2019 RAM 1500 Complaints

The cylinder that deploys the side curtain on the back passenger side spontaneously blew up in my truck. The vehicle was not currently being operated or on at the time is was parked in the driveway and was completely off. There was no forced entry and no collision it just spontaneously exploded causing roof damage, electrical damage, ceiling damage and cab light damage. The vehicle is currently parked at the dealership and has been verified by dealership that it was a mechanical malfunction with the airbag cylinder. There was no warnings that I was aware of before it exploded since it was just sitting in the driveway but from the information that was given to me by the dealerships this was an issue that fell under the Takata Airbag recalls in 2021. The only warning lights is when you start it up the airbag check system light is on the dashboard. This issue has caused me to never want to put my family in that truck again because thank god none of us were in it when it happened but this could have happened to anyone and thankfully we were not driving down the road or even in the vehicle at all. This is a major safety issue.

The 48-Volt Belt-Driven Hybrid Starter Generator / Motor Generator Unit (MGU / eTorque Alternator) suffered a catastrophic failure on my vehicle at approximately [Insert Mileage, e.g., 140,000] miles. The failure occurred while traveling out of state away from home, causing a sudden loss of vehicle charging, dashboard electrical errors ("Battery Saver Mode"), and creating an imminent threat of an engine stall in live traffic. Due to widespread manufacturer part backorders exceeding tens of thousands of units, my vehicle was forced to sit at a dealership until I could pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for a component that Ram has actively removed from newer production vehicles due to its high failure rate. This is a severe, systemic durability and safety issue affecting thousands of trucks. I am requesting that NHTSA force FCA/Stellantis to issue a safety recall and establish a retroactive reimbursement program for all owners who paid out-of-pocket for MGU replacements. I possess the official out-of-state dealership invoice and proof of payment.

My truck's electric power steering (EPS) gets stuck in a left-hand turn and does not return to center. I have to physically turn the steering wheel to get it to return to center which causes the vehicle to over-steer, causes jerky movements and makes drives at highway speeds very unsafe. The steering system gets stuck mostly in a left-hand turn but less so in a right-hand turn. This appears to either be a faulty design of the EPS or faulty equipment, but either way, it is unsafe and should be recalled.

The exact failed component has not yet been identified. The malfunction appeared to involve the vehicle’s electrical, communication/network, ignition or starting system. The vehicle and its components remain available for inspection upon request. On Friday, August 21, 2026, while driving my 2019 RAM 1500 Classic Tradesman with approximately 108,320 miles, the vehicle’s electronics suddenly began behaving erratically. As I braked and slowed nearly to a stop, the engine shut off. Parts of the dashboard remained illuminated, but the engine would not crank or restart. After approximately one minute, the electronics returned to normal and the vehicle started again. The truck then operated for the remainder of the drive. This created a safety risk because the vehicle shut off unexpectedly while it was still moving and temporarily could not be restarted. A similar electrical shutdown occurred on February 13, 2026, when the displays flashed, the HVAC cycled, vehicle power was lost and the key became stuck. The vehicle restarted after approximately five to ten minutes during that incident. The current problem has not yet been reproduced, confirmed or diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center. To the best of my knowledge, it has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, an insurance representative or another organization. There was no advance warning before the electronics began malfunctioning during the August incident. The erratic electronics were the first symptom immediately before the shutdown. The dashboard remained partially illuminated during the no-crank period, but I do not recall the exact warning messages or lamps displayed. The vehicle’s VIN currently shows zero unrepaired safety recalls in NHTSA’s lookup.

My 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel has recurring electrical/communication failures that occur every day. The truck repeatedly displays “ParkSense Temporarily Unavailable,” “Service Shifter,” “Service Tire Pressure System,” and “Tire Pressure Unavailable.” The ParkSense sensors often do not activate at all, leaving me without parking assistance while backing up. The system also repeatedly pings with warnings throughout the day. When “Service Shifter” appears, the truck shifts roughly and the transmission does not feel like it is shifting correctly. I am concerned this could indicate an electrical or communication problem affecting the electronic shifter, transmission operation, gear selection, or vehicle control. The truck also has an ongoing water leak around the rear window, including the upper portion and near the sliding window. The electrical problems appear worse during high humidity, although they have also occurred during winter. I am concerned that water intrusion could cause corrosion, electrical shorts, module damage, or other safety hazards. A reputable independent repair shop inspected the vehicle and identified a U-code communication fault. The problems continue to occur daily. I am concerned about the risk of a collision from losing ParkSense, potential transmission/gear-selection problems, and water-related electrical damage. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether these recurring failures represent a safety defect affecting 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles. The vehicle is available for inspection.

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong exhaust odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the exhaust manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned that the failure posed a safety risk due to the potential inhalation of carbon monoxide. Additionally, the contact stated that a previous model year vehicle that the contact owned was previously repaired due to the same failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Loss of power steering on 3 occasions. Currently undrivable due to not knowing when it will fail again. Dealership has confirmed the code is for power steering failure.

the lock retractors are not working on left and right sides of the back seat for children. They need to get fix in case of an accident they could be safe

This has now happened 3 separate times. Once 1 month ago, my husband and I were on the connecting road from [XXX] toward [XXX] by the water plants stopped in traffic and the truck completely powered off at a red light. It took 30 seconds for the truck to power back on, and be restarted. It showed a check engine light the rest of the drive. The next time it turned on from being off there was no check engine light. Last week we were driving on a the main road toward our house going 30 miles per hour and coming up to a right turn then the truck stopped abruptly and died. It completely powered off and took 2 minutes to power back on. We were blocking a one lane road. It then showed a check engine light that went away after a few days. Today after getting ready to enter [XXX] going 55 miles per hour the truck showed a check engine light and the truck started to power down mid highway entrance and I had to try and pull off before it powered down completely. It took 5 minutes this time for the truck regain power enough to be restart fully. The check engine light is still on. It endangered both me and everyone behind me because I abruptly slowed down and risked not having anywhere to pull over on a highway. Every time it has failed I have been in the middle of a road, lane, highway/freeway. With no way to signal my truck has died and no way to move it. Police have not investigated this issue, no dealerships or shops have looked at this issue currently. The engine, powertrain, brakes, and electrical appear to be not functioning properly in these incidents but it is unknown of the root cause. There has been no other indication that this truck has had these issues or previous recalls for these incidents. This truck was bought from a dealership earlier this year without issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated shortly afterwards. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. The message “Slow Down - Service Shifter” was displayed. The contact associated the failure with TSB: (23-029-22 Rev. A); and referenced an extended warranty coverage. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and produced DTC: U0645 - Lost Communication with Active Air Dam Module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 137,700.