Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2021 Ram 2500
NHTSA data on file today
The 2021 Ram 2500 has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 109 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 2 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #25V765000 Driver's Air Bag May Not Deploy/FMVSS 208 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V060000 Engine Compartment Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V904000 Tailgate May Open While Driving NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V835000 Transmission Fluid Leak May Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V140000 ESC Light May Not Indicate Malfunction/FMVSS 126 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V925000 Side Curtain Air Bag May Deploy Improperly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V798000 Electrical Short in Relay May Cause Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V163000 Relay May Short and Cause Fire NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 35 complaints
- Engine 26 complaints
- Power Train 25 complaints
- Structure 12 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 8 complaints
- Service Brakes 8 complaints
Of the 109 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 8 a fire; across all 109 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,500–$15,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2021 Ram 2500 exhibits average reliability, with several recalls mainly related to the electrical system, air bags, and transmission. Complaints focus on electrical and engine issues, though they are not excessive for its class.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 30,000–60,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | common |
| engine | 50,000–80,000 miles | $800–$3,000 | common |
| power train | 40,000–70,000 miles | $1,000–$3,500 | 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 change every 6,000 miles
- Tire rotation every 12,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 24,000 miles
- Transmission fluid check every 30,000 miles
- Coolant replacement every 50,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Electrical shorts or burning smells
- Transmission fluid leaks or stains
- Frequent ABS or ESC warnings
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2021 Ram 2500 at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.