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Home›Ram›Ram 1500› electrical problems
Owner complaints · Electrical System · every model year

Ram 1500 electrical problems, 2016–2027

1,720 of the 7,221 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Ram 1500 2016–2027 name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). The loudest years: 2019 (382), 2021 (197), 2016 (192). Filed under the same heading across these years: 15 manufacturer bulletins, 8 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.

1,720 complaints, 12 model years 24% of everything filed about the 1500 typically at 23k miles

Ram 1500 electrical 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 electrical systemShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
20270——6 TSBsthe year →
20264749%—179 TSBs · 2 recallsthe year →
2025 in depth18452%6k305 TSBs · 3 recallsthe record →
20242939%—176 TSBs · 1 recallthe year →
2023 in depth6834%—226 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2022 in depth19131%40k312 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2021 in depth19729%45k349 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2020 in depth16226%30k329 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2019 in depth38226%19k309 TSBs · 4 recallsthe record →
2018 in depth15924%21k104 TSBs · 2 recallsthe record →
2017 in depth10912%23k88 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2016 in depth19212%33k146 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →

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 electrical system. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the electrical complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
1,720complaints name the electrical system, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 12 · 2017: 17 · 2018: 35 · 2019: 79 · 2020: 83 · 2021: 133 · 2022: 145 · 2023: 163 · 2024: 225 · 2025: 445 · 2026: 383

23kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 369 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 7,000 and 50,000 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 electrical system, 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.

I started my 2019 Ram 1500 in a parking lot and shifted to drive, I started to slowly move forward when I heard a engine revving a couple times then accelerate. I stopped looked around and saw no vehicles in my proximity (open shipping dock). Then I realized the sounds were coming from the inside of my vehicle.
Electrical System at 1,837 miles Apr 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report
Truck has 442 miles on it, check engine light came on began flashing. Engine malfunction light indicator illuminated. Sluggish on acceleration, blows heat regardless of temperature setting. All while in motion
Electrical System at 442 miles Mar 31, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The truck previously shut off twice during a left and then a right turn. That was around 120 and 200 miles on the truck, respectively. Only other issue was during a turn the radio changed channel autonomously. Today with 1700 mile I backed it up and then put it in drive. The truck shut off and kicked every fault code on the truck.
Electrical System Jun 29, 2021 NHTSA owner report
I was turning right, going less than 5 MPH when the truck stopped abruptly in the middle of the lane. A message came on the dash telling me to switch the shifter to park. The emergency brake was engaged automatically. I had only applied minimal accelerator and didn't have my foot on the brake.
Electrical System May 27, 2021 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. While parked outside the house, the vehicle caught fire. The fire department extinguished the flames. A report was not filed. The vehicle had not yet been towed to the junk yard. The manufacturer was notified and a claim was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.
Electrical System Nov 25, 2016 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the electrical system, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

15 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year

The 8 newest are listed; each model year’s page lists every one filed on that year. 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 electrical complaints?

2019, 382; 2021, 197; 2016, 192. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2025 (52%).

Is there a recall for the electrical system on the Ram 1500?

Yes — 8 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 26V225000 (2026), 25V826000 (2026), 25V298000 (2024), 25V231000 (2025). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do electrical problems show up on the Ram 1500?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 23,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 7,000 and 50,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?

Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.