2016 RAM 3500 Unknown Or Other Problems
16 NHTSA complaints on file
Unknown Or Other Issues in the 2016 RAM 3500
16 unknown or other complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 RAM 3500. Of these, 2 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, and 1 resulted in injury.
16
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Unknown Or Other Complaints
On Sept. 11, 2025 my truck parked in my drive way. It was parked there all night. When I opened the doors to get in smoke and flames started coming out. The center console was on fire. The next day on Sept. 12, 2025 while at the dealership to have the truck inspected it caught fire again further burning the center console, the passenger seat and the roof. The dealership told us there is nothing they could do so we had to have the truck towed back to my home. Sunday night on Sept. 14,2025, I heard a loud pop noise and when I walked outside the entire cab of the truck was engulfed in flames. We had to call the fire department and they had to come put the fire out. Each of the incidences started spontaneously when the truck was just sitting parked.
I am writing to report an ongoing issue with my 2016 Ram 3500 (V6), related to Safety Recall V06 (NHTSA 19V-021) for the drag link, which was performed in 2020 before I purchased the vehicle two years ago. The recall "fix" involved welding the adjustable nuts on the steering linkage, rendering it non-adjustable. Since then, I have been unable to get a proper front-end alignment at any service shop. Multiple mechanics have refused to perform an alignment because the welded drag link cannot be adjusted, and they’ve stated it compromises the vehicle's steering integrity and tire wear. This is a significant safety concern. Without the ability to align the front end, the vehicle’s handling is affected, potentially leading to uneven tire wear, reduced control, or worse, a steering-related failure. I’ve contacted dealerships and Chrysler (FCA US LLC), but they insist the recall was completed and offer no further remedy, despite...
Upon shifting into reverse the rear tailgate backup camera operates intermittently causing me to loose rear visibility directly behind truck. When this occurs the Uconnect displays a fuzzy & distorted image as if there’s signal interference. Opening & closing the tailgate sometimes alleviates this issue but only temporarily.
I purchased this vehicle new in 2016. It currently has approximately 49,000 miles. It has never been involved in any collision. In Feb. 2023 I took it to a Les Schwab Tire Center to have the drag link replaced & alignment done. When the repairs were completed the technician informed me that I may have a rear axle misalignment as he noticed the rear axle appeared to have shifted to the right of the vehicle & recommended taking it to a collision repair shop for further inspection. My next move was taking it to an independent shop & have the rear leaf springs inspected for correct alignment which found nothing abnormal but they also measured from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel on both sides of the vehicle and found a difference in measurement of approximately 3/4". They had me drive the vehicle...
The rear backup camera is working Intermittently causing a lack of view behind the truck. This problem happens multiple times per month
Vehicle caught fire shortly after initiating OEM remote start. video is available
I BOUGHT THIS 2016 RAM 3500 BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2016. I NOW HAVE 9600 MILES ON IT AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED. THE LEFT FRONT IS GOING TO DO THE SAME THING. THE TIRE DOT CODE IS 2215. THESE TIRES WERE ALMOST A YEAR OLD WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS ON SELLINGVEHICLES WITH TIRE ONE YEAR OLD. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70 MPH.
RAM DEALER SERVICE DEPT. AFTER COMPLETING A STEERING DRAG LINK RECALL SERVICE REPORTED AFTER TEST DRIVE A SHIMMY /SHAKE IN STEERING WHEEL STARTING AT VEHICLE SPEED OF APPROX. 20 MPH. DIAGNOSIS AS A FAULTY STEERING DAMPER, REPLACED DAMPER AND RETURNED VEHICLE TO CUSTOMER. CUSTOMER RETURNED NEXT DAY REPORTING BAD SHIMMY, WAS TOLD VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER SERVICE VISIT AND ALLOWED TO LEAVING WITHOUT SERVICE DEPT INSPECTING VEHICLE. CUSTOMER RETURNED APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS LATER INSISTING SERVICE WRITER TEST RIDE VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND DETERMINED TO HAVE BELT SEPARATION IN DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. TIRE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH SPARE TIRE. DEFECTIVE TIRE IS WITH VEHICLE OWNER. RAM 3500 DUAL REAR WHEEL, NEXEN 235/80 R17 ROADIAN AT PRO 8, 28,300 MILE. ORIGINAL TIRES, ORIGINAL OWNER ROTATED ONCE AT APPROX 18,000 MILES
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY TRAILER LOADED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE. IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND HITTING THE FREEWAY MEDIAN WALL. UNKNOWN AS TO THE COMPONENT, I AM STILL WAITING FOR A REPORT.*DT PHOTOS ATTACHED *JB
THIS IS THE 5TH RAM TRUCK I PURCHASE. I USE THEM FOR WORK. ALL OF THE UNITS HAVE SHORT LIFE SPAN ON TIRES. SOME HAVE DEEP THREAD BUT HAVE BUBBLES ON TIRES. I HAVE HAD SOME TIRES THAT WON'T LAST 20000 MILES. THEY WILL PROBABLY BLOWOUT IF I KEEP DRIVING THEM LIKE THIS. TIRES ARE VERY POOR QUALITY.
WHEN USING REMOTE UNLOCK FOB. CAUSES THE TAILGATE TO FALL OPEN AT INTERMITTENT TIMES. WHEN SITTING STILL OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH THE MANUAL SINGLE ZONE HEATING VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM (HVAC). THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY DEFAULTS TO RECIRCULATE AIR MODE REGARDLESS OF THE RECIRCULATE MODE BEING TURNED OFF. YOU CAN TELL THE SYSTEM IS IN RECIRC MODE WITH THE RECIRC LIGHT OFF BY THE INCREASED FAN NOISE. THE SYSTEM ALSO DEFAULTS TO RECIRC MODE WHEN THE SYSTEM IS OFF. I HAVE DUPLICATED THE DEFECT TO DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHO ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE SYSTEM TO NO AVAIL. THEY THEN DUPLICATED THE EVENT IN A 2018 MODEL RAM PICKUP WITH THE SAME MANUAL HVAC SYSTEM. AFTER THIS I WAS ADVISED IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT AND THERE WAS NOTHING FURTHER THEY COULD DO. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT WHICH COULD UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOW A DANGEROUS BUILDUP OF CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE OPERATOR HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THEY...
MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERT51 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER17V-562 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE SUMMARYTHE WATER PUMP MAY EXPERIENCE A FAILURE WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. SAFETY RISKA WATER PUMP FAILURE RESULTING IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO MOTOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS OR PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. REMEDYTHE WATER PUMP MUST BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF REQUIRED. DEC 20,2017 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERT79 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER17V-821 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE SUMMARYTHE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK (BTSI) LOCKING PIN MAY BECOME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. A BTSI LOCKING PIN STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION MAY ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND TO OR FROM ANY GEAR POSITION WITHOUT DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND/OR WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IF A KEY IS APPLICABLE. SAFETY RISKTHE TRANSMISSION MAY...
THE TRUCK SEATS ARE VIBRATING REALLY BAD AT 60 TO 70 MPH. THE TRUCK WAS BOUGHT NEW IN NC . I DROVE IT HOME TO FL AND TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER , THEY BALANCE THE FIRESTONE TIRES AND IT IMPROVED A LITTLE EVERY 5000 I HAD TO ROTATE OR MY TEETH WOULD START TO CHATTER. I INSTALLED MICHELIN TIRE NO IMPROVEMENT. THE TIRE ARE WEARING EVEN, NO VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL , THIS A TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE / DRIVE SHAFT OR REAR END ISSUE.
INVOLVED IN A FRONT END, AND DRIVER SIDE COLLISION AT A SPEED OVER 50MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE ALSO CAUGHT FIRE, THERE WAS A MINI EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING, ABOUT THIS MATTER.
THERE IS AN EXTREME DELAY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND ACTUAL ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CORRELATION BETWEEN HOW FAR THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED AND VEHICLE ACCELERATION. WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, THIS DELAY IS A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM. THERE ARE TIMES THAT A 2-3 SECOND DELAY IS EXPERIENCED BETWEEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY MOVING.
Other 2016 RAM 3500 Problem Areas
Steering
25 complaints
Engine
20 complaints
Wheels
20 complaints
Power Train
18 complaints
Service Brakes
11 complaints
Electrical System
9 complaints
Suspension
9 complaints
Air Bags
8 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
7 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
7 complaints
Structurebody
3 complaints
Tires
3 complaints
Exterior Lighting
2 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control
2 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
1 complaint
Back Over Prevention Sensing System Camera
1 complaint
Back Over Prevention Warnings
1 complaint
Electrical Systeminstrument Panelspeedometerodometer
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Cooling
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingenginediesel
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasolineturbosupercharger
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust System
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkages
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulic
1 complaint
Steeringlinkages
1 complaint
Tiressidewall
1 complaint
Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly
1 complaint