2013 RAM 1500 Problems: 25 Known Issues

On the 2009-2019 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI, the 5.7L HEMI engine with Multi-Displacement System (MDS) can experience premature lifter and camshaft wear. The MDS deactivation lifters are prone to failure, causing ticking, misfires, and in severe cases, camshaft lobe damage. This issue has led to class action lawsuits.

On the 2013-2024 RAM 1500 3.6L Pentastar V6, on the 3.6L Pentastar V6, the needle bearings inside the roller rocker arms fail, letting the rocker go loose and hammer/score the camshaft lobe. This produces a distinct top-end tick ('Pentastar tick') and, if left, camshaft damage and misfires. It is a widely reported failure across Ram 1500, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and Durango; Chrysler revised the rocker part several times to improve needle-bearing durability, so a repeat failure is common if an outdated rocker is installed.

On the 2009-2019 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI, the exhaust manifold bolts on HEMI engines are prone to breaking due to heat cycling. Broken bolts cause exhaust leaks, ticking noise on cold start, and potential exhaust smell in cabin. The rear bolts on both sides are most commonly affected.

On the 2009-2024 RAM 1500, on the RAM 1500, P0011 is overwhelmingly a Variable Valve Timing (VVT) fault on the 5.7L Hemi, and secondarily on the 3.6L Pentastar V6. The Hemi uses a single central cam phaser fed oil pressure through one oil control valve (the VVT solenoid, mounted at the front of the engine near the timing cover). The PCM commands the phaser to a target intake-cam angle and monitors the actual angle via the cam/crank sensors. When the solenoid's fine oil screen clogs with sludge/varnish, or the solenoid sticks, oil flow to the phaser is no longer regulated and the intake cam advances past the commanded position — the PCM flags P0011 (over-advanced, bank 1). The root cause is almost always oil-related: extended oil-change intervals, low level, or off-spec/thick oil that will not flow through the small VVT passages, especially on cold starts. On higher-mileage Hemis, a P0011 (often alongside P0016/P000B) can also be the leading edge of the well-known Hemi cam/lifter wear failure — wear metal contaminating the oil seizes the phaser and solenoid, so P0011 should not be dismissed as 'just a solenoid' on a ticking, high-mileage engine.

On the 2009-2016 RAM 1500, the TIPM controls most electrical functions and commonly fails, causing erratic behavior. The fuel pump relay inside the TIPM is particularly prone to failure, resulting in no-start conditions. Horn honking randomly, headlights flickering, and wipers activating on their own are common symptoms.

On the 2011-2018 RAM 1500, the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) contains a fuel-pump relay soldered to its circuit board. When it fails it cuts power to the fuel pump, causing a crank-no-start that mimics running out of gas, or a sudden stall while driving; sometimes the pump keeps running with the key off and drains the battery. The relay is non-serviceable inside the module, making this a well-known and expensive Chrysler/Ram electrical failure across 2011-2018 trucks.

On the 2013-2015 RAM 1500, fCA US LLC recalled 2013-2015 RAM 1500 pickups equipped with radios that carry software vulnerabilities capable of letting a third party reach certain networked vehicle control systems. NHTSA classifies this as a crash risk: if the vulnerability is exploited, vehicle systems can be modified and controlled remotely without the driver doing anything. Owners of these trucks should treat the software update the same way they would a mechanical safety recall. The 1,416,903 units NHTSA lists is the campaign-wide total spanning all Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM vehicles involved — it is not a RAM 1500 count.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, the Ram 1500's transmission thermal-management/oil-cooler unit is the only place where engine coolant and automatic transmission fluid pass close together. When this cooler ruptures internally, coolant and ATF cross-contaminate, producing a pink 'strawberry milkshake' in both the cooling system and the transmission. This is a serious failure: contaminated ATF degrades clutches and seals inside the ZF 8-speed and can destroy the transmission if driven on, while loss of coolant risks overheating. Owners report this occurring in the 70k-mile range and across multiple model years. It is distinct from the previously covered torque-converter shudder/harsh-shift issues because the root cause is a cooling/cross-contamination failure, not a hydraulic/valve-body or converter problem.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, the ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission can experience harsh shifting, hesitation, and jerky behavior. Some units have failed prematurely. Early model years (2013-2016) seem most affected. Multiple TSBs have been issued for software updates.

On the 2013-2024 RAM 1500, the 8-speed (ZF 8HP70 / TorqueFlite) develops a torque-converter clutch shudder felt as a vibration/judder around 30-50 mph light throttle, along with harsh downshifts, drive-engagement slam, and occasional limp mode (stuck in one gear with CEL). Root causes are degraded/aged transmission fluid and worn torque-converter clutch material, sometimes with valve-body or solenoid issues. Ram markets the trans as 'sealed/lifetime fill,' but ZF recommends fluid service every ~40-60k miles, and skipping it drives most of these complaints.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, rAM 1500s with the ZF-based 8-speed automatic (TorqueFlite 845RE / 850RE, 8HP70/8HP75) commonly develop torque-converter clutch shudder. It feels like a slight-to-heavy vibration or 'driving over rumble strips' at part throttle and light acceleration, typically 15-50 mph as the converter approaches lock-up. Owners frequently report it around the 70,000-80,000 mile range, often tied to degraded fluid friction-modifier and/or worn/glazed torque-converter clutch material. Severe cases drop into limp mode (locked in 3rd gear with a CEL). Harsh 1-2/2-3 upshifts are also reported and are often resolved by a TCM software reflash.

On the 2013-2024 RAM 1500, trucks optioned with the 4-corner air suspension commonly develop compressor strain and failure, air-line leaks, failed air dryer letting moisture in, and ride-height sensor faults. Symptoms include the compressor running excessively, the truck sitting low or refusing to change height, a 'Service Air Suspension' message, and cold-weather collapse when moisture freezes in the lines. Moisture contamination and small leaks that overwork the compressor are the root causes; failures are heavily documented for 2013-2020 (4th-gen) and continue on 5th-gen DT.

On the 2009-2018 RAM 1500, 4th-gen Ram 1500 front wheel bearing/hub assemblies wear out relatively early (some as low as ~50k miles), producing a humming or growling noise that rises with speed and changes with steering load. Because the wheel-speed sensor is integrated into the hub, a failing bearing frequently also sets an ABS/traction fault and light. It is one of the most common front-end noise complaints on these trucks.

On the 2013-2023 RAM 1500, rAM 1500s equipped with the optional 4-corner air suspension (common on Laramie, Longhorn, Limited, Rebel) suffer recurring failures. The most common is air-bag micro-leaks (usually a rear bag) that make the compressor run continuously to keep up; the overworked compressor draws in humid air, ingests moisture that freezes in the air lines/dryer in winter, and the system collapses with a 'Service Air Suspension' message. Compressors then fail outright. Owners also report ride-height sensor faults; a software bug can falsely flag height sensors as 'stuck' (addressed by TSB 08-152-24). There have been class-action complaints over air-suspension reliability on roughly 2013-2018 trucks.

On the 2013-2022 RAM 1500, three NHTSA campaigns establish two VIN-bounded mechanisms under this frozen identity. NHTSA 18V486 / FCA U74 and 19V347 / FCA V44 cover specified 2013-2018 RAM 1500 bed, build-date and power-locking-tailgate configurations in which a tailgate-actuator limiter tab may fracture and allow the tailgate to unlatch while driving. NHTSA 22V904 / FCA ZB8 separately covers affected 2019-2022 RAM 1500 trucks whose misaligned tailgate strikers may prevent proper latching and allow the tailgate to open while driving. Either condition can release unsecured cargo and create a road hazard; VIN, model year and equipment determine the applicable campaign.

On the 2009-2018 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI V8, the 5.7L HEMI's exhaust manifold bolts, particularly the rearmost ones on each head, are a well-documented failure item. Repeated heat cycling stretches and eventually snaps them, and once a bolt lets go the manifold lifts off the head just enough to open a gap at that port. On the bank 2 (passenger-side) manifold the resulting leak is upstream of the bank 2 sensor 1 oxygen sensor, so the sensor is measuring a stream that has been diluted with outside air pulled in during the negative-pressure part of each exhaust pulse. The transitions the PCM is timing get smeared, the measured switch time runs past the calibrated limit, and P0153 is stored. The same defect is behind the notorious cold-start 'HEMI tick' - the leak whistles or ticks while the metal is cold and contracted, and quiets once thermal expansion closes the gap, which is why many owners hear the noise for a couple of minutes each morning and then dismiss it. A cracked manifold produces an identical picture. Because the leak also skews the fuel trims and can push a false lean condition downstream, P0153 on these trucks is often accompanied by P0171/P0174 lean codes or catalyst codes, and shops that skip the leak test end up selling a sensor - or worse, a catalytic converter - that does not fix the complaint. Chrysler has also issued a PCM software update (TSB 18-050-21) for trucks setting P0153 together with P0133, P0171, P0174 and P0300, so a reflash should be checked for before parts are bought. A related but separate version of this failure shows up on HEMI trucks fitted with aftermarket long-tube headers, where the relocated O2 bung sits farther from the port, sees cooler and slower-moving gas, and sets the same slow-response code on an otherwise healthy sensor.

On the 2013-2022 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI V8, the 5.7L HEMI uses cast-iron exhaust manifolds bolted to aluminum cylinder heads. The dissimilar thermal expansion rates repeatedly stress the manifold-to-head fasteners, and the rearmost bolts (commonly cylinders 7 and 8) shear off. This produces a sharp 'tick' or exhaust ticking that is loudest on cold start and quiets as the engine warms and the gap closes. It is frequently mistaken for the internal 'HEMI tick' (lifter) but is actually an exhaust leak. Owners report it commonly appearing by ~100k miles, and it is widespread across the 4th-gen (2013-2018) and 5th-gen (2019+) trucks.

On the 2009-2024 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI V8, the 5.7L HEMI's factory exhaust manifold bolts/studs snap from repeated heat cycling, and the cast manifolds can warp or crack. The classic tell is a sharp tapping/ticking on cold start that quiets as the engine warms and the manifold expands to partially reseal the leak. Nearly every high-mileage HEMI develops this, often by ~100k miles. It is frequently confused with lifter tick, but the exhaust leak is loudest right after startup and diminishes as it warms.

On the 2009-2023 RAM 1500, ram 1500 rear (and sometimes front) differential pinion seals weep gear oil at the pinion flange, leaving residue on the driveshaft yoke and a wet spot at the front of the diff. The leak itself is minor, but improper repair is the bigger problem: if the pinion nut is not torqued correctly (and a fresh crush spacer used), the pinion bearing preload is wrong and a whine develops weeks later — whine on acceleration points to the pinion gear, whine on deceleration/coast points to a worn pinion bearing. Owners report the leak around 60k-70k miles and follow-on whining after a dealer reseal.

On the 2011-2023 RAM 1500, 4WD-equipped Ram 1500 trucks use an electric shift motor (encoder/gear motor) bolted to the BorgWarner transfer case to move between 2WD, 4WD-Auto, 4-High and 4-Low. The motor's internal plastic gears wear or strip, and water/road-salt intrusion corrodes the connector and motor windings, so the system fails to complete a shift. The dash shows 'Service 4WD,' the mode indicator blinks without engaging, and grinding or clicking can be heard from under the truck. A large share of Ram 4WD-engagement complaints trace to the shift motor rather than internal transfer-case damage, so it is usually a relatively affordable fix if caught early. FCA TSB 08-094-20 provides a Drivetrain Control Module (DTCM) software update for 2016-2020 trucks with this symptom.

On the 2013-2022 RAM 1500, the front-mounted A/C condenser on 4th- and 5th-gen Ram 1500 trucks develops refrigerant leaks from corrosion and tiny pinholes, sometimes because units were not built to specification. Once refrigerant escapes, the system blows warm and the compressor can stop cooling or shut down to protect itself. FCA issued a warranty extension covering some condensers that were not manufactured to spec (this coverage specifically excludes rock/road-debris impact damage). Owners report oily residue on the condenser fins and progressively weaker A/C, especially in hot weather.

On the 2009-2022 RAM 1500, the plastic-geared HVAC blend-door actuators behind the dash strip their gears over time, producing a repetitive clicking or knocking from behind the glove box or center dash and temperature control problems such as one side blowing hot while the other blows cold, or no heat/AC on one zone. A secondary, related cause on these trucks is the factory housing sealant 'melting' into a black sticky residue that makes the blend doors stick, plus heater-core sediment that restricts the driver-side fingers. It is a common, lower-cost comfort complaint but a frequent search/repair item.

On the 2011-2021 RAM 1500 5.7L HEMI V8, ram 1500 5.7L HEMI trucks commonly throw P0420 (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold, Bank 1) and P0430 (Bank 2). On these engines the most frequent true cause is not a worn catalyst but an exhaust leak — a cracked exhaust manifold or broken manifold bolts (the same source as the cold-start tick) — which lets the downstream O2 sensor read incorrectly, or a failing downstream O2 sensor itself. The actual catalytic converter can also degrade with age/oil contamination. Because the converter is expensive, misdiagnosis leads owners to replace the cat unnecessarily before ruling out manifold leaks and O2 sensors.

On the 2013-2024 RAM 1500, a very common check-engine complaint is EVAP 'small leak' codes P0456/P0442 (and sometimes P0455). On 2013-2020 trucks the usual culprits are the Evaporative System Integrity Monitor (ESIM) pump on the charcoal canister or a failed purge valve; on 2019+ capless-filler trucks the capless fuel-filler seal or the purge valve is the frequent cause. It won't harm the drivetrain but fails emissions testing and is a high-frequency search among owners.

On the 2011-2023 RAM 1500, the mechanical, belt-driven water pump on the Ram 1500 is a long-standing weak point across Chrysler products. The shaft seal and bearing wear, and coolant begins seeping from the weep hole at the bottom of the pump. Failures are reported across a wide mileage range, from as low as ~33,000 miles on some 2022 trucks to well over 150,000 miles, and the issue has recurred for many model years. If ignored, a failing pump can lead to coolant loss and overheating, which on pre-2009 HEMIs is also a trigger for the dropped-valve-seat failure. A worn serpentine belt or tensioner can shorten pump life.