Ram 1500 years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Ram 1500, the 2016 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 1,534, about 2.3× the 675 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2019 and 2015 are close behind, at 1,468 and 1,443. The most-reported components that year were steering and the engine. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 607. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 30. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2016 1500 is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Ram 1500, with 1,534 complaints against the model's 772.5 median.
Every 1500 model year, ranked
Every 1500 model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 772.5 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 1500 | 1,534 | 2× | 17 | steering |
| 2019 1500 | 1,468 | 1.9× | 30 | the electrical system |
| 2015 1500 | 1,443 | 1.9× | 18 | steering |
| 2017 1500 | 870 | 1.1× | 13 | steering |
| 2021 1500 | 675 | 0.9× | 15 | the engine |
| 2018 1500 | 659 | 0.9× | 15 | the electrical system |
| 2020 1500 | 622 | 0.8× | 14 | the electrical system |
| 2022 1500 | 607 | 0.8× | 16 | the engine |
Buying a Ram 1500? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
Title brands · Odometer records · Auction history, where reported
No subscription. No charge to check the VIN. Report contents vary by vehicle; applicable tax is shown at checkout.
See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the 1500 only. It says nothing about how the 1500 compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Ram 1500 year-by-year questions
Which Ram 1500 year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Ram 1500, the 2016 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 1,534, about 2.3× the 675 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2019 and 2015 are close behind, at 1,468 and 1,443. The most-reported components that year were steering and the engine. The 2022 drew the fewest, at 607. Separately, the 2019 carries the most recall campaigns, 30. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Ram 1500 year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Ram 1500, the 2022 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 607, against the model's 772.5 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Ram 1500 is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific 1500?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.