2023 RAM 1500 Problems: 16 Known Issues

On the 2019-2025 RAM 1500, bulletin 09-011-25 describes cylinder-specific misfire codes, rough idle or valvetrain noise that may be related to worn intake camshaft high-lift lobes and/or intake rocker high-lift slider wear on specified upgraded 3.6L engines. It does not establish the older generic needle-bearing failure account for all Pentastar engines. 2019–2025 Ram 1500 DT built on or before November 14, 2024 with upgraded 3.6L ERC or ERG engines. Not the 5.7L HEMI, EcoDiesel or older 2013–2018 scope. This is an information-only bulletin, not a recall or authorization for repair.

On the 2014-2016, 2020-2023 RAM 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 (VM Motori A630), the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 suffers documented bottom-end failures: the main bearings (most common) and connecting-rod bearings wipe out, dropping oil pressure to the rods, spinning a rod bearing and sometimes snapping the crankshaft if driven on. Factory main-bearing clearances are very tight (~0.0015 in), so the combination of high load at low rpm, torsional vibration, and hot thin oil wipes a bearing. A contributing failure is the plastic-bodied oil cooler/check valve, which can fail under sustained high oil temperature (especially towing) and contaminate the oil — accelerating bearing damage. These are catastrophic, often low-mileage failures, separate from the EcoDiesel's EGR-cooler and CP4 fuel-pump problems.

On the 2009, 2011, 2013-2024 RAM 1500, on the RAM 1500, P0011 is overwhelmingly a Variable Valve Timing (VVT) fault on the 5.7L Hemi, and secondarily on the 3.6L Pentastar V6. The Hemi uses a single central cam phaser fed oil pressure through one oil control valve (the VVT solenoid, mounted at the front of the engine near the timing cover). The PCM commands the phaser to a target intake-cam angle and monitors the actual angle via the cam/crank sensors. When the solenoid's fine oil screen clogs with sludge/varnish, or the solenoid sticks, oil flow to the phaser is no longer regulated and the intake cam advances past the commanded position — the PCM flags P0011 (over-advanced, bank 1). The root cause is almost always oil-related: extended oil-change intervals, low level, or off-spec/thick oil that will not flow through the small VVT passages, especially on cold starts. On higher-mileage Hemis, a P0011 (often alongside P0016/P000B) can also be the leading edge of the well-known Hemi cam/lifter wear failure — wear metal contaminating the oil seizes the phaser and solenoid, so P0011 should not be dismissed as 'just a solenoid' on a ticking, high-mileage engine.

On the 2023-2024 RAM 1500, ram 1500 trucks from the 2023 and 2024 model years are among the vehicles in NHTSA recall 24V199000. The steering column control module in these trucks may not have been welded properly. If it wasn't, the driver's air bag may fail to deploy in a crash — a non-compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 on occupant crash protection, and a real increase in injury risk for whoever is behind the wheel. FCA US (Stellantis) filed the campaign under recall numbers 14B, 33B, 34B, 35B and 36B, covering a mix of Ram, Jeep and Chrysler vehicles. This is a distinct campaign from the other steering-column-module recall on the 1500; a VIN check is the only reliable way to tell which apply to your truck.

On the 2019-2026 RAM 1500, chrysler recalled 1,271,294 RAM 1500 pickups covering model years 2019 through 2026 because the second-row seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed — the buckle anchor was not attached to the body structure as designed. In a crash the anchor can pull free and the belt will not restrain the rear-seat occupant. NHTSA recorded the trucks as non-compliant with FMVSS 210, 'Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages.' This is one of the largest campaigns filed against the truck and it reaches all the way into current 2026 production, so a brand-new truck on a dealer lot can be affected. Owner notification letters were expected August 18, 2026 with VINs searchable from August 6, 2026.

On the 2020-2023 RAM 1500, two equipment-specific recalls describe a missing rearview camera image. 23V059 concerns trailer reverse steering control software; 22V638 concerns persistent radio resets on qualified EcoDiesel trucks. The same blank-screen symptom does not establish failed camera hardware, a tailgate harness defect or coverage under both campaigns. 23V059/14A: 2021–2023 Ram 1500 DT with Trailer Reverse Steering Control, built June 3, 2020–August 17, 2022. 22V638/Z86: 2020–2021 Ram 1500 with EcoDiesel and the specified radios, built June 3, 2019–November 20, 2020. Confirm the exact outstanding campaign by VIN; other configurations are not qualified by this illustration.

On the 2019-2024 RAM 1500, the optional 12-inch portrait Uconnect display (Uconnect 4C NAV on 2019-2021 trucks, Uconnect 5 from the 2022 model year) on 5th-gen DT Ram 1500 trucks fails in several ways distinct from the older 8.4 Uconnect freeze/reboot issue. Owners report the screen going completely black/blank and not turning on, vertical lines across the LCD, and visual artifacts. Some failures are LCD-panel hardware (heat/age driven), others are software (memory leaks, failed updates, process crashes) that produce a frozen or black display. Because radio audio sometimes still works via steering-wheel controls, the fault is clearly the display/head unit rather than the speakers. Dealers typically diagnose this as a full head-unit (radio) replacement, which is expensive.

On the 2023-2024 RAM 1500, recall 24V729 (FCA campaign A1B) covers certain 2023-2024 RAM 1500 vehicles. The turn-signal self-canceling feature may not work correctly, creating an FMVSS 108 noncompliance and increasing crash risk when the displayed signal does not match driver intent. The remedy is a dealer inspection of affected VINs, with steering-column control module replacement as necessary.

On the 2019-2023 RAM 1500, 5th-gen (DT) RAM 1500 trucks with the Uconnect 8.4 (and 12-inch) systems are widely reported to randomly reboot, freeze on the RAM logo, lose audio (sound cutting out every couple of seconds), and show backup-camera faults such as a blue screen, blank image, a large yellow square, or significant camera delay. Failures cluster in temperature extremes (below ~15F or above ~90F) and can occur at startup or after the system warms up. Some early trucks also had screen de-lamination/ghost-imaging hardware defects requiring radio replacement. A software update (TSB 08-003-19) was issued to address display freezing/glitches.

On the 2019-2025 RAM 1500, the 2019+ RAM 1500 equipped with the optional four-corner air suspension system experiences compressor failures, air spring leaks, height sensor malfunctions, and control module issues. The truck may sag on one corner, fail to raise/lower, or display "Service Air Suspension System" warnings. The air compressor works constantly trying to compensate for leaks, eventually burning out. Cold weather accelerates air spring rubber deterioration. FCA air-suspension bulletins listed for the Ram 1500 include S1902000008 (compressor module assembly replacement), S2208000197 ('Service Air Suspension' cluster message) and 0812723 (air suspension control module flash). Individual air spring replacement costs $300-600 per corner, compressor replacement is $800-1,500, and a full system overhaul can exceed $3,000.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, rAM 1500s equipped with the optional 4-corner air suspension (common on Laramie, Longhorn, Limited, Rebel) suffer recurring failures. The most common is air-bag micro-leaks (usually a rear bag) that make the compressor run continuously to keep up; the overworked compressor draws in humid air, ingests moisture that freezes in the air lines/dryer in winter, and the system collapses with a 'Service Air Suspension' message. Compressors then fail outright. Owners also report ride-height sensor faults; on 2023 trucks a software bug can falsely flag height sensors as 'stuck' (addressed by TSB 08-152-24). A class action filed in Alberta, Canada covers cold-weather air-suspension failures on 2013-2020 trucks.

On the 2019, 2021-2024 RAM 1500, recall 24V653/75B concerns ABS control-module software that can disable electronic stability control. The report identifies ABS, ESC, adaptive-cruise and forward-collision warning lamps at startup. This is separate from 24V794, the 2025-only front wheel-bearing encoder-ring campaign; their model-year populations do not overlap. Certain 2019 and 2021–2024 Ram 1500 DT trucks built October 31, 2017–February 14, 2024, subject to VIN confirmation. Model year 2020 is not in the described population. Recall 24V794/97B concerns 2025 trucks only and does not provide a hardware remedy for this software campaign.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, the ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission can experience harsh shifting, hesitation, and jerky behavior. Some units have failed prematurely. Early model years (2013-2016) seem most affected. Multiple TSBs have been issued for software updates.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, rAM 1500s with the ZF-based 8-speed automatic (TorqueFlite 845RE / 850RE, 8HP70/8HP75) commonly develop torque-converter clutch shudder. It feels like a slight-to-heavy vibration or 'driving over rumble strips' at part throttle and light acceleration, typically 15-50 mph as the converter approaches lock-up. Owners frequently report it around the 70,000-80,000 mile range, often tied to degraded fluid friction-modifier and/or worn/glazed torque-converter clutch material. Severe cases drop into limp mode (stuck in a single gear, often reported as 4th, with a CEL). Harsh 1-2/2-3 upshifts are also reported and are often resolved by a TCM software reflash.

On the 2019-2024 RAM 1500, bulletin 09-001-24 describes cold ticking from the exhaust manifold area. A technician confirms a crack, distinguishing it from a normal casting parting line or fin; the bulletin is not evidence that every HEMI has broken bolts. 2019–2024 Ram 1500 DT with 5.7L EZL eTorque or EZH engines. This bulletin does not establish coverage for the older 2009–2018 claims carried in the historical record.

On the 2009-2023 RAM 1500, ram 1500 rear (and sometimes front) differential pinion seals weep gear oil at the pinion flange, leaving residue on the driveshaft yoke and a wet spot at the front of the diff. The leak itself is minor, but improper repair is the bigger problem: if the pinion nut is not torqued correctly (and a fresh crush spacer used), the pinion bearing preload is wrong and a whine develops weeks later — whine on acceleration points to the pinion gear, whine on deceleration/coast points to a worn pinion bearing. Owners report the leak around 60k-70k miles and follow-on whining after a dealer reseal.