Feels spongy. Weak brakes, hard to stop vehicle. Have to put pedal to the floor. Was told this was OK and normal at the dealership. Has been like this since I bought the vehicle new.

NHTSA ODI 11671179

Vehicle randomly shuts off during normal operation. Same as if the Start / Stop button were activated. Vehicle coasts until it self applies the emergency brake at about 3mph causing a sudden, jerky complete stop. Switches itself to Park. Dash indicates “sterp on brake to restart”. Vehicle restarts normally but may randomly shut down again. Safety risk is loss of steering, loss of power brake control, and total loss of power in traffic. Taking it to dealer today. Vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet. No messages or warning lights display. This is a recent problem but recurring with increasing frequency.

NHTSA ODI 11658917

Traction control kicks on while driving on dry pavement and the truck bogs down like there isn’t any power. The truck slows down abruptly and will not speed back up without pulling to the side of the road and I have to shut it off and reset. The drive selector knob lights starts flashing and now they don’t come on at all. This has happened on 4 occasions

NHTSA ODI 11649098

Issue is that the on the Diesel intake heater core has a bolt that comes loose from inside the manifold and can fall down into the cylinder and can cause catastrophic failure.

NHTSA ODI 11642611

I have a check engine light that came on. I took it to the dealer and they said it is a P0542 code for heating element relay. There is a technical service bulletin out for this known issue. I still have power train warranty left on my truck but they’re claiming it isn’t covered. I went as far as to add a bank ram air intake for over $1000 to help eliminate a complete engine failure. Any help would be appreciated

NHTSA ODI 11639327

The contact's husband owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the diesel particulate filter had failed due to the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure, which caused metal shavings to enter the fuel system. The dealer determined that the HPFP and the entire fuel system needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer had offered to partially cover the repair cost through goodwill assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the recall repair failed to fix the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed; however, the manufacturer had failed to respond to the contact's follow-up emails and calls. The failure mileage was approximately 126,513.

NHTSA ODI 11639458

Throws code p2609 which is grid heater, this needs to be fixed at 38000 miles, I'm sure it'll cause a fire like the other model years that is being recalled for the same issue

NHTSA ODI 11634617

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, there was a knocking noise coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that engine grid heater had overheated, causing damages to the engine. The engine was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 300,000.

NHTSA ODI 11613423

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that after starting the engine, moments later the contact came back to discover fire coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact and co-workers used fire extinguishers to extinguish the flames. The vehicle was later towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11611450