AutoUtility currently tracks 257 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 Ram 2500. Powertrain & Transmission issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 63 complaints (24.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 15 filings cite a crash, 3 cite a fire, 6 report one or more injuries, 1 reports one or more fatalities.

Key Problem Findings
  • • Total NHTSA Complaints: 257 reports
  • • #1 Reported Problem Area: Powertrain & Transmission (63 reports • 24.5% of submitted complaints)
  • • Secondary Problem Areas: Engine & Cooling (52), Steering System (43)
  • • Crash-Citing Complaints: 15 filings
  • • Fire-Citing Complaints: 3 filings
  • • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 6 injury filings • 1 fatality filings
Reporting Methodology: Statistics describe unverified consumer submissions voluntarily filed with NHTSA. Complaint volume is not normalized for vehicle sales volume or miles driven. Multiple components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission.
Total Complaints
257
Submitted to NHTSA ODI
Crash-Citing Complaints
15
Filings citing a collision
Fire-Citing Complaints
3
Filings citing smoke or fire
Complaints Reporting Injuries
6
Filings citing one or more injuries
Complaints Reporting Fatalities
1
Consumer filings citing fatalities

Most Reported Problems for 2016 Ram 2500

Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records

#1 Problem Area 24.5% of complaints

Powertrain & Transmission

63 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 7 crash reports 🔥 1 fire report 🩹 4 injury report entries
#2 Problem Area 20.2% of complaints

Engine & Cooling

52 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 2 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
🔥 1 fire report
#3 Problem Area 16.7% of complaints

Steering System

43 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 2 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
✓ 0 crashes or fires cited
#4 Problem Area 14.4% of complaints

Electrical System

37 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 2 crash reports 🔥 1 fire report 🩹 2 injury report entries
#5 Problem Area 14% of complaints

Brakes & Traction Control

36 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report
Domain Share Note: Share percentage represents the proportion of unique complaint filings referencing each vehicle system. Because single complaints may cite multiple systems (such as engine and electrical simultaneously), domain percentages represent individual category incidence and may sum to over 100%.

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2016 Ram 2500

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Powertrain & Transmission NHTSA ODI ID: #11759520
Crash Cited Filed: 08/25/2026

"On August 25, 2026, my 2016 Ram 2500 was parked on private property. The driver states that she placed the automatic transmission in PARK before exiting the vehicle. After she exited, the unoccupied vehicle unexpectedly began rolling and struck a tree, causing vehicle damage. No one was injured...."

Incident Date: 08/25/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: POWER TRAIN
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11754201
Filed: 08/01/2026

"the V06 Recall on this vehicle that for some reason was approved is an inadequate repair. The steering wheel is not adjustable with the "Weld Fix". Stellantis should have to replace the defective parts. My truck is not not able to be aligned 100%. The repair was done in 2019, and I have complained..."

Incident Date: 08/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11751693
Filed: 07/20/2026

"This complaint is against HENDRICK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM IN HOOVER ALABAMA misaligned solid-axle geometry and compromised tire casings triggered a violent, uncontrollable oscillation through the steering system, rendering the truck an immediate highway safety hazard. The vehicle was so dangerous..."

Incident Date: 04/28/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING,SUSPENSION
Electrical System NHTSA ODI ID: #11750226
Filed: 07/14/2026

"To Whom It May Concern, I am requesting a no-cost replacement of the factory Uconnect 8.4 radio in my truck (VIN: [XXX]) due to daily safety-related failures that significantly affect the safe operation of my vehicle. Every day, the radio experiences a startup delay where the screen remains black..."

Incident Date: 01/01/2025 • Raw NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11740029
Filed: 05/26/2026

"The contact owns a 2016 RAM 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel independently steered the vehicle to the right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer,..."

Incident Date: 06/18/2025 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING
Consumer Narrative Notice: Excerpts are sanitized text descriptions submitted by vehicle owners to the federal ODI database. They reflect the reporting consumer's observations at the time of filing and have not been independently confirmed by vehicle manufacturers or government investigators.

Complaint History for Ram 2500

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2023)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Ram 2500 214 13 15 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Ram 2500 Current Page 257 15 14 Current
2017 Ram 2500 684 12 12 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Ram 2500 2555 37 10 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Ram 2500 191 8 12 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Ram 2500 163 5 10 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Ram 2500 105 6 8 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Ram 2500 0 0 12 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Ram 2500 0 0 8 View 2023 Problems →
Comparative Disclaimer: Complaint totals are unadjusted historical counts and are not normalized for vehicles sold, active fleet size, or total road mileage. Newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time to accumulate owner filings.

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2016 Ram 2500

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 77 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Reported Injury Entries Reported Fatality Entries
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 37 6 1 2 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 33 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 19 0 1 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 18 0 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 9 0 0 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 6 4 0 4 1
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 6 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 5 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 0 0 0 0
Tires NHTSA category: TIRES 5 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 5 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 4 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS 3 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION 3 0 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 3 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 1 0 0 0
Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS 1 1 1 2 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT 1 1 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,EQUIPMENT 1 0 0 0 0
Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 1 0 2 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SEAT BELTS,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES 1 1 0 0 0
TIRES,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
TRAILER HITCHES 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
Data Attribution & Reporting Methodology: Complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Because multiple vehicle components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission, component-level rollups may sum to more than the unique complaint count (257). Injury and fatality entries in the detailed table reflect raw values entered by reporting consumers across individual submissions; they are not deduplicated casualty statistics and may include duplicate or unverified entries. Complaint volume is not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and does not represent an audited component failure rate.

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

1 OPEN 2 CLOSED

Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Official Federal Inquiries: NHTSA opens a defect investigation when safety screening or consumer defect trends indicate a potential unreasonable safety risk. An open investigation is a formal inquiry and does not by itself confirm a defect or result in a mandatory recall.
OPEN Recall Query (RQ) ODI Action #RQ25003
Opened: 2025-07-03 • Currently Active

Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure

Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and 6 EWR Death & Injury (D&I) reports describing post recall remedy failures of the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) system in certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 RAM pickup trucks.The subject vehicle models include 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks equipped with a column mounted shift lever.The failures of the BTSI described in the V...

Active federal investigation. Official NHTSA File →
CLOSED Engineering Analysis (EA) ODI Action #EA19004
Opened: 2019-12-01 • Closed: 2025-11-20

Steering loss due to linkage separation

Affected Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION

On December 17, 2018, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE18016 to investigate alleged drag link failures in the steering system on model year (MY) 2015 and 2016 Ram 2500 trucks manufactured by FCA US, LLC (FCA).  The drag link failures were found to be due to a safety defect with the steering linkage where the drag link adjustable connector (used to adjust the steering system), held in position by two o...

Closed without associated recall campaign. Official NHTSA File →
CLOSED Preliminary Evaluation (PE) ODI Action #PE18016
Opened: 2018-12-17 • Closed: 2019-12-12

Steering loss due to linkage separation

Affected Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION

On December 17, 2018, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 18-016 to investigate the steering system on model year (MY) 2015 and 2016 Ram 2500 manufactured by FCA US, LLC (FCA). Four complaints were received alleging separation of the drag link, a steering linkage that connects between the right front steering knuckle and the pitman arm on the steering box output shaft. The failures were found to be at...

✓ Resulted in Safety Recall Campaign: 19V021000 Official NHTSA File →

Related Official Reports for 2016 Ram 2500

Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year

Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.