What 104 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Ram Promaster

On [XXX], while driving my 2021 Ram ProMaster 2500 at highway speed in Florida, the van suddenly lost all power and came to a near stop, then re-engaged. Vehicles were in front and behind me, creating an immediate risk of serious collision, injury, or death. I pulled over ~30 minutes, restarted, but it could not exceed 20 mph while RPMs were high. AutoZone confirmed limp mode and advised a dealer. I drove it home to Port Charlotte, then had it towed to Gettel Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, Punta Gorda, FL, where after two weeks it was diagnosed with a failed transmission requiring replacement. The transmission can be inspected at the dealership. No warning lamps appeared before failure. Problem confirmed by AutoZone and the dealer. I contacted Stellantis (Case #[XXXX], contact Regina Knox; dealership contact Noel), but repair assistance was denied. The van also has two active recalls, including risk of rolling out of park, unremedied. This transmission failure constitutes a serious and imminent safety defect, creating a hazard to myself and the public. I request NHTSA investigate this defect, compel Stellantis to repair it at their cost, and consider any further regulatory action necessary to prevent injury or death. Vehicle info: 2021 Ram ProMaster 2500, 130,000 miles, VIN [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11727047

The contact owned a 2021 Ram Promaster 1500. The contact had stopped at a house that the contact worked on and parked the vehicle on the side of the house. The contact turned off the engine and entered the house, and after twenty minutes, when the contact stepped outside, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The flames spread to the house and caused damage to the property. Some of the paint melted; the garage door, driveway, side door, and some of the landscape were damaged. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. No police report was filed. The contact was informed by the fire department that the fire started due to a mechanical issue in the engine area. Afterwards, the contact was informed by the fire department that the investigation into the origin of the fire was inconclusive. The insurance company was notified and towed the vehicle to an unknown location. The insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the fire. The manufacturer advised the contact that a field inspector would be sent to inspect the vehicle. The field inspector had inspected the vehicle. The contact received an email from the manufacturer stating that the damage was not their responsibility and the claim had been closed. The contact stated that two weeks prior to the fire, a message saying "rear camera not available" was displayed, and an unknown warning code was illuminated on the instrument panel. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered that NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) was associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

NHTSA ODI 11721779

The 2021 Ram ProMaster 2500 I purchased from a dealer on 12/6/25 now has a serious safety defect. The transmission began grinding when shifting into Drive on 1/27/26. Immediately after, the vehicle started rolling backwards while fully in Park with the engine running. This indicates a failure of the parking pawl or internal gearset. The backup camera also does not function, there are coolant and power steering leaks, and the axle/wheel bearing is failing. The dealer claimed the van passed a “120-point inspection,” but it is clearly unsafe and unfit for operation. This defect poses a risk of rollaway injury, crash, and property damage.

NHTSA ODI 11713763

The contact owned a 2021 Ram 3500 Promaster. The contact stated one of his employees was driving at 40 MPH, when a burning odor was emitted from the vehicle. Smoke was emitting from under the hood and entered the vehicle through the A/C vents. The driver exited the vehicle. The driver did not sustain any injuries. None of the air bags deployed. It was unknown if any warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was consumed by the fire and destroyed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The origin of the fire was the engine. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact notified the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11653688

While driving on a straight highway, no wind, no weather, 65 mph, both hands on wheel, the van started revving and lost power. I pulled over with engine still running. There were no codes or warning light. I tried to drive again. It continued to rev and not get up to speed. I pulled over again and shut it down. I waited a few minutes and then started it. When pulling back on freeway it ran normal with no more issues for another 700 miles. I took it in to the Dodge dealer on 1-13-23 to have it checked. They couldn't find anything. I'm reporting this because it was a very scary and dangerous incident. I was lucky to have a place to pull over and not be in heavy traffic.

NHTSA ODI 11502719