2021 RAM 1500 Power Train Problems

There have been several instances where the vehicle appears to lose traction in 4WD. An error message appears "4WD Overheated Performance Temporarily Reduced". When this message appears, the vehicle is unable to gain traction in snow. Even 1" - 2" of snow is enough to prevent forward movement. In this condition, the rear end of the truck tends to fishtail to the right and left. After checking online, there appears to be many other instances associated with this condition. The dealer replaced the fluid in the differential and transfer case hoping to fix the issue, but the problem persisted. They were unable to reproduce the issue on the second service call. Currently, my vehicle in in the driveway and is unable to move given the 1" of snow present. The truck is being towed to the dealer tomorrow, Jan. 28th, 2026, for them to assess it a third time. I...

My bearings in my rear assembly has failed before 100K miles. In addition, I had to replace the eTorque generator before 100K miles.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle began to vibrate. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the front axle half-shaft was worn and needed to be replaced. The contact also took the vehicle to a tire shop and was informed that new tires were needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to report the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH or slower, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine compartment. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle intermittently hesitated and slightly surged forward before accelerating. The failure had become more persistent over time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact found information related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the motor generator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of replacing the motor generator unit. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

I put the car in drive and heard a loud bang. When I went to move it sounded like metal scraping. It turns out the front differential cracked and came loose making the truck inoperable. The truck was not off road and has been well taken care of. The part is three weeks on back order for a new front axle because this is happening to many of the RAM trucks.

I was driving on the highway going the speed limit and the car suddenly slowed to 35 and all sorts of lights (check engine light and others) came on and messages went across the screen about the throttle control and stability control. This is the 4th time this has happened to me. Each time I bring it to the dealer and am told "its a known computer glitch" or that there is a fix but it continues to happen again. Suddenly losing power and speed has caused other drivers to slam on breaks, swerve, etc. In order to reset the car I have to pull over on the highway to restart it. This is putting my safety and the safety of others at risk.

While towing, my truck threw P00AF-00 Turbocharger Boost Control Module "A" Performance and ABS C121C-00 Torque Request Signal Denied codes and I lost power due to turbocharger not engaging. Alarms that were lit included CEL, Service Electronic Throttle Control, and the Stabilizer system. The safety aspect is the loss of power while towing on a highway. The original code was cleared by my hometown dealer and vehicle ran well. 130 miles later it happened again, cleared by dealer in Parkersburg WV On the way home it happened a 3rd time. After parking for half an hour the alarm lights went off and I had full power. A day later the CEL also went off leaving no evidence of a problem on my dash. The vehicle is scheduled at the local dealer tomorrow (9/29/25) The trailer and truck combination was well within the towing limits of the vehicle. There are various...

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train); the VIN was included, but the vehicle had previously been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.

2021 Ram 1500 Laramie. 2 Occasions of unexpected engine Revving. 1) Pulled up to a stop, waiting for cross traffic, when fully stopped, the Engine began to rev up by ~500 RPM, up then back down, about 3 times in a row. Each time the truck tried to creep forwards, forcing me to step on the brake harder to prevent movement. Each engine surge lasted 1-2 seconds. 2) At low speeds (<20mph), car had similar RPM surges, but just caused some jerking. Both occasions occurred within 2-3 minutes of a cold start (~70 Deg F Env. temp). Certainly a safety concern, needs to be addressed.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front end of the vehicle shuddered abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the surrounding area of the CV axle and front differential was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts being on back order. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000. The VIN was not available.

In April 2025 I reported a whining noise coming from the truck (under the hood), less than 50,000 miles. Dealer determined that the problem was a failing bearing in the Motor Generator Unit (MGU). They informed me that the truck was still under warranty and would be replaced... but that the part was on backorder with no date of arrival. They offered no rental and it is now 2 months later and the problem is worse. They tell me I can continue to drive it until it fails (REALLY?), that is the plan. Drive it until it dies and then what! It is now 2 1/2 months later, i try not to drive it due to the loud noises and fear of being stranded. They still have no eta on parts and have offered not help in resolving the issue. As I search online I see that this is not...

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to pull out of the driveway at 5 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into park and the parking brake independently activated, with the message "Auto-correct Shifter" displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact shifted back into drive; however, moments later while driving on a neighborhood street at 25 MPH, the failure reoccurred. The contact shifted back into drive; however, the failure recurred twice more. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that further diagnostic tests were needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,561.

On May 16 2025 I started my truck and all the lights started flashing on my cluster( I took pictures) I drove down the street in my vehicle and it put itself into park. I drove back to my shop and called the dealership to make an appointment along with enterprise Rent-A-Car. I had the rental vehicle from May 16 through May 22. After the ABS module recall was performed on May 21, 2025, my 2021 Ram Rebel began experiencing electrical and mechanical failures affecting multiple vehicle systems. While driving at approximately 7 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted itself into Park. Just like the separate occasion, the parking brake engaged while the vehicle was in motion. These events pose a major safety hazard. Since the recall, the following issues have occurred: •SERVICE BRAKES: Parking brake engaging while driving; ABS-related instability. •POWER TRAIN: Vehicle attempting to shift into Park and 4WD...

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that upon driving from a complete stop, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and independently shifted to park(P). After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact was later informed that the VIN was included in the recall and the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The failure mileage was 60,000.

My vehicle is only 4 years old, and the torque generator has gone out in the vehicle. I haven't towed anything in my vehicle. It has 90,XXX miles on it. It has taken over two months for me to get the part in for the vehicle.

I am reporting a recurring safety issue involving exhaust fumes entering the cabin of my 2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn, particularly during cold starts or remote starts while idling. Despite multiple attempts to have this issue repaired through authorized dealerships, the problem has not been resolved. On the first visit, dealership technicians discovered two cracked exhaust manifolds, which were replaced. On a second visit, they found and tightened bolts further. On the third visit, they claimed there was no longer a problem, but no physical diagnostic tests (such as pressure, bubble, or smoke testing) were conducted. Still concerned for my family’s safety, I paid for an independent diagnostic inspection. The certified mechanic confirmed an exhaust leak at the junction between the exhaust manifold and collector pipe, citing either improper installation or flawed sealing from previous repairs. The technician verified this using a stethoscope and noted a strong odor inside the...

While I was driving on the freeway, my check engine light came on and my battery voltage dropped rapidly (within 5 minutes I had a dead battery). My transmission, power train and electrical components all stopped working. Luckily I was pulling over before this happened so I didn’t get in a wreck on the freeway. I had a tow company take my vehicle to the dealer for inspection. After a few days they let me know it was the alternator inverter which was not functioning correctly and caused my battery to drain along with all my electrical components malfunctioning and engine stalling. The dealer has now had my truck for weeks and won’t let me drive it until they resolve the issue with a new inverter which is on back order with no updates on arrival.

Upon starting the vehicle, shifting into drive from park, and depressing the gas pedal, the vehicle would not shift out of first gear into higher gears. The engine began to whine and the RPM gauge registered much higher than when the vehicle typically shifts into higher gears during acceleration. Upon realizing, I pulled over and shifted from Drive to Park. I then shifted back to drive and the vehicle operated normally. This is the first time the vehicle has behaved in this manner, although there have been times when the transmission feels as if it is not shifting as smooth as it should.

Since purchase of the vehicle, I have experienced transmission surges and low power and fuel economy. When decelerating to a stop or U turn and the vehicle is in ECO, right before full stop, the RPMs will drop to 300-500 and surge back up to 1500-1800 causing a lunge forward. Vehicle has been in 6 times for a persistent transmission surge paired with low power and fuel economy. Dealer has replaced the valve body, transmission control module, wiring, and complete transmission replacement. I can reproduce the issue everyday near my place of employment and have video evidence of the issue. Additionally, since the transmission was replaced, when going 10+ miles on the highway, the engine cooling fan runs full out and fuel economy plumets.

Engine tick/knocking noise @ idle speed increases with RPM. 110k miles. No warning lamps or signals. Vehicle brought to dealership for inspection and service. Dealer stated cracks in both exhaust manifolds & broken bolts. Engine valves and rods being replaced.

The Alternator/MGU has failed. There was a mild whuring noise at first. Within a few days, the truck died at a stop light and would no longer start or go into neutral. I got two warnings, one the day before the failure saying "Battery saver activated", then right before the truck died, I got this again and the alternator light lit up on the dash. With almost zero warning of this failure, we ended up stuck in rush hour traffice at a stop light. The truck is being towed to a dealership now, after the shop we were towed to told us they wouldn't be able to repair the truck due to lack of parts. I'm being told there are massive backorders for the part and it could be months before my vehicle is returned. Reading many reports of this happening to others with the RAM etorque engine. This should...

I am submitting this report to alert the NHTSA of potential safety violations and undisclosed structural damage, drivetrain modifications, and possible engine replacement regarding my 2021 RAM 1500, which was purchased from Courtesy Chevrolet after being previously owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Unreported Frame Damage & Structural Repairs Multiple inconsistent and unseen frame welds were discovered, indicating prior accident damage and unreported frame repair. Frame welds do not match factory precision welding, suggesting post-factory reinforcement or structural fixes. Undisclosed Transmission Swap from 8-Speed to 6-Speed According to NHTSA records and the vehicle’s VIN, my RAM 1500 was manufactured with an 8-speed transmission. After purchase, I discovered that the 8-speed had been swapped for an older 6-speed transmission (6HP70), which was never disclosed. This creates potential drivability and safety concerns, as the truck’s ECU may not be calibrated for the correct transmission. Possible Undisclosed Engine Swap The engine in my truck has...

I was driving and my vehicle make a dinging sound, all the lights on the dash came on and the truck started accelerating on its own. I did not have the cruise control nor was I pressing the accelerator and the truck was accelerating by itself. If i used the brakes the truck would slow down, but when I released the brakes the truck would self accelerate again. If I turned the truck completely off and back on it went away for a couple days but then happened again. This was a super dangerous situation as it was happening suddenly and without warning and I could have easily struck another vehicle or a pedestrian or lost control of my vehicle and wrecked. The issue happened out of no where on its own, was not triggered by anything and could easily cause serious harm to others if this happens to them....

The contact owns a 2021 RAM 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the traction contract warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering and the service brakes did not function as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. In addition, the steering was inoperable and very hard to steer. The contact stated that snow was on the ground and due to the failure, the contact's vehicle crashed into a concrete curve. The contact stated that when the vehicle crashed into the concrete curve, the service brakes and the steering were independently reset. The vehicle was damaged on the front driver's side rim, however, the vehicle was undrivable. The vehicle was being towed to the local tow yard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. No injuries were...

Ice and snow packs in the underbody of the truck. Specifically, over the exposed cable that moves a few inches to transition the truck to park (for ram trucks with rotary knob for shifter) Ice builds up on exposed cable and prevents truck from safely shifting into park causing error messages and rolling concerns. This issue has been confirmed with my dealership and is all over ram 1500 online forums from 2016 to present. Cable needs to be protected (encased) from snow/ice build up.

Oil pan is rusted out and leaking.

vehicle lost acceleration power while rpm's went up to 7. I put into neutral and then back into drive and problem corrected itself. This is second time this year. When dealer looked at vehicle several months back they could not find the problem.

Check engine light turned on, i checked with two different code check device readers and both came up with code "P26FB" Powertrain System, Update Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

ON 9 separate occasions, the truck has issued the same warning light for "Powertrain Malfunction Indicator Light". We have written records and emails of specific days each time the truck lights issued this warning. On 2 of these 9 alerts, the truck completely shut down and was unable to start for approximately 30 minutes. We have taken the truck to the dealer multiple times and they have been unable to address this issue. Recently, we saw that RAM recalled 1.2mm trucks of the same model and year as our truck. The recall is number 24V65300. I do not know if this is related but this seems very similar to the software problems we are having on this truck. The fact that this electronic malfunction completely shuts down the truck is very concerning.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, and the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 37,000.

Truck shuddered and stalled in traffic on the highway. Was able to restart after a minute but it stalled and stopped again repeatedly leaving me vulnerable to a collision. This also occurred last summer on the interstate and the truck was towed to a dealer but they said they could not find anything wrong. Truck is currently at the dealer.

2nd Time it has been taken to the shop for Timing cover oil leak, Environmental hazard and Oil on my Garage floor caused me to Fall while taking out the Trash. This was after I cleaned the Garage Floor after the first Leak. I did some research online and see that this is a CONTINUIOS PROBLEM with many other EcoDiesel Trucks. My Truck is under 18000 miles and has been repaired once and is currently in the Shop as of Today 5-18-2024 been a week so far.

We purchased a new 2021 Dodge Ram in November of 2021 from Desert 215 Superstore in Las Vegas, NV. Nine months later the truck stalled while driving. The dealership kept the truck while they repaired the fuel pump. They had our truck for seven months while they attempted to repair it. The dealership couldn't figure out how to repair the underlying cause of the faulty fuel pump--therefore they replaced the powertrain, transmission, and engine. Approximately, one year later on [XXX], 2024, the truck stalled while crossing a busy intersection--my husband had our two young sons in the car which could have resulted in a serious accident but thankfully did not. We received a recall notice again last night about the fuel pump along with two other notices. Therefore it was not repaired correctly the first time. I looked up the vehicle information online and there are several class action lawsuits...

Engine gaskets blow up just after the 60000 miles warranty..no warning light on dashboard... battery fails before the 2 year warranty...starter failed when engine replaced it...no warning light....rear sensors fail since i bought it..never fixed... with exception of the rear sensors... everything is paid on my wallet money... dealership doesn't want to fix it under warranty

On 11/23/23 my check engine light came on suddenly with the code P020E upon reviewing information online I determined there was a recall on my truck for the HPFP (Manufacturer Recall NumberZ96 NHTSA Recall Number22V-767). The following day the check engine light went away but I took the vehicle to a dealer in Florence South Carolina (Legacy Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM) to have the vehicle inspected before driving. They refused to look at the vehicle and told me they wouldn't look if the light was not on. They told me to drive with the vehicle. I was traveling for the holidays and continued home. When approaching home (Plymouth, MA) the check engine light along with two errors to service the electronic stability control and to service the electronic throttle control came on. I immediately stopped driving and then took the vehicle to the local dealer when they opened on Monday...

Exhaust Concern. In July 2023, the left exhaust manifold cracked down whole manifold, mileage was 51,369. This was repaired under 60,000 miles Powertrain Warranty. In October 2023, the right exhaust manifold cracked down whole manifold and is scheduled for repair when parts arrive, mileage is 54,850. This will also be repaired under 60,000 miles Powertrain Warranty. There were no warnings, only that we were aware of the tapping sound from cold start on both sides of vehicle. After looking online, we realized that other Ram owners were reporting that this is a problem and believe this should be a recall with a permanent fix for the problem. With our warranty about to expire, we are concerned that the repairs are like a band-aid that if/when this happens again we will have to pay to have repaired.

Radiator having to be replaced on a vehicle that is only 2 years old.

Multiple exhaust leaks

Rpm goes up and down to 3 on 10-20 mph. back bed wiggles on 60mph lots of vibration going on! Brakes have some grinding sound.

The contact's son owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train). The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to lose motive power. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road where the vehicle was unable to restart on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the powertrain control module calibration software needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

There is clunk coming from the rear of the vehicle when I put into Drive or Reverse. The noise is also present when I deaccelerate and it is very present when I am towing my boat which is i the legal towing capacity of this vehicle. It also has developed a vibration since this has started and has steadily gotten worse over time.

After 4 days of ownership with less than 15,000 miles on it the truck died in intersection. No warning lights came on. Truck would not restart and is currently at the dealership.

Has happened a few different times but didn't know what was happening. I'm driving, yesterday was on the highway at 65mph and my truck suddenly "stalls out" for a few seconds! I almost lose control of the vehicle! No power steering no brakes no control and then all of a sudden comes back on. Cars going behind me are driving around me. Scariest thing ever happened while driving. I first noticed it a year ago but was not a interstate wasn't as scary. Then has happened through out the year 4 or 5 more times. The VIN says no recalls but it sounds exactly like the powertrain control module problem. My truck is a hemi 5.7-liter engine that is randomly stalling multiple times now almost causing me to wreck!

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that after stopping at a stop light, the fuel saving feature activated and engine turned off; however, after releasing the brake pedal, the engine failed to restart as designed. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that after the failure occurred and the vehicle was restarted, the RPM would be elevated; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 29 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions but no cause for the failure was determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 300.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was restarted and operated normally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with the crank shaft positioning sensor, motor generator unit (MGU), and Hybrid battery control module failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle regained motive power independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with power train failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V265000 (Power Train). The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.

Two engine/powertrain related issues: 1) Push START/STOP button does not function properly. The button must be pushed multiple times in order to turn the engine on or off. This is was reported to my local RAM dealership, however they were unable to resolve. 2) Engine shutoff on two (2) occasions while driving on-the-road. One of the incidents nearly caused a major accident, as the vehicle became stranded in the middle of a busy intersection. Driver display screen immediately displayed errors messages for power steering and trailer. This is was reported to my local RAM dealership, however they were unable to resolve.

Vehicle would not shift from 1st gear when starting off. Had to pull of to the shoulder to turn off the vehicle and restart. Said "service transmission" and check engine light lit.

The truck stalled at a intersection and applied the emergency brake. This seems like a common problem with the torque engine.