Avoid These Disappointing Dodge Ram 1500 Model Years

In the United States, pickup trucks are the most popular vehicle by far. Whether you’re living in a more rural area, in a city, or anywhere in between, it’s rare to drive anywhere without seeing someone in a pickup truck. People are flocking to purchase and drive pickup trucks, from the Dodge Ram 1500 to the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, because of their reliability and durability. Even better, pickup trucks offer a unique functionality where users can carry and tow large objects. This makes them an attractive option for both work and personal car needs.

The Dodge Ram 1500 has been a force in the automobile market for over three decades. As one of the highest selling pickup trucks in the United States, the Dodge Ram 1500 is so popular because of its towing ability, comfort, and advanced automotive technology. The Dodge Ram 1500 could rival pickup trucks from Ford and Chevy, selling just 100,000 fewer models than the Chevy Silverado in 2023. But, like any car brand that has been around for decades, some model years are simply better than others. (Here are the nine worst mistakes to avoid when buying a car.)

Here, 24/7 Wall St. set out to understand which Dodge Ram 1500 model years are duds, and which ones you should spend your hard-earned money on. We looked at a variety of publications like CarComplaints, FIXDapp, CoPilot Search, and AutoChimps to help us determine exactly which model years are good and bad for the Ram 1500. More specifically, 24/7 Wall St. looked at reliability, price, owner complaints, and safety to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision. (Here are the eight safest trucks you can buy today.)

Here are the five Dodge Ram 1500 model years you should buy, and the five Dodge Ram 1500 model years you should avoid: 

Why We’re Covering This

The Ford F-150 is one of America’s best-selling vehicles. Brands like Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge are also major contributors to the auto industry, which is in turn a big contributor to the economy. By exploring the five Dodge Ram 1500 model years to buy and the five to avoid, you can better understand how the sale of pickup trucks influences economic output. How well cars are selling is also a strong indicator of the strength of the economy. The same can be said for the average cost of a new car available today. If you’re wondering, the average cost of a new car is $48,000, which is the highest it’s ever been. 

This also gives buyers who are searching for a new car a better understanding of which model years they should consider, and which ones might break the bank more than its worth.

Avoid: 2001

With some of the lowest reliability ratings in the Dodge Ram 1500 history, 2001 kicked off a four-year stint of bad fortune for the pickup. According to FIXD, a diagnostic tool that can help decode your check engine light, the reliability of the Ram 1500 was a shockingly low 1 out of 10. If you’re wondering how this car earned such a painful score, look to the high volume of NHTSA (National Highway Transportation & Safety Administration) complaints. 

More than 2,000 complaints were registered with the NHTSA regarding the 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. Many complaints were related to body and paint problems. More specifically, many owners complained about cracks forming in the paint and/or frame of the car. 18 injuries were reported as a result of structure problems. 

Avoid: 2002

Unfortunately for the Dodge Ram 1500, 2002 didn’t get any better. Considered one of the vehicle’s worst years ever, over 2,000 complaints were lodged to the NHTSA. Along with electrical issues, structural problems continued to be an issue in 2002. Between paint bubbling and peeling or rust showing up prematurely, there were a host of body and paint problems. 

Diving deeper into the structure of the Ram 1500 in 2002, the complaints continued. While injuries related to structural problems dropped to 12 in 2002, there were still 12 injuries. Last but not least, a FIXD reliability score of 1 out of 10 makes the 2002 model was an easy call to avoid. 

Avoid: 2003

If Dodge hoped things would get better for the Ram 1500 in 2003, they were mistaken. Yet again the vehicle earned another 2,000 plus NHTSA complaints. Similar to the last two years, the largest reported issues were related to body and paint problems. Among the top complaints were disappointments with the final paint job on delivery or rust and corrosion appearing too early in the vehicle’s lifecycle. 

However, 2003 also opened up a new set of issues: airbag complaints jumped up considerably. Over 444 NHTSA complaints were filed and at least one death was attributed to an airbag issue in 2003. Thankfully, a recall was issued for the passenger-side front airbag, but not until 2015. Just skip the 2003 model entirely. 

Avoid: 2004

Capping off a terrible four-year run for the Dodge 1500 Ram is 2004. The good news is that NHTSA complaints dropped by half, but over 1,000 were still filed. This year, a few new issues also popped up, the most notable of which were engine issues. The biggest concern was that the engine would stall or just die out completely while driving which can lead to serious injury. 

In addition to engine troubles, this model year also had some Power Train concerns, which caused at least one fire and 8 crashes. When you look at electrical issues and see owner concerns over all of their driver dashboard gauges quitting, it’s easy to get concerned about the Ram 1500 2004 and safety. Stay away from this model year. 

Avoid: 2011

After 2004, the Dodge Ram saw a better run for a few years until 2011 when the RAM brand was formed and spun off from Dodge. Several issues could be coincidentally tied to the same year the RAM brand was created. According to FIXD, the 2011 only earned a 5 out of 10 on the reliability scale. 

More importantly, the 2011 only received a 3.5 out of 5 on the NHTSA crash testing score. For that reason alone, you should stay away from this model year. 393 NHTSA complaints might also convince you to stay away. The biggest complaints centered around the module that controlled the Ram 1500’s electrical system. When it failed, it would cost around $1,500 to replace. 

Own: 2017

After spinning off from Dodge into its own brand, the Dodge Ram 1500 made a strong comeback starting in 2017. While 2017 still saw 814 NHTSA complaints, the overall repair costs for this year were less expensive than other years. With the Ram 1500 retiring the 6-speed automatic transmission, it was a new opportunity to deliver a much-desired 8-speed transmission. 

As a result, you have three different engine options which pleased customers to no end. Plus, you have J.D. Power coming in strong giving the 2017 Ram 1500 an 81 out of 100 for Quality & Reliability. As a bonus, the 2017 model also received a J.D. Power score of “Great” with an 87 out of 100 for resale value. 

Own: 2018

Things got even better for the Ram 1500 in 2018 when J.D. Power jumped its resale score to 93 out of 100. This is good enough to give the vehicle a “Best” rating, which is no easy feat. FIXD also gives the 2018 model a 10 out of 10 on reliability, which, combined with the J.D. Power score, showcases the Ram 1500 improvements over the past 10 years. 

Of course, the good news doesn’t end there. The NHTSA crash test rating for 2018 earns the truck a 4.4 out of 5. This is more than good enough to make Ram customers feel good. Future 2018 model year customers might also like that the average cost of ownership with this model year was only $672. 

Own: 2020

2020 kicks off the best model years for the Ram 1500. J.D. Power gave the overall score for the Ram 1500 as 82 out of 100. However, the resale score was still going strong with a 90 out of 100. Add in a driving experience score of 84 out of 100 and it’s clear J.D. Power loved this pickup truck. 

The same story can be said for FIXD as well, which gave the 2020 model a 10 out of 10 on reliability. These results, alongside a sizable drop in NHTSA complaints down to 426, show how strong the 2020 model was. Unfortunately, some engine issues were present as were a series of electrical issues with the key fob. Still, neither problem was enough to stop a strong recommendation for the 2020 model year. 

Own: 2021

The Ram 1500 continued to perform in 2021. The NHTSA crash test results were a 4 out of 5, which was enough to earn the vehicle a “Good” score on all crashworthiness tests. Most notably, the NHTSA gave the Ram 1500 a “Superior” rating for its front crash prevention. 

With the TRX model introducing a 702 horsepower V8 Ram 1500, the number of engine options jumped to four. New model owners in 2021 also got a new heads-up display and an option for a trailer reverse steering control function. With NHTSA complaints holding steady at 656, it’s clear 2021 is another easy-to-recommend model year. 

Own: 2022

With a sizable drop in NHTSA complaints down to 324 total reports, the 2022 model year continued to show why this era was the Ram 1500’s strongest. Among the most important considerations was that the NHTSA gave the Ram 1500 excellent safety ratings. Perfect scores were also available for the side barrier rating, side pole rating, and overall side rating. 

The IIHS safety report also gave the 2022 Ram 1500 a “Top Safety Pick” rating, the highest rating it can award a vehicle. In addition, the Ram 1500 received an entirely new and well-upgraded infotainment system. All of this combines to make the 2022 model year an easy purchasing recommendation.  

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