2011 Ram 1500 problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2011 Ram 1500 has 689 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 5 of 7 Ram 1500 model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2014 (1,770); the cleanest is 2020 (634). 4 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2011 a good year for the Ram 1500?
Complaint volume is fairly even across this nameplate, so the model year is a weaker signal here than it is on many cars. Read the components below rather than the totals.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | not retrieved | 16 |
| 2020 | 634 | 14 |
| 2018 | 662 | 15 |
| 2017 | 880 | 13 |
| 2015 | 1,453 | 18 |
| 2014 | 1,770 | 17 |
| 2012 | 697 | 7 |
| 2011 ← this page | 689 | 4 |
| 2010 | not retrieved | 4 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 9 of the nameplate’s model years. 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2011 accounts for 10% of every complaint filed against the Ram 1500 in this retrieval, which works out to 45.9 complaints per year on the road across the 15 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2011?
Power Train
Free remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018.
Fuel System, Gasoline
Regional recall — covers vehicles sold or ever registered in 18 states and territories.
Free remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will bolt a bracket reinforcement to the frame, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Power Train
Free remedy: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Ram dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2011 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Ram 1500?
Across every Ram 1500 year, not the 2011 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Steering — 1,313 reports
- Electrical System — 972 reports
- Power Train — 821 reports
- Engine — 782 reports
If your 2011 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Ram 1500 years should you compare?
← 2010 Ram 1500 · 2012 Ram 1500 → · All Ram 1500 years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Ram 1500 page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2011 before you commit
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