DODGE RAM 4500 · model year

2011 DODGE RAM 4500

18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011DODGERAM 4500 carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 RAM 4500 is steering with 10 filings, followed by suspension (3) and steering:linkages:tie rod assembly (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 2011 RAM 4500, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

18
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

18 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STEERING10
SUSPENSION3
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY2
SERVICE BRAKES2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20160209STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE WATER PUMP FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO FRACTURE. THE FRACTURED SERPENTINE BELT CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED FOR ABOUT 20 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 46,000

20151005FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TOOK TRUCK IN FOR REPAIR. DIDN'T HAVE PARTS. SAID WOULD CALL WHEN GOT IN. NEVER CALLED. AFRAID TO DRIVE

20151005STEERING

TOOK TRUCK IN FOR REPAIR. DIDN'T HAVE PARTS. SAID WOULD CALL WHEN GOT IN. NEVER CALLED. AFRAID TO DRIVE

20150731SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 4500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

20150504SUSPENSION

THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED IN MAY OR JUNE 2014 AND THE DEALER STILL DOESN'T HAVE THE PARTS. SAYS THEY ARE ON BACK-ORDER. *TR

20141028STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO THE DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD. THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.

20141003STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20140912STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING) BUT THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

20140813STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20140630CrashSERVICE BRAKES

OUR DELIVERY DRIVER WAS RETURNING TO SHOP AFTER A DELIVERY. HE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BECOMING VERY HARD WHEN HE PUSHED ON IT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, HE HAD NO BRAKES. HE THEN SHUT THE TRUCK OFF AND STARTED TO COAST WITH IT, GRADUALLY SLOWING. A MINIVAN STOPPED ABRUPTLY IN THE VERY RIGHTMOST LANE RESULTING IN OUR TRUCK REAR ENDING IT. AT THIS TIME THE TRUCK HAD SLOWED TO SOMEWHERE IN THE 20 MPH RANGE. THEN HE EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND LIMPED THE TRUCK BACK TO THE SHOP. AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK REPAIRED AT A CERTIFIED DODGE DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THAT A POWER STEERING LINE HAD BECOME KINKED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. NO OFFICIAL RECALLS HAVE BEEN FOUND RELATING TO THE BRAKE LOSS. BOTH THE DEALER AND DODGE DENY THAT THERE IS ANY SERIOUS PROBLEM. HAD THERE BEEN AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO STOP, OUR TRUCK WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO. RESULTING IN A DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. *TR

Mileage: 58,352

20140618STEERING

DODGE HAS REFUSED TO REPLACED THE CRITICAL PART AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED BY DODGE EARLY IN 2014 ABOUT THE RECALL. DEALER SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD BE MADE IN MAY 2014. WHEN CONTACTED IN MAY DEALER SAID THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2014. TRUCK HAS A SERIOUS PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND SHOWS EXTREME WEAR ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. GIVEN THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF THIS RECALL I WOULD LIKE THE REPLACEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONTINUAL DELAYS BY DODGE. *TR

Mileage: 87,000

20140618SUSPENSION

DODGE HAS REFUSED TO REPLACED THE CRITICAL PART AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED BY DODGE EARLY IN 2014 ABOUT THE RECALL. DEALER SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD BE MADE IN MAY 2014. WHEN CONTACTED IN MAY DEALER SAID THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2014. TRUCK HAS A SERIOUS PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND SHOWS EXTREME WEAR ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. GIVEN THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF THIS RECALL I WOULD LIKE THE REPLACEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONTINUAL DELAYS BY DODGE. *TR

Mileage: 87,000

20140422STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY SINCE THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V527000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,300.

20130513STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 4500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT A SPEED OF 1 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V657000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

20120717STEERING

WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, WHEN CROSSING ON AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING WHEEL START VIOLENTLY SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. IT GOT SO BAD I HAD TO IMMEDIATE BRAKE HARD AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. IT DID NOT STOP SHAKING UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STOPPED. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR MY BUSINESS AND NORMALLY HAS A GOOSENECK TRAILER WITH A CONTROL ROOM AND HEAVY UMBILICAL CABLES MOUNTED ON IT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WITH A TRAILER ATTACHED, I KNOW I WOULD HAVE CRASHED. HAD THIS HAPPENED WITH SNOW OR ICE ON THE ROAD, I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL, SPUN OUT AND MOST LIKELY FLIPPED THIS VEHICLE. I NO LONGER TRUST THIS VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS EVER HAPPENING. A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED THOUSANDS OF INCIDENTS AND YOUTUBE SHOWS VIDEO OF WHAT I ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED. IT IS REAL AND JUSTIFIES THE TERM "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". *TR

Mileage: 29,531

20120717SUSPENSION

WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED, WHEN CROSSING ON AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING WHEEL START VIOLENTLY SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. IT GOT SO BAD I HAD TO IMMEDIATE BRAKE HARD AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. IT DID NOT STOP SHAKING UNTIL I WAS NEARLY STOPPED. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR MY BUSINESS AND NORMALLY HAS A GOOSENECK TRAILER WITH A CONTROL ROOM AND HEAVY UMBILICAL CABLES MOUNTED ON IT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WITH A TRAILER ATTACHED, I KNOW I WOULD HAVE CRASHED. HAD THIS HAPPENED WITH SNOW OR ICE ON THE ROAD, I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL, SPUN OUT AND MOST LIKELY FLIPPED THIS VEHICLE. I NO LONGER TRUST THIS VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS EVER HAPPENING. A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED THOUSANDS OF INCIDENTS AND YOUTUBE SHOWS VIDEO OF WHAT I ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED. IT IS REAL AND JUSTIFIES THE TERM "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". *TR

Mileage: 29,531

20120613STEERING

IN A SLOW TIGHT TURN THE PASS SIDE TIE ROD END SHEARED OFF. *TR

Mileage: 73,744

20120613STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

IN A SLOW TIGHT TURN THE PASS SIDE TIE ROD END SHEARED OFF. *TR

Mileage: 73,744

Compare 2011DODGERAM 4500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 DODGE RAM 4500 have?
The 2011 DODGE RAM 4500 has 18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 DODGE RAM 4500?
The most-complained component for the 2011 DODGE RAM 4500 is STEERING with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION and STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY.
Is the 2011 DODGE RAM 4500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.