- The problem
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- The risk
- A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
Vehicle safety record
2021 Ram 5500 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 2021 Ram 5500 with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (2) and the wheels & tires (1). Those complaints describe 1 crash and 2 fires. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in November 2025 for the frontal. For comparison, the 2020 has 8 and the 2022 has 27.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical 5500 year, for its age
#247 most complained-about 2021 vehicle
- Complaints
- 4
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2021 Ram 5500 problems
Share of all 4 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2021 Ram 5500 recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
Park outside
- The problem
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Ram 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, and 4500, 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the heater grid relay with the ignition on or off.
- The risk
- An electrical short in the relay can result in an engine compartment fire with the ignition on or off, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the relay, free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2023 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers on or about 3/23/2023 and begin notifying owners on or about 4/5/2023. Phase 2 will include 2022 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2021 model year vehicles. FCA US will notify dealers and owners on or about 4/27/2023 for Phase 2 and 5/11/2023 for Phase 3. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed March 28, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 5, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 13A. This recall is an expansion of and supersedes recall number 21V-798.
Park outside
- The problem
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 3500, 2500 pickup trucks, and Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. An electrical short in the relay may cause a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.
- The risk
- A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Owners are advised to park these vehicles outside of buildings or structures, and not near other vehicles, until the vehicle has been remedied. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. This recall has been superseded by 23V060.
- The problem
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. Incorrect information in the Service and Owner's Manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.
- The risk
- Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y36 owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y26 owner notification letters were mailed on December 1, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.
- The problem
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Ram 2500, 3500, and 3500, 4500, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay, which could result in a vehicle fire.
- The risk
- A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay ("Relay"); if FCA US Recall ID Y08 (NHTSA Recall ID 21V-163) is open, then insulating material will be applied to the Relay after inspection. Customers are advised to not park these vehicles inside of buildings or structures, or near other vehicles until the vehicle has the final repair completed. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y76. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y08. This recall has been superseded by recall number 21V-798.
What owners say
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4 complaints about the 2021 Ram 5500
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an unspecified speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The contact was the only occupant inside the vehicle and was able to exit the vehicle safely. The color of the smoke was white and blue. The fire originated at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was towing a trailer with other vehicles onboard. Several of the vehicles were damaged by the fire. The...
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fire was extinguished by the local Fire Department. A fire report was not filed; however, a Police report was filed. The vehicle was consumed by the fire. No injury was sustained. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V060000 (Electrical System). However, a month after the fire had consumed the vehicle, the recall was initiated. The manufacturer stated the recall repair could not cover the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 96,000.
The contact owned a 2021 Ram 5500. The contact stated that the vehicle is a flatbed tow truck, and while one of his drivers was driving at 48 MPH, the tow truck driver noticed that white/gray smoke was emitting from under the hood. It was unknown if the smoke entered the vehicle. The tow truck was towing a vehicle on a flatbed. The contact stated that the driver noticed multiple lights were illuminated, and the RPM was at zero. The driver stated that an abnormal knocking sound could be heard coming from under the...
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front of the tow truck. The driver pulled to the side of the road and immediately exited the vehicle. The tow truck driver used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. None of the air bags deployed. The driver did not sustain any injuries. The contact stated that the damage by the fire was isolated to one side of the engine, by the heater of the relay intake on the driver side. The wires that were connected to the relay were damaged. The fire department was called. The police were called and arrived after the fire was extinguished. It was unknown if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the business location. The contact owns a vehicle electrical shop and determined that the fire was electrical. There was no damage to the vehicle that was towed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The insurance company was not notified. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,040.
See attached document from complainant
The wheel studs broke going down the Interstate causing the wheels to come off into oncoming traffic. This caused damage to the wheel studs, lug nuts, brake calipers,brakes, rotors, rims and tires.
Ram 5500: every year compared
All 5500 years2021 Ram 5500 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Ram 5500 | 4 | 5 | C | |
| 2021 Ram 1500 Classic | 691 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2021 Ram 1500 | 691 | 15 | D | Compare |
| 2021 Ram 1500 Crew Cab TRX | 691 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2021 Ram Promaster | 111 | 8 | D | Compare |
| 2021 Ram 2500 | 109 | 8 | C | Compare |
| 2021 Ram 3500 | 63 | 9 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2021 Ram 5500
Does the 2021 Ram 5500 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2021 Ram 5500: frontal (November 2025); relays / solenoids (February 2023); relays / solenoids (October 2021); lugs / nuts / bolts / studs (May 2021) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ram 5500?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (2), wheels & tires (1), suspension (1).
How many complaints has the 2021 Ram 5500 had?
4 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 25, 2023 and the latest on August 19, 2026. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2021 Ram 5500 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Ram 5500 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Ram 5500 years have the most complaints?
2018 (40), 2022 (27), 2017 (21). See every Ram 5500 year compared.
What should I do if my 2021 Ram 5500 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data