Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Ram 1500
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Ram 1500 has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,283 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 4 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #19V347000 Tailgate May Open Unexpectedly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V821000 Vehicle May Rollaway NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V302000 Side Curtain Air Bags may not Deploy in a Rollover NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16E041000 Seat Cover Affects Air Bag Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V461000 Radio Software Security Vulnerabilities NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V459000 Inadvertent Driver Air Bag Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V460000 Inadvertent Side Air Bag Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V610000 Transmission Output Shaft may Fracture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V287000 Electronic Stability Control may be Disabled NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V237000 No Warning of Turn Signal Malfunction/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V177000 Restricted Coolant Flow/FMVSS 103 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V128000 Parking Brake Cable may allow Truck to Roll NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Steering 643 complaints
- Electrical System 228 complaints
- Engine 123 complaints
- Air Bags 94 complaints
- Power Train 86 complaints
- Service Brakes 69 complaints
Of the 1,283 complaints on file, 72 report a crash and 10 a fire; across all 1,283 complaints, owners report 37 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,000–$14,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Ram 1500 has a below-average reliability rating due to substantial owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns. Notably, 640 complaints are related to steering issues, and there are significant concerns with the electrical system and engine. The frequency and seriousness of these issues suggest a lack of reliability, despite limited recall focus on newer components.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering System | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | very common |
| Electrical System | Unknown | $300–$1,000 | common |
| Engine | Unknown | $1,000–$3,000 | occasional |
| Air Bags | Unknown | $400–$1,200 | occasional |
| Power Train | Unknown | $800–$2,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Transmission fluid change
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Coolant system flush
- Spark plug replacement
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Steering wheel vibration
- Unresponsive acceleration
- Electrical system failures
- Unusual engine noises
- Airbag warning lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Ram 1500 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.