2013 RAM 1500 Steering Problems

While I was driving at 50 mph my power steering locked up and a Service Power steering message appeared. I had to manually steer the truck as best I could before I could find a safe place to pull over. While it wasn't a catastrophic failure it could have been had this happened while driving at highway speeds. It seems that this type of failure is common in RAM 1500 trucks (2015 and 2016 models were recalled for the same reason, contaminated electronic power steering circuit board or module). This type of failure is a definite safety hazard especially if the power steering failure prevents the driver from having control of the vehicle during this episode.

While driving power steering warning lights up and steering fails. Have to pull over and stop put in park and turn off and back on for power steering to start working again.

Started my truck this morning and warning light came on the dash showing a steering wheel with an exclamation point beside it with a message saying "Service Power Steering". Also, the steering wheel is VERY hard to turn. It seems that the power steering has failed.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that after placing the vehicle into reverse(R) and straightening the steering wheel, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. The "Service Power Steering" message was displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact used excessive force to steer the vehicle to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

I was driving at approximately 45 mph when suddenly my steering wheel locked causing me to run off the road. The "service power steering light" illuminated. It was taken to the dealership where I found out this is a COMMON problem that apparently hasn't killed enough people for Ram to recall it yet. There will be deaths associated with this. The dealer does not have the parts, can't get the parts, and states it will be $3,000.00 to repair IF they ever get the parts. Why hasn't the NHTSA issued a recall yet? This is exceedingly dangerous!

On 07/17/2024 I got into the vehicle and after starting it I put it into reverse and started backing up and noticed that the steering was not working properly and than saw the warning lamp of a steering wheel with an exclamation mark next to it. So I have a Launch AUTO Smart Diagnostic Tool that I did use to find out that there was an active code for Electronic Power Steering Module. Yes it is available for inspection, no it has not been confirmed or inspected by anybody. The safety risks to myself & others is injury or death due to the uncontrollable steering.

Complete failure of power steering and also ABS has misfunctioned.

electronic power steering suddenly stopped working after driving several hundred miles to go on vacation. Thankfully it happened after I parked at a rest stop.

Driving home from work on a winding road. Almost went into a ditch because my steering wheel, without warning, seized and wouldn’t allow me to turn. I had to pray I didn’t go into the ditch or hit the person in front of me. There was no warning signs. Once it happened, the only light that popped up was the exclamation point. Now it’s not drivable and I don’t have $3000 to get it fixed!

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Steering" was displayed, and the power steering assist was inoperable, making the steering wheel difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the power steering module was faulty, and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 80,900.

I was pulling up to my house when the power steering failed , there was no warning light prior and I immediately could not turn my wheel. Had I been making a turn on the thruway I would have seriously injured myself and/ or others. I have not taken it to a dealer yet as it just happened today and it is 6 pm. The power steering has not worked yet since the incident.

Complete loss of power steering around turn. Nearly caused a major incident due to EPS failure.

Power steering stops working at random times and I have very limited control of the vehicle. Service power steering light appears on the dash. This has happen approximately 15 times without any warning. My truck has been at Ram Dealer in Panama City since July 8, 2024. They say I need Rack and Pinion gear part #R8573449AA but they have not been able to find the part.

Electrical power steering went bad out of the sudden, and almost lost control of the vehicle. It was so hard to steer. I had to replace that whole EPS racking and pinion. New part was on back order, so my only option was to get a used part.

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND INSTANTLY LOST ALL POWER STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS GOING STRAIGHT, IF I WAS ON A CURVE IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS NOTICES OR C.E.L. THE EPS SYSTEM IS ONE WHOLE CONTAINED UNIT. DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT SERVICEABLE. IF ONE THING FAILS YOU LOSE STEERING COMPLETELY. CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A $4000 DOLLAR REPAIR BILL FOR A FAULTY STEERING MODULE. SEEMS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

Intermittent Power steering failure first occurred ~March 2024. Truck is not safe to operate and is currently at the dealership awaiting parts for repair and is available for inspection. Power steering failure occurred multiple times without warning and required enormous physical effort to maintain control through the turn. No warning signals or symptoms occurred before, during, or after any of the power steering failures.

Intermittent steering issues. Some times the electric steering kicks off and back on. Sometimes It doesn’t work at all. Sometimes it works fine. Brought it to dealer they want 3k to replace the whole rack and pinion even though they have recalls for this same problem just not mine. I have a vehicle I’m paying every month for that’s too unsafe to drive, and to expensive to fix

Tried to start my truck in the morning a nd the power steering system light came on. Steering wheel was hard to turn. Took my truck to the mechanic and he said there was no parts to be found the the computer said it was an internal problem in the EPS rack and pinion unit. Went to the Dealership and they sated that they could not help me cause the part was discontinued . No parts on back order or were even available anymore. There also were no aftermarket parts made for this either leading me to hunt down old parts off of junked Ram trucks. This truck is only 10 years old and I don't know how it slipped through the recall when every other truck of that age is recalled.

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the service power steering warning illuminated, and the power steering function became inoperable. The contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality had returned. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred the same day and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the rack and pinion gears needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V167000 (Steering). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving back to the house after work doing normal speed for the road leading there which is usually 35-60 mph. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, requiring significant effort to maintain control of the vehicle. This occurred without warning and created a hazardous situation as the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The power steering system is available for inspection upon request. The problem has been consistently reproduced under varying driving conditions, -e.g. City streets, turning, etc. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. I could have been seriously injured or injured another as well. I did contact the manufacturer and they stated that they do not make this part any longer laughed at me and said good...

7/11/2024 Moving aprox 3 mph approaching a stop sign with slight right pressure on steering wheel the EPS failed. The steering seemed to “jerk” toward a center position. Service power steering light appeared on panel. I was able to continue home aprox two blocks but noticeable upper body strength required to move steering wheel. This will be a difficult situation for older. strength impaired drivers.

While driving home my truck started making an unusual sound like a dry bearing rubbing in a bearing would make, and I found it difficult to keep the steering wheel centered, a little further down the road I made a turn while doing so the steering wheel abruptly cut back the opposite direction of the turn yanking the wheel out of my hands no lights on the dash illuminated nor were there any warning chimes,I was able to make the last mile home by keeping both hands on the wheel firmly. Upon an inspection of the underside of my vehicle I found that the electric power assist system was making the loud sound that I thought was a bearing, I also noted that the front sway bar was broken on the passenger side was broken, I turned the the steering wheel to one side then the other and again the...

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact became aware that the power steering was not functioning as designed. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn and seized and jerked. There was warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart but the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 208,908.

Electronic Power steering went out while driving the vehicle. Temporarily lost control while driving the vehicle. We took it to a dealer and they confirmed this is the same issue the previously recalled 2015-2016 trucks have and they cannot order the part needed to fix the issue as the part has been discontinued. The system says "national backorder with no ETA" however, the dealership said Dodge has discontinued the part entirely so they do not anticipate the part coming back and becoming available. There were NO prior warnings of any issues before losing control of the power steering. The truck has always had regular maintenance, oil changes etc. Very well maintained truck so this was unexpected. Now we are left with a truck that we cannot buy a part for with NO anticipated release date & Dodge still has not recalled the 2013 so there is nothing we can do....

As I was driving suddenly the power steering emergency light came on on the dashboard and the steering wheel locked up creating a extremely dangerous condition. This all occurred without warning or any signs of a problem prior. My safety and others safety needless to say was in great danger.I called the dealership to ask if they had any incidents of this kind reported but they would not confirm... however a search on You tube and google verify many others have experienced this issue.

Malfunctioned ABS module. ABS , ESP, and trailer brake control not working. When ABS or ESP would be activated an error occurs and truck goes into neutral with neutral light blinking on shifter. ABS did not activate and almost hit a deer. ESP did not activate and almost spun into ditch. Working with dealer currently to confirm.

Power steering stopped working with no warning as the truck was being driven up a busy Highway at 65 MPH. Lost momentary control of the truck but was able to pull over and turn it off without incident. When it was restarted the engine light came on with an error message popping up. It was on a very busy highway but we were able to limp it home, going miles under the speed limit with emergency flashers on for safety. It is very hard to steer and the brakes do not seem to be working correctly now. After starting it again today to see if its still giving an error, another light is on regarding the ABS system and the power steering is not working at all. The truck is not safe to drive as and the problem has been confirmed by a local dealership and the truck is on...

Power steering faild

Vehicle encountered sudden loss of power steering while driving, nearly resulting in a crash. Vehicle steering tends to lock in a drifting angle, and recovery often requires a turn in the opposite direction of the intended direction to correct.

Loss of power steering still continues. Replaced the intermittent lower steering shaft. Still losing power steering occasionally. Turning left or right the wheel will lock up half way through the turn making me drive straight into on coming traffic. Vary scary.

Was driving and the power steering stopped working out of nowhere. And an icon popped up on dash of a red steering wheel with exclamation point. Now sometimes it will work but 98% of the time it doesn’t

*Power Steering locked up and you cannot steer the vehicle. * The steering locked up and almost caused me to hit the guardrail at intersection. * Have replaced Rack and Pinion but still locks up. *No warning or messages and no previous warning.

Steering jerked while turning and needed extra strength to maintain control. This problem has happened multiple times in the last 24 hours. Upon looking at the nhtsa website I found an open investigation (RQ 23-003) and I feel like my truck would fall into the action/summary provided. I have been able to maintain control but there is no notice provided (that I have caught onto) and it is intermittent. The service power steering light does come on and very quickly turns off.

The electric power steering went out in oct 2023 and I have been driving this using manual steering since. The truck only had 35000 miles on it when the eps failed. This needs to be recalled since other ram trucks have reported the same failure.

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVIING WITH WARNING. FAILED SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION ON VEHICLE DUE TO LACK OF RECALL FOR SPECIFIC VEHICLE. COMPONENT FAILED WHILE DRIVING SPEED LIMIT ON HIGHWAY CURVE ENDANGERING SELF AND OTHERS. PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONFIRMED HOWEVER RECALLS ARE NOT APPROPRIATED TO VEHICLE IN QUESTION. IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY MECHANIC SHOP WHO STATED DEALERSHIP MUST CORRECT. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED RECALL INFORMATION. THE WARNING WAS NOT PRESENT AT TIME OF INCIDENT. THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH ONLY APPEARED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE DAY AFTER THE INCIDENT.

Power steering went out but after restarting the vehicle a couple of time it worked for about an hour then completely stopped working.

No power steering suddenly. Checked fuses but those seem fine Unknown cause.

When the weather got sub 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the power steering went out completely, and then after warming up the truck came back on, but would rapidly jerk my wheel when steering for a while until it fully warmed up. Now its completely out with no signs of life. Ram will not service this part, only out right replace it, and you cant get the part anywhere. which is rediculous being that this power steering rack is in more then just the 2013 ram 1500.

Power steering failure. Upon starting the vehicle, a 2013 Ram 1500 Bighorn, driver information center showed a power steering failure warning indicator. Turning the vehicle off and back on did not clear the warning. No prior warnings existed to show the imminent failure of the power steering system. Took the vehicle in for service and was advised the part and labor would be around $5,500.00.

electronic power steering went out, while driving, like driving a 80’s model. Wheel lock and had to man handle the steering. Hard to tell how much fluid there when the system is sealed

The power steering on my 2013 Ram truck went out - a warning light indicating power steering fault - service power steering. The vehicle was fine when parked in driveway & came out next day and power steering was gone. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and four days later we were told the fix would cost ~$3600 but the part required to fix it was on backorder and they had no idea how long it would take to get the part. Dealership suggested we contact FCA customer service to see if they would/could expedite shipping the part - I'm still waiting to hear back from them. The vehicle only has 44K miles on it - the truck has been sitting at the dealership for 3 weeks; no idea when they will be able to locate the part and when we will get our truck back. 44K miles and...

When turning will jerk the wheel out of your hands and return to straight

Electric Power steering failed during turn. Parked on side of road, turned truck off waited about 5 minutes and started truck, power steering was working but went back out after about 1 mile. After getting to work, I tried it again and power steering was working. Checked electrical system, battery and alternator are working correctly.

I lost power assist steering while pulling out of my doctor's parking lot yesterday. Fortunately I was able to get the pickup into an adjacent lot, but with much difficulty. I tried numerous times to turn truck off and back on but still no steering. I had a warning light flashing. I then disconnected the negative battery terminal and reconnected it. Warning light still flashed for a bit then went out and power steering worked. I called the dealer who I bought it from new in 2012. Red River Ram in Heber Springs, AR. I spoke with Shane, the service manager. He said they would not work on it because it is over 10 years old. I told him I was scared to drive it but he said he could not help. So I very cautiously drove home and parked. When I went to put the truck in to the...

Driving and steering wheel stopped functioning i almost wrecked. The electric steering failed suddenly.

Power Steering is faulty and is starting to work at times and not function at others. This causes unsafe driving conditions because you don't know when to apply more pressure to the steering wheel and when to apply less. In an emergency, could lead to drastic issues.

-Power steering has failed and truck is inoperable; no parts available for repair -Sudden loss of power steering in store parking lot, putting driver, passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians at risk of accident and injury -Yes, this problem has been evaluated and confirmed by a local independent service center -No, fortunately no accident occurred thus the need for police or insurance involvement was not necessary -No, there were no warning indicators prior to this occurrence. Now that the power steering has failed an indicator light now appears when vehicle is started While I understand there is currently no recall for this VIN, the power steering parts needed to fix this mechanical failure are unavailable due to a large recall covering other RAM1500 models for same issue thus I strongly feel our vehicle should also be included in this recall affected by the same failure. I appreciate your thorough review of...

The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle began pulling in the opposite direction. Additionally, while in reverse(R), the steering wheel became extremely firm. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

The Electronic power steering intermittently stops working making it very difficult to steer. The truck will run fine sometimes at first and then after driving a few miles it will pop up with service power steering and I loose power steering assist. Sometimes it will start with the light already on.

the electric power steering failed and loss power assist and then thankfully in a parking lot it completly locked up, no steering at all, if i was on the highway it would have been a bad crash,