Car · Ram problems

2012 Ram 1500 problems

698 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ram 1500. The most reported area is electrical system (25% of them). NHTSA also lists 187 service bulletins and 6 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 27. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 698 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Electrical system175 · 25%
• Engine and engine cooling170 · 24%
• Fuel system126 · 18%
• Power train (transmission and drive)92 · 13%
• Air bags80 · 11%
• Other or unknown67 · 10%
• Service brakes51 · 7%
• Steering47 · 7%

14 smaller areas not shown (168 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 187 repair bulletins from Ram for the 2012 Ram 1500. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 25-009-24Received December 10, 2024

   Dual EVAP System Extreme Duty Vapor Canister Filter Kit Customers operating fleet or severe/extreme duty gasoline vehicles in continuous dusty driving conditions can plug the single OE filter...

2. 101232Received November 7, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Plate - Planetary.

3. S2408000078Received July 22, 2024

   Electrical system

   Replacement Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) Displays Incorrect Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Current and Active.

4. 9100226Received January 8, 2024

   Electrical system

   Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability.

5. 9100229Received January 8, 2024

   Equipment

   LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.

6. 9100196Received September 25, 2023

   Equipment

   Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used.

7. 1804823Received May 30, 2023

   Equipment

   WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP system small leak.

8. 0808614aReceived January 17, 2023

   Equipment

   RBZ Or RHB Radio Software Enhancements.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ram 1500. Recall repairs are free at a Ram dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 18V160000March 8, 2018

   Fuel system, gasoline

   Exposure to environmental conditions such as water mixed with road salt may cause the front fuel tank strap frame "T-Slot" bracket to corrode, possibly causing the fuel tank to drop and make contact...

2. 17V824000December 21, 2017

   Equipment

   These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher.

3. 17V821000December 20, 2017

   Power train

   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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2012 Ram 1500, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your 1500 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Electrical system 175 complaints · 25%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Engine and engine cooling 170 complaints · 24%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Fuel system 126 complaints · 18%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Power train (transmission and drive) 92 complaints · 13%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Ram 1500: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Ram 1500?

Of the 698 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ram 1500, 175 (25%) name electrical system, and 170 (24%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Ram 1500 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 32 of the 698 complaints as involving a crash and 10 as involving a fire. They also reported 27 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Ram 1500 have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ram 1500. Recall repairs are free at a Ram dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 187 repair bulletins for the 2012 Ram 1500.

More

• 2025 1500 problems
• 2023 1500 problems
• 2022 1500 problems
• 2021 1500 problems
• 2020 1500 problems
• 2019 1500 problems
• 2018 1500 problems
• 2017 1500 problems
• 2016 1500 problems
• 2015 1500 problems
• 2014 1500 problems
• 2013 1500 problems
• 2011 1500 problems
• 2010 1500 problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Ram recalls
• Ram problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. NHTSA filed 2010 to 2012 Ram trucks under Dodge, so those complaints are counted here. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.