Ram 1500 check engine light problems: what 688 owners reported

Owners have filed 688 complaints with NHTSA that mention a check engine light on a Ram 1500. That is 5.5% of the 12,574 complaints on file for the model. The reports cover model years 2012 to 2026, with the most from the 2014 (124), 2015 (111) and 2016 (93) trucks. A check engine light is a warning, not a diagnosis, so these reports describe many different underlying problems.

NHTSA's recall data for these model years has no recall that matches "check engine light" as a symptom in itself, as of November 2026. Recalls for specific parts may still apply to your truck, and a few owners below mention recall numbers in their own words. If this is not your case, read the full Ram 1500 problem report.

TL;DR

• 688 reports mention a check engine light, 5.5% of the 12,574 Ram 1500 complaints on file.
• Most reports by model year: 2014 (124), 2015 (111), 2016 (93), 2019 (64), 2022 (53).
• Highest share of a year's own complaints: 2025 with 39 of 378 (10.3%), then 2022 with 53 of 639 (8.3%).
• 22 reports mention a fire and 5 mention a crash. The reports list 2 injuries in total.
• Components named most often: Engine (305 reports), Electrical System (168), Fuel/Propulsion System (159), Power Train (127).
• No recall in NHTSA's data matches the check engine light symptom as a whole.

Which Ram 1500 years have the most check engine light complaints?

The biggest cluster is the 2014 to 2016 trucks, which together account for 328 of the 688 reports. By share, 2025 stands out at 10.3%, followed by 2022 at 8.3% and 2015 at 7.6%. The 2023, 2024 and 2026 trucks have few reports, but they have also had less time on the road, so a small count there says little. Reports are owner submissions, so they show what owners chose to file, not how many trucks have a fault.

What do Ram 1500 owners describe?

The light itself appears alongside very different problems, and the owners' own words show the range. All quotes below are from NHTSA complaints, with the complaint number.

Limp mode and reduced power. One 2015 owner wrote that the truck "lost power without warning and what it seems it went into a limp mode." After restarting, "the check engine light illuminated, and power was drastically reduced, capping our speed at approximately 40 mph" (NHTSA complaint 11747078). The owner says the dealer service department named the crankshaft tone wheel as the root cause.

Warning lights together, with steering and gauges affected. A 2014 owner reported "Abs traction control and e brake lights are on every time I go to crank the truck" and a check engine light "with three codes causing my power steering and speedometer and odometer to stop working." The owner says the dealer named the ABS module (complaint 11752818).

Engine noise and failure. A 2019 owner described loud ticking on the highway, then "the engine light came on and engine noises noticeably increased." The owner was told the cause was a failed camshaft with bearing wear and scoring, "fixed at owner cost" (complaint 11772884).

Fuel system on the EcoDiesel. A 2022 owner reported that a diesel fuel supply tube fractured at approximately 49,209 miles and "the vehicle's check engine light came on" (complaint 11763016). A 2018 owner wrote that after the Z46 high-pressure fuel pump recall repair, "within one month of the repair, the Check Engine Light illuminated" and later returned a second time (complaint 11767041). A 2016 owner filed a long chronology that also refers to that recall repair and a later check engine light (complaint 11769617).

Codes the owner was given. A 2013 owner reported codes "P0128 (coolant thermostat) and U1467 (module communication)", a mechanic who replaced the ECM without clearing the light, and a service bulletin tied to "Safety Recall N25 / NHTSA Campaign 13V-177 (three-way coolant valve)" (complaint 11753492). A 2021 owner listed an ignition number 3 code, "(CODES: P020C, PO1DO)" (complaint 11753305).

Electrical and battery trouble. A 2023 owner wrote about jump starts, a code "u1267" and that "check engine light was one after awhile went off" (complaint 11762357). A 2026 owner reported repeated no-starts, a single check engine light after a jump, and then brakes where "the pedal was soft and going nearly to the floor" (complaint 11762807).

Cases where the light did not come on. Some owners report the opposite. A 2017 owner wrote of a sudden loss of power steering with no "previous check engine light codes" (complaint 11711480), and a 2020 owner reported stalls where "no check engine light appeared at any point" (complaint 11769572). So a dark dashboard does not rule out a fault.

Across all 688 reports, NHTSA's component field names the Engine 305 times, the Electrical System 168 times, the Fuel/Propulsion System 159 times, the Power Train 127 times, the Fuel System 60 times and Engine And Engine Cooling 57 times. A report can name more than one component. 22 reports mention a fire and 5 mention a crash, and the reports list 2 injuries in total.

Is there a recall for the check engine light on the Ram 1500?

As of the data date of 2026-11-09, NHTSA's recall data for the 2012 to 2026 Ram 1500 has no recall matching a check engine light as a problem in itself. That is expected: the light is a general warning that many different faults can trigger.

Recalls for other parts may still apply to your truck. Some owners above mention NHTSA campaign 22V-406 (Z46, a high-pressure fuel pump recall on EcoDiesel trucks) and campaign 13V-177 (N25, a coolant valve recall). I am only repeating what those owners wrote. The recall text itself is not part of this guide's data, so do not assume either recall covers your truck. The way to find out is to check your VIN, covered below. The Ram 1500 problem report lists recalls by model year.

What should you do if your Ram 1500 check engine light comes on?

• Check open recalls by VIN. Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA recalls. It shows only the recalls that apply to your exact truck.
• Write down what you see. Note the date, mileage, any other warning lights or messages, and the conditions: cold start, highway speed, after rain, towing.
• Get the codes read. Ask the dealer or a mechanic for the stored codes and keep a copy. Owners above quote codes such as P0128, U1467 and P020C, but a code points to a system to check and does not name the faulty part.
• Ask about open recalls and service bulletins. When you book, ask the dealer to check your VIN for open recalls and manufacturer service bulletins that match your symptoms.
• Know when to stop. If the light is flashing, or the truck loses power, stalls or drops into limp mode, I would not keep driving in traffic. Pull over safely and call for help.
• Report it. You can file your own report at NHTSA: report a safety problem. Reports like the ones above are how patterns become visible.

I am not a mechanic, and this guide does not tell you what is wrong with your truck. It shows what other owners reported.

How this guide was made

The data comes from NHTSA's public owner complaint database for the Ram 1500, model years 2012 to 2026, as of 2026-11-09. A complaint counts here when the owner's own text describes a check engine light; that gave 688 of the 12,574 complaints on file. Quotes are taken directly from the complaint text. For the full method and its limits, see the methodology page.