2021 Ram 2500 — Known Issues & Recalls

Your EGR cooler is cracked and leaking coolant, which is burning off in your engine. Ram has issued recalls for this same part on other model years, but not yours, even though the issue affects multiple trucks with the same component. The dealership has suggested contacting NHTSA about a potential recall, as this problem has been reported to cause fires in some trucks.

After starting your vehicle, you noticed a fire smell entering the cab. When you exited and checked the engine, smoke was coming from it. The engine then caught fire and the vehicle was completely destroyed within 10 minutes.

Your engine has a loud ticking noise that indicates a lifter is about to fail. This is a known issue with the 6.7L Cummins engine and typically leads to severe engine damage if not addressed quickly. The repair will likely require replacing the failed lifter and may involve significant engine work.

Your engine's camshaft and lifters have failed multiple times despite dealer replacements, and metal debris from the failures has damaged your crankshaft bearings. You may hear tapping or knocking noises, and in a worst-case scenario, the engine could shut down completely, leaving you without power steering or power brakes and creating a serious collision risk. Fixing this typically requires replacing the camshaft, lifters, and potentially the crankshaft bearings, along with a complete oil system flush to remove metal contamination.

Your driver-side heater has stopped working while the passenger side still heats normally. A mechanic found that this is caused by failed cooling system gaskets allowing coolant to spray across the intake, not a problem with the heater itself. This same issue has been reported on multiple RAM trucks. The repair will likely involve replacing the failed gaskets in the cooling system.

Your transmission makes a high-pitched whining noise when you shift gears during acceleration. You've taken the truck to the Ram dealership four times, and while FCA approved a repair involving a small transmission part, the noise persists after the fix. The dealership may need to investigate further or consider a larger transmission component replacement.

Your 2021 Ram 2500 caught fire while parked and plugged in for charging, with no warning lights beforehand. Smoke emerged from the vehicle, and the fire spread to your home before the fire department extinguished it. Your truck had been scheduled for a dealer recall related to the electrical system but had not yet been serviced when this occurred. The vehicle will need a complete electrical system inspection and repair to identify and fix the fire hazard.

Your backup camera doesn't turn on when you shift into reverse gear. This means you won't see the camera feed on your display when backing up, which could make it harder to see obstacles behind your vehicle. The repair will likely involve checking the camera wiring, the reverse light circuit, or replacing the camera unit itself.

Your tailgate was repaired under a known recall for unexpected unlatching, but it continues to open while you're driving. Your tailgate has been damaged from falling open during driving, and the dealership has denied your claim, saying the recall repair was completed even though you're still experiencing the problem. The fix will likely involve a thorough inspection and reinstallation of the tailgate latch mechanism, and possibly replacement of the damaged tailgate.

Your tailgate was repaired in February 2025 for a known issue (22V-904), but after the repair was completed, the tailgate dropped again and caused additional damage. This incident resulted in a crash being reported.

Your vehicle caught fire while idling with the engine running, resulting in total loss of the vehicle. The fire spread rapidly and burned through the interior down to bare metal, though no one was injured. The exact cause—whether electrical components or a fuel leak under the hood—was not determined, but this poses a serious safety risk to you and any passengers, especially children in car seats.

Your front right wheel completely detached from your truck while driving on the highway at 45 mph due to snowy road conditions. All the lug nuts had come off the wheel, and you'll need a new wheel, rim, hub assembly, and lug nuts to repair it. This happened with no warning lights or alerts, and you're concerned because you've seen similar recalls for other Ram trucks from the same year.

Your rear right seat belt became stuck and wouldn't release, even after unlatching the buckle, trapping your son in the vehicle. The seat belt's retraction system failed to loosen despite multiple attempts to free him while the vehicle was stationary. Emergency services had to cut the seat belt to safely remove your son, and no warning lights or fault messages appeared before or during the incident. The fix will likely require inspection and replacement of the seat belt retractor assembly.

Your 2021 Ram 2500 has experienced three transmission failures within a few months, with each replacement failing shortly after. You've also noticed ongoing steering problems since the truck was new that haven't been resolved despite multiple service attempts. Additionally, water leaked into your truck's interior after the roof stop lamp area was damaged at the dealership, causing mold and carpet damage. Fixing these issues will likely require transmission diagnosis and replacement, steering system inspection and repair, and comprehensive water intrusion and mold remediation.

Your leather dashboard is peeling and shrinking near the defrost vents, which may interfere with proper passenger airbag deployment. The manufacturer is aware of this issue but won't cover repairs outside of warranty, classifying the dashboard as an accessory rather than a safety component. Fixing this would likely require dashboard replacement or repair to restore both the leather finish and ensure the airbag system functions properly.

Your transmission failed completely at 80,000 miles, leaving you stranded in traffic and nearly causing a crash. The dealer repaired the transmission, but the sudden failure was concerning given the vehicle's relatively low mileage. The repair likely involved rebuilding or replacing the transmission assembly.

Your brake system has failed due to a faulty brake hose that collapsed internally on the passenger side, causing your front brake caliper to seize up. A brake specialist and your dealer both confirmed the brake hoses, calipers, rotors, and pads all need replacement at a cost of $3,500. You've learned that some other 2021 Ram 2500 trucks have recalls for this same brake hose failure, but your truck was told to have no recall coverage. The repair likely involves replacing the failed brake hoses, then installing new calipers, rotors, and brake pads on the front axle.

Your engine lifters failed at 64,000 miles and were replaced under warranty. Now at 71,000 miles, the lifters are making noise again, suggesting the replacement parts may have the same design issue. This recurring problem should be inspected and potentially repaired with updated or higher-quality lifter components.

After driving your truck for over 2 months without problems, your transmission suddenly got stuck in first gear while driving to a store. A mechanic confirmed the transmission had failed. The transmission will likely need to be rebuilt or replaced.

Your steering wheel makes a snapping noise when you turn it left or right, and the problem is becoming more frequent. Your dealer identified this as a clock spring failure, which is the same issue that affected some Ram 1500 and 2500 models, though your truck wasn't included in the recall. Fixing this will require replacing the clock spring, which is located inside the steering column.