2021 RAM PROMASTER Complaints

Engine oil leak at the oil filter. The oil filter monting surface has a defect (not flat) allowing oil to push out. It is currently available for inspection, but it is scheduled to been seen by the dealer to be replaced under warranty. Safety - issue was noticed before enough damage was done to be unsafe. The leak was substantial, so I imagine it would lead to a safety issue due to abrupt engine failure. Oil filter was properly installed, verified by independent repair facility. Leak was reproduced / verified by independant repair facility. No warning indicators for the issue.

The vehicle that I have is the very short wheelbase of the Ram Promaster, the 118” one which is shorter than anything that Ford Transit of Sprinter has. The issue is that the steering is horribly sensitive, meaning that if you move the steering wheel even a tiny bit the vehicle moves a lot. It is similar to the old days of those short wheelbase Jeeps and you hear of people complaining in about steering themselves off the road. I also own a short vehicle being a Volvo XC60 but that is fine compared to this. The safety issue here, is that if a driver is not as experienced and takes their eyes off the road even for an instance that any normal reaction to the steering wheel could be deadly. I am older, in my 50’s with a a lot of experience driving and even I am nervous about this, to the point that if I sneezed I would worry about a slight movement pushing me off the road or into oncoming traffic. My question is, is there oversight on standards for a minimum amount of steering per how it affects the vehicle? I have talked with other owners of same vehicle, but they have the longer wheelbase, they have no issues, so it leads me to wonder if Ram uses the same steering on all vans, which would explain the problem, as there needs to be different steering for a very short wheelbase like mine vs a longer wheelbase vehicle. It is so bad that I will not let any of my 3 daughters drive this van. Also, when I first purchased this van new, I did reach out to Ram about this and never heard any reply, this is unacceptable. My plan going forward is to sell this van, as I recently drove a standard length Ford Transit and it drove so much safer than mine!! My hope in this email, is that the Board investigates this for safety issues, I certainly hope that no lives have been lost, and if my email can save anyone somewhere then that is a mission accomplished; And if anyone at Ram know about this and didn’t do anything then they are liable.

When driving on the expressway at highway speeds in this 2021 Ram 2500, the side mirrors started to vibrate and folded/slammed into the vehicle. Rear and blind spot visibility was eliminated. Fortunately, a passenger could adjust passenger side and driver could adjust driver sidemirror, but they are now damaged and do not properly stay in position. A online Dodge Ram Forum indicates this is a common problem. DANGEROUS!

The contact owns a 2021 Ram Promaster City. The contact had initially received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V728000 (Exterior Lighting). He then called the dealer and was informed that there was an additional recall on the vehicle for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V699000 (Seat Belts) however, the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. He was informed that if he were to take possession of the vehicle, he would be held liable for any vehicle failure, including any recalls. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and was not serviced. The manufacturer was also notified of the issue but offered no assistance. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Vehicle has been repaired. Dealer made arrangements for a loaner at no charge.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram Promaster 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the blind spot monitoring system was not working properly. The system continued to play an audible chime. The system was registering that vehicles were nearby even though there was none. The contact spoke with an unknown local dealer but, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 300.

Since brand new, blind spot monitoring system would turn itself off repeatedly after being turned on. I cannot replicate how or why it occurs and it has happened at various highway and lower speeds.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact stated that while there were passengers occupying the dinette booth, the seat belts failed to accommodate the passenger. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 1,200. Consumer stated he would like to withdrawal the complaint.*JB

After van was put in reverse, when put in forward, the left rear caliper seized up and wheel would not turn. Was able to free wheel after putting in forward and reverse a few times. Seized again later that day. Was able to free up again and drive to dealer. Dealer stated rear and front driver-side calipers were not functioning correctly and will need replaced. Currently, van is at dealer awaiting repair. There was no accident. I don't recall any warning lights.

The Blind Spot Detector is not working. The van can be inspected upon request. This is a large vehicle and blind spot detection is an extremely important safety feature. A Dodge dealer found the following stored codes: U1700-87, c100B29, and c100e29 - I don't know if these are blind spot sensor codes or not. They have indicated they do not know how to fix it. This van is a Ram ProMaster 3500 that Jayco has converted to a class B RV (Jayco Swift T). It has not been inspected by Jayco or any others. The message center in the dash indicates the Blind Spot Detector is Disabled each time the van is started. This has appeared from the time of purchase of the van in early July. It continues to this day.

Two instances of rooftop tent opening without human interaction. Incident 1 // 9-17-21: Vehicle was parked and the front drivers side latch (attached photo) opened due to gusts of wind. Incident 2 // 9-19-21: When driving approximately 65 mph (cruise control) on Interstate 40 in Arizona, the front passenger side latch released and front passenger side of rooftop tent opened. I could not see that the tent opened while driving but noticed a change in wind noise and also steering control. I immediately pulled off the highway and observed that the front passenger side of the tent was open and about a 6 inch gap between the top and bottom halves of the tent was exposed. The center strap and drivers side latch were both still engaged. At the speed of travel it was possible for the tent to open completely which could have harmed my passengers or drivers of other vehicles on the road. I have seen numerous reports of this problem on the Roofnest Flock facebook group. The equipment is available for inspection upon request. It has not been inspected by anyone else. There was no warning sign other than the product opening while parked. The product was purchased in May 2021.