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2012 Ram 2500 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2012 Ram 2500 has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 5safety recalls
- 283owner complaints
- 8crash reports
- 12fire reports
- 4injuries reported
283 complaints, against an average of 367 for the other 14 Ram 2500 model years.
Every Ram 2500 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2012 Ram 2500?
The components named most often in the 283 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2012 Ram 2500 owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 283 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2012 Ram 2500 been recalled?
5 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Lever And Linkage: Column Shift Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Risk: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
Equipment Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling aftermarket Mopar Canvas Seat Covers for certain 2012-2016 RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. These Mopar canvas seat covers were sold through Chrysler dealerships beginning October 15, 2015. The seat covers can impede the deployment of the seat thorax airbags.
Risk: If the seat cover impedes the air bag deployment, the seat thorax air bags may not provide adequate protection in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of a injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners to remove the front seat covers and return them for a full refund. The recall began on July 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S30.
Air Bags: Frontal Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option. The affected vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub against the driver air bag module retainer spring.
Risk: This abrasion may result in an electrical short that could cause driver's frontal air bag to unexpectedly deploy. Inadvertent deployment of the air bag may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R36.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Diesel Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Risk: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Steering: Linkages: Tie Rod Assembly Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Risk: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler notified owners on January 16, 2014 that dealers would inspect vehicles and replace the steering linkage assembly, if necessary. On or about February 27, 2014, Chrysler ceased its recall remedy program due to parts quality concerns, and then re-initiated it on or about April 14, 2014. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N49.
Is the 2012 Ram 2500 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
EU Safety GateA leaky diesel fuel filter/pre-heater may lead to a fire in the engine compartment.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2012 Ram 2500 owners report?
12 of the 283 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The switch to start the vehicle has to be pushed down and turned at the same time. Vehicle starts but shuts the engine down when the key returns sometimes. On one occasion vehicle shut down while driving.
We purchased our 2012 Dodge Ram heavy duty with tow package new. At just over 152000 miles, the engine started knocking while on vacation. We were not towing at the time. We put in injector cleaner to try and help the knocking. During our vacation, we were on the freeway when we suddenly lost power, the service engine light popped on, and the engine died. We were literally driving one minute and the next were trying to get out of the traffic lane with no control. We restarted the engine, the knocking had stopped and power was restored. Two days later, another episode of power decrease but with…
My passenger headlights keeps going in and out. The wiring harness has been replaced twice and it still does it. My check engine light keeps coming on for the evap system even though its been replaced.
Recall T79 or 17V-821 or break transmission shift pin stuck in open position. This is the 2nd time this has happened and serious damage has occurred to the vehicle. Dodge won't do anything about it. Vehicle was parked, turned off, no key. I came out of building and it shifted into gear on its own and rolled backwards into a pole.
The contact owns a 2012 Ram 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle drove over a bump in the roadway and started to shake violently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the reinforcement bracket over the front track bar bracket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 205,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ram 2500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle rolled away. The contact was standing near the vehicle with the key fob. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V821000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ram 2500. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The contact also stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.
While driving, my dodge shut off and it was hard to control my vehicle and come to a safe stop, out of the way of other motorists. Lost all power, as if I turned the key off while driving. Turns out that there is a weak/loss of connection in the WIN module. while the vehicle is running at idle, the truck will shut off as if I turned the key to the off position. This is dangerous and scary. There was no warning or heads up or any issues prior to this incident.
Tie rod end sheared/broke causing the vehicle to be un-stearable. Fortunately, it happened as I was backing out of my driveway.
Exhaust Manifold on passenger side is leaking. It has a broken bolt due to manifold warping. This is causing exhaust to leak into the cab.
When driving at highway speed, if I hit the seam between the road and a bridge and it is not smooth my truck goes into a, "Death wobble." The steering wheel and the whole truck shakes uncontrollably. I can barely keep it in the road. It will only stop when the vehicle slows below 30mph. This problem started about 48,000 miles, I only have a little over 56,000 now. I have changed the stabilizer, got new tires and an alignment. I will be taking it to a mechanic on the 17th but I really believe the manufacture should have a recall on this vehicle. It is very dangerous. I am not the only person to…
PLEASE LOOK INTO ABS MODULE AND HCU FAILURES REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. I SPOKE WITH DODGE AND THEY STATED IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF PARTS. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAVE BEEN FAILING ON RAM 2500 AND 3500 SINCE 2006. MY TRUCK IS A 2012 WITH JUST 35972, (NOT A DAILY DRIVEN TRUCK SO YES LOW MILES) MILES ON IT AND IS FAILING. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STOP FUNCTIONING. PLEASE LOOK INTO RAM FORUMS AND READ ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND LOOK AT THE VARIATIONS IN YEARS, IF THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE ABS TO FAIL HOW ARE THEY NOT…
2012 Ram 2500: questions owners ask
Is the 2012 Ram 2500 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 283 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ram 2500; the most common categories were steering (109, 38.5%), electrical system (51, 18%), engine (44, 15.5%). There are 5 safety recalls. 8 complaints mention a crash, 12 mention a fire, 4 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ram 2500?
Across 283 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are steering (38.5% of complaints), electrical system (18% of complaints), engine (15.5% of complaints), power train (12.4% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (8.5% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2012 Ram 2500 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2012 Ram 2500; the most recent (campaign 17V821000, 2017-12-20) concerns Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Lever And Linkage: Column Shift. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2012 Ram 2500 stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
24 of the 283 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Ram 2500 (8.5%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "The switch to start the vehicle has to be pushed down and turned at the same time. Vehicle starts but shuts the engine down when the key returns sometimes. On one occasion vehicle shut down while driving." (NHTSA complaint 11753537, July 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Have any 2012 Ram 2500 vehicles caught fire?
9 of the 283 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Ram 2500 (3.2%) describe the car catching fire or melting wiring. One owner wrote: "Vehicle was parked in driveway for 6.5hrs. was unoccupied and not running. key was not in vehicle. no accessories were plugged in. flames suddenly erupted from under hood driver's area. vehicle caught fire and is a total loss." (NHTSA complaint 10810455, December 2015). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own 2500
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only.