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NHTSA Owner Complaints

2020 RAM 3500

116 owner-reported issues

Owner-reported data
Total complaints
116
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
7
Open recalls
0

What this means

116+ NHTSA complaints filed on 2020 RAM 3500. Strong sample size. The top 3-5 reported issues likely represent real systemic concerns to know about before purchase. The dominant complaint patterns are: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL (16%), FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (16%), POWER TRAIN (7%). These three categories cover 39% of all reports — typical signal that there are 2-3 known systemic issues on this make/model/year, not random faults.

Top reported issues
  • #1FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
    19 (16%)
  • #2FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
    18 (16%)
  • #3POWER TRAIN
    8 (7%)
  • #4ENGINE
    7 (6%)
  • #5ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
    6 (5%)
  • #6TIRES
    5 (4%)
  • #7UNKNOWN OR OTHER
    4 (3%)
  • #8WHEELS
    4 (3%)
  • #9SERVICE BRAKES
    3 (3%)
  • #10ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    3 (3%)
Recent complaint examples
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL0000-00-00

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and then lost motive power. The check engine warning light later illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel)…

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL0000-00-00

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…

POWER TRAIN0000-00-00

Vehicle will not go into park and shut off. I could not turn the engine off. Not having the ability to turn the motor off is a safety concern. This has progressed to where it says vehicle is not in park while vehicle is in drive and moving. The problem is intermittent and I h…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM0000-00-00

Check engine light turned on in my 2020 dodge ram 3500, I took the truck back to the dealership. According to them the Grid Heater Relay needs to be replaced & the truck could have caught on fire if we would have kept driving like that. I have done some research and saw that ther…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE0000-00-00

On 12/4/23, at 6:37 am PST, we initiated remote start via the key fob. At 6:40 am pst, a flash and fire erupted from under the hood of the truck. We immediately worked to control the fire using extinguishers and garden hoses until the fire department arrived a few minutes later. …

Fire
STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE0000-00-00

As I was driving the vehicle caught fire and I lost brakes. The vehicle had to be put into a retention pond to stop it.…

CrashFireInjuries
SERVICE BRAKES0000-00-00

Brake caliper mounting bolt fell out 2 times on driver side now 1 time on passenger side front on both after applying new brakes torqued to specified rating both times bottom bolt falls out top gets loose needs some type of locking tab I applied locktite both time while traveling…

POWER TRAIN0000-00-00

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V835000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted several times. The contact stated that the manufacturer had excee…

Related

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these RAM 3500 2020 complaints verified by NHTSA?
NHTSA collects complaints from owners but does NOT verify each one. The complaints below are unfiltered owner reports — useful for spotting patterns, but a single complaint doesn't prove a defect. Pay attention to: (1) volume of complaints on the same component, (2) consistency of described symptoms, and (3) whether NHTSA has opened a formal investigation or issued a recall on the same component. If a component appears in 5+% of complaints, that's usually a real pattern worth taking seriously.
Should I avoid buying a 2020 RAM 3500 based on these complaints?
It depends on the components reported. 116 complaints across roughly tens of thousands of trucks of this model year is a moderate signal. Compare against other model years of the same truck — if 2022 has 3x more complaints than 2020 or 2024, that specific year has issues. Also check whether the most-reported component is something you can preventively address (e.g., DEF system issues can be mitigated with quality fluid + dealer software updates).
Have any of these complaints led to recalls on the 2020 RAM 3500?
Not currently. Owner complaints don't automatically trigger recalls — NHTSA reviews complaint patterns and opens investigations when warranted. Recalls usually happen when a complaint pattern correlates with documented field failures or safety incidents. Even without recalls, repeated complaints on the same component is signal worth noting in your purchase decision.
How do I file my own complaint about a RAM truck?
Visit NHTSA.gov/file-complaint. You'll need: your VIN, the date of incident, description of what happened, and component affected (drivetrain, brakes, etc.). Filing takes ~10 minutes and adds your data point to the public record. This is the input that triggers NHTSA investigations. For commercial trucks, fleet operators reporting issues at scale (10+ similar reports) often accelerate NHTSA's review timeline.
What's the most expensive complaint pattern on the 2020 RAM 3500?
Based on the complaint data: the top reported issue is 'FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL' with 19 reports. Depending on the specific failure mode, this can range from a few hundred dollars (sensor replacement) to several thousand (transmission rebuild, DPF replacement, engine work). The complaint pattern alone won't tell you cost — check the symptoms described for hints about the actual root cause. Most commercial-truck complaints describe symptoms ($1,500–$5,000 repair range is typical), not catastrophic failures.

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