Car · Ram problems

2012 Ram 3500 problems

366 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ram 3500. The most reported area is steering (61% of them). NHTSA also lists 192 service bulletins and 8 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: 3. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 366 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Steering222 · 61%
• Electrical system45 · 12%
• Engine and engine cooling44 · 12%
• Fuel system40 · 11%
• Suspension36 · 10%
• Power train (transmission and drive)28 · 8%
• Air bags15 · 4%
• Wheels15 · 4%

9 smaller areas not shown (54 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 192 repair bulletins from Ram for the 2012 Ram 3500. 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. 112906Received July 2, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit.

2. S1203000003 REV.AReceived July 2, 2026

   Service brakes

   Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning.

3. 102307Received January 6, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Gear - reaction sun.

4. 102387Received January 4, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Seal - output shaft.

5. 101232Received November 7, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Plate - Planetary.

6. S2408000078Received July 22, 2024

   Electrical system

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ram 3500. Recall repairs are free at a Ram dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 13V529000November 6, 2013

   Steering

   The left tie rod assembly may break.

2. 16V739000October 13, 2016

   Electrical system

   The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may suddenly fail.

3. 14V635000October 8, 2014

   Engine and engine cooling

   In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.

See all 8 recalls for the 2012 Ram 3500, 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 3500 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

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

Steering 222 complaints · 61%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Electrical system 45 complaints · 12%

• 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 44 complaints · 12%

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

Fuel system 40 complaints · 11%

• 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

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)

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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 3500: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Ram 3500?

Of the 366 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ram 3500, 222 (61%) name steering, and 45 (12%) name electrical system. 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 3500 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 4 of the 366 complaints as involving a crash and 8 as involving a fire. They also reported 3 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 3500 have?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ram 3500. 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 192 repair bulletins for the 2012 Ram 3500.

More

• 2018 3500 problems
• 2017 3500 problems
• 2014 3500 problems
• 2011 3500 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.