The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The steering wheel seized, and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The failure was intermittent. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 232,000.
2013 Ram 1500: steering wheel locks up
63 of the 1,283 complaints about the 2013 Ram 1500 describe steering wheel locks up.
- owner complaints
- 63
- of this car's complaints
- 5%
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,600
- typical mileage
- 125,180
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 6 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Steering wheel locks up by model year
What owners say
The steering control power steering locked up while driving
While driving home from work on the interstate, the steering locked up and became stiff. The power steering light came on the dash. It was very scary as it was on a high speed interstate with no ability to control it. The safety of myself and others were at risk as I could no longer fully control the vehicle. It has not been taken to a dealer as of yet. The component has not been inspected as of yet. No warning lights were on prior to this incident.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 MPH, the steering wheel seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. After restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel unlocked for two seconds and then seized again. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,092.
The vehicle steering locked up doing 65 mph, this could have potentially caused an accident. It would not turn after several attempts. The power steering rack and pinion had malfunctioned after careful diagnosis.
On Thursday, October 30, 2025, while driving the truck in Gulfport, MS, the power steering locked up several times. I was able to get the vehicle home. On Monday, November 3, I took the truck to Mandal, Dodge Chrysler, in D'Iberville, MS. Upon doing a diagnostic test, Mandal informed me I would need to have new rack and pinion system with the cost being $4500. I refused the repair work. My research pursuant to this issue shows that there is an ongoing investigation into this matter for many similar complaints. There was a partial recall on Dodge Ram 1500's that did not include my vehicle. Dodge Chrysler should be responsible for this repair.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH on the highway, the steering wheel locked, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact pulled over to the side of the road while waiting for his son to arrive. The “Service Steering Soon” message was displayed. An independent mechanic or dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the cost for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was 186,468.
One night I was out and stop to get gas then out of no where I turned my truck back on and my steering locked up.Ive been told I need change out the whole rack and pinion. I’ve looked online for answers and all I see is recalls for EPS on these trucks.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to turn to the right, the steering wheel seized. The contact used excessive force to maneuver the vehicle. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained at the residence. The contact called and notified the manufacturer of the failure. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19E077000 (STEERING). However, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.
I was driving long distance down an interstate and my electric power steering locked up. I wasn't able to steer. Got a tow to nearest gas station. After sitting for about 30 minutes a started the truck back up and the steering work surprisingly.
The contact owns a 2013 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the steering wheel seized. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road using excessive force on the steering wheel, ran into a culvert, then ran over the culvert into a driveway and crashed into a trash can, where it came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained at the residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,359.
Was turning out of parking lot steering locked up and service power steering message came on. After investigation it was determined that the electric power steering quit working.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2013 Ram 1500 steering lock-up
Is steering wheel locks up a common problem on the 2013 Ram 1500?
63 of 1,283 owner complaints about the 2013 Ram 1500 (5%) mention steering wheel locks up. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
How much does it cost to fix steering wheel locks up on the 2013 Ram 1500?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,600 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Ram 1500?
There are 0 recalls and 6 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2013 Ram 1500
Power steering loss 272Loss of power 119ABS 53Check engine light 46Engine failure 42Stalling 30Knocking 28Jerking 28Adaptive cruise 27Airbag light 27Headlights 26Key fob 24Won't start 19Door locks 18No deployment 16Ball joint 13Wipers 13Misfire 11Overheating 10Brake failure 9Fire or smoke 8Grinding brakes 7Won't shift 7Backup camera 6Fuel smell 5Rollaway 5Tire blowout 5Warning lights 5
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