2025 Ram 1500: What to check before buying

Instrument clusters go blank or reboot while driving, sometimes hiding the speedometer and warning lights. Many reports start under 1,000 miles. Trucks also fail to start after sitting, with dead batteries that return after dealers replace them. Auto stop/start can shut the engine off at a stop and drop the truck into Park, much like a stall. Warning messages for driver-assist systems cycle on and off at random. One report describes a fire at the dealer, blamed on the starter. A cluster recall exists, but some owners say the blank screen came back after the recall repair.

Sudden loss of drive is the most serious pattern. The engine revs but the truck will not move, at traffic lights and at highway speeds, and owners describe near rear-end collisions. Some trucks shut off and shift themselves into Park. The transmission also refuses to shift into 8th gear or keeps dropping to 7th, and repeated software flashes help only briefly. Hard clunks on shifts and 4WD that will not engage also appear. One crash-related report describes a parked truck rolling away after a parking brake fault. Most problems start in the first few thousand miles.

The brake pedal sinks to the floor, often along with ABS, brake and emergency braking warnings. Several owners report it within the first few hundred miles, sometimes at startup and sometimes while driving. Dealers often cannot reproduce it, and replacement brake control modules are frequently backordered, leaving trucks in the shop for weeks. One owner was told the wait could be about a year. Other reports cover an ABS module leaking brake fluid and front brakes that chirp or rattle. Greasing the brake parts only quiets the noise for a while.

Trucks pull to the right at highway speeds, often from the first day. Alignments read in spec, and a steering module reflash under a service bulletin did not cure it for several owners. The steering wheel can also sit off center. A second pattern is sudden loss of power steering, often during a wider electrical failure with many warning lights. Replacement steering parts are backordered in several reports. Two complaints are crash-related, including one where the front passenger wheel came off during a turn and the truck hit a parked vehicle.

Misfire codes, mainly P0300, turn on the check engine light. Engines run rough or stall, often on cold starts, and some reports begin at a few hundred miles. Owners say this affects both the twin-turbo six and the 3.6L eTorque engine, and dealers say no fix is available yet. Some report hesitation when pulling into traffic and worse fuel economy. Other reports describe engines shutting off on the freeway or at idle, stop/start failing to restart, and a secondary water pump failure with a coolant leak.

Warnings that automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring are unavailable keep appearing, then disappear, then come back. Owners make repeated dealer trips, and one waited 50 days for parts while driving with the systems off. Blind spot lights stay on with nothing there or trigger falsely in heavy rain. Some owners report a module replacement as the only lasting fix. Separately, the blind spot audio alert has no volume setting and is loud enough to startle the driver. It also sounds for trailers, poles and oncoming traffic.

Automatic emergency braking engages with nothing ahead, stopping the truck hard at around 30 to 35 mph. One report describes minor seatbelt injuries. Other owners report the opposite: no warning or braking in near rear-end situations, and adaptive cruise following too closely. An "AEB/ACC Unavailable Service Required" message turns these systems off, including while towing. Faults often clear on restart, so dealers find no stored codes. One crash-related report says the parking sensors gave no warning before the truck hit a light pole.

Headlights flicker off and back on while driving, with no warning light. The driver's side headlight aims too far left, which leaves the road ahead dark and dazzles oncoming traffic. Dealers say it cannot be adjusted. Headlights may not come on at night when the key fob is used. High beams may not work with auto lights on. Other reports cover trailer lights cutting out with a connection message and the backup camera screen jumping to full brightness at night. A headlight recall exists but did not apply to every complaining owner.