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Home›Ram›Ram 1500› airbag problems
Owner complaints · Air Bags · every model year

Ram 1500 airbag problems, 2016–2027

145 of the 7,221 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ram 1500 2016–2027 name the airbags (NHTSA’s “Air Bags” heading — airbags, their sensors and warning lights). The loudest years: 2019 (92), 2017 (53). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 manufacturer bulletin, 10 recall campaigns. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.

145 complaints, 12 model years 2% of everything filed about the 1500 typically at 32k miles

Ram 1500 airbag problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.

Model yearComplaints naming the airbagsShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
20270——2 TSBsthe year →
20260———the year →
20250———the year →
20240———the year →
20230———the year →
20220——2 recallsthe year →
20210——2 recallsthe year →
20200——3 recallsthe year →
2019 in depth926%25k4 recallsthe record →
20180——3 recallsthe year →
2017 in depth536%36k2 recallsthe record →
20160—34k3 recallsthe year →

Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the airbags. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the airbag complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
145complaints name the airbags, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2017: 2 · 2018: 12 · 2019: 27 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 14 · 2022: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 19 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 13

32kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 120 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the airbag problem between 14,000 and 59,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the airbags, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

Then 5 days later I was I was told parts are on back order without giving me a replacement vehicle. The service tech (eric) never calls me back I have to keep going back in forth trying to get a status up date on my vehicle.
Air Bags at 9,500 miles Oct 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The contact owned a 2019 Ram 1500. While the contact's husband was driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was struck by an 18-wheeler. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sought medical attention at a local hospital for shoulder injuries. The whereabouts of the other driver were unknown. A police report was filed.
Air Bags Sep 12, 2019 NHTSA owner report
#1. With 21k mi. The service airbag system came on. It it stayed on for 5-7 sec and went off. It was intermittent at first but now it has been doing the same 2 or 3 times per minute. #2 the tailgate latch malfunctions at times and the tailgate falls by itself.
Air Bags at 21,000 miles Sep 24, 2018 NHTSA owner report
The cruise control accelerated at a huge rate past the desired speed resulting in a hydro plane which caused all sides of the vehicle to impact however only passenger bags deployed not a single driver bag
Air Bags at 22,000 miles Sep 9, 2018 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the airbags, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

The 8 newest of 10; each model year’s page lists its own.

1 manufacturer bulletin filed under this heading, any model year

Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Other systems with a record on the Ram 1500

Source: the same files

Every system, every model year: Ram 1500 problems by year →

From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Which Ram 1500 years have the most airbag complaints?

2019, 92; 2017, 53. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2019 (6%).

Is there a recall for the airbags on the Ram 1500?

Yes — 10 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 25V824000 (2019), 25V765000 (2022), 25V592000 (2018), 25V010000 (2019). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do airbag problems show up on the Ram 1500?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 32,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 14,000 and 59,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Air Bags" heading cover?

Airbags, their sensors and warning lights. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.