RAM 4500 Reliability by Year
Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
64 NHTSA complaints (2009–2024).Complaint rate: 374.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Should I buy a RAM 4500?
Quick answer from 64 NHTSA complaints · 2009–2024
RAM 4500 shows elevated crash or fire rates — buy with caution. 9.4% of reported complaints involved a crash — above the ~4% mainstream average. Most complaints relate to engine problems. Inspect carefully or consider a different model in the same class.
- 2022 RAM 4500· 3 complaints
- 2020 RAM 4500· 4 complaints
- 2013 RAM 4500· 5 complaints
Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Rankings based on raw NHTSA complaint counts. Sales volume data not yet available for this model.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2018 RAM 4500. The 2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: Engine.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common RAM 4500 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.
Show full table
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 10 | 0.0% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 8 | 12.5% |
| Steering Defects | 7 | 14.3% |
| Brakes | 6 | 0.0% |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 6 | 0.0% |
| Fuel System | 4 | 0.0% |
| Suspension Failures | 4 | 25.0% |
| Wheel Issues | 4 | 25.0% |
| Visibility | 2 | 0.0% |
| Diesel Fuel System | 2 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Data Sources & Methodology
Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (64 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.
Sales data: Not yet available for this model. Complaint counts are shown as raw numbers.
Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.
Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint count. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).
See also: RAM 4500accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a RAM 4500?
Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $4.99.
Check VIN Free