2021 Ram 1500, rear window leaked after it rained. (Common problem with these trucks, even a class action law suit because of this issue). Leak was bad enough to cause severe electrical damage, truck will not start. There is an extended warranty related to this issue BUT according to Ram my truck does not qualify…..
2021 Ram 1500: won't start
17 of the 687 complaints about the 2021 Ram 1500 describe won't start.
- owner complaints
- 17
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 1
Won't start by model year
What owners say
Made several stops and on the last one when I went to start the vehicle it wouldn't start. Used jump pack and it started. Had a non-flashing check engine light and a service ESC light. Decided to drive across town to auto store and have them check battery and replace if bad, When I pulled into the auto store parking lot the truck died and wheels locked up. (Very sudden stop) All four gear selector lights (PRND) were lit. Thought to myself "I'm glad this didn't happen on the roadway." Turns out the battery was indeed bad, and a new battery got me running again.
The NoLimitz module cause my vehicle to shut off while in motion 1 time, and lose critical controls to safely operate the vehicle while in motion twice (power steering, gauge cluster, power brakes). Even though the engine still ran, once shut off it would not start again or go into neutral. I conclude the issue was the device as the power light on it was off (it should remain on when the ignition is in run or ACC as stated on the instructions from the manufactory). Once I un-plugged and re-plugged the module back in, everything returned to normal other than DTCs.
Went to start the vehicle with the key fob and the vehicle would not start. Had it towed to ram dealership and was told that the RF hub module needed to be replaced due to being damaged from water at leaked in from the rear window. Upon researching online forums, this seems to be an ongoing problem for this making model because of where the module is located. If there is not already in the works, there should be because this will continue to happen, especially where it rains a lot.
Component: Motor Generator Unit (MGU) — part of the eTorque system on 2021 Ram 1500. What happened: I own a 2021 Ram 1500 with eTorque. In the year I’ve owned the truck, it has broken down twice due to major electrical issues. Most recently, it has been in the dealership’s shop for over 3 weeks due to a faulty MGU (Motor Generator Unit). There is no estimated time for repair because the part is backordered nationwide. Safety risk: The MGU failure caused the vehicle to become completely inoperable, leaving me without reliable transportation. I am concerned this issue could lead to a loss of power or stalling while driving if it had occurred under different conditions. Reproduction/inspection: The issue has been confirmed by the dealership (Preston Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in New Castle, PA). They are unable to proceed with the repair due to lack of part availability. The truck is currently sitting on the lot. Warning lamps/symptoms: Prior to failure, warning lights appeared and the truck experienced erratic behavior. The vehicle would not start after being turned off for a short period of time, and the RF hub had previously failed as well.
My Ram has the ETorque Generator that failed. It has caused the vehicle to suddenly stop and lose power. It first lost all electrical components in the interior. Then driving function shut off which includes the power steering. I was then driving down the street and it suddenly stopped and grinded into the park position of the transmission. The engine bay was very hot and I was surprised a fire didn't start. I hooked up jumper cables to another vehicle to get it off the road way as you couldn't shift it into neutral when the battery was dead. Pretty much all of the warning lights came on as I was still moving and they are still on. I took it into the ram dealer locally and they said there is 4379 that are in the same boat. There is no outlook to get replacement parts. I then took the Etorque generator out and tried having it rebuilt as there was no answer from Ram when it could be fixed. The place I took it to specializes in rebuilding alternators and they were able to fix the bearing problem in the generator but were unable to fix the function of recharging the batteries in the vehicle. So I have to put my truck on a charger every night so its charged up enough to make it to and from work. The vehicle has been inspected by a member of the Fergus Falls Fire Department and he is concerned with constant charging of the battery and electrical issues.
On [XXX], my husband tried to start the truck and nothing would happen. We originally thought the key fob battery was bad, changed the battery and the truck still would not start. We had it towed to the Singing River Chrysler dealership in Florence, Alabama and they told us the Radio Frequency Hub/wireless receiver (located in the back of the cab) was bad due to a water leak. This truck is kept under a carport when it is not driven it was a shock to us that water could have caused the issue. They also informed us there was a bulletin posted on how to fix it. This problem causes the vehicle to shut down, with no steering, with no brakes, if an individual is driving in the rain and this happens it would cause an accident and potentially lives lost. There needs to be some kind of recall to have it fixed. At this time it is going to cost $1,000.00 to fix a manufacturer defect that I should not have to pay for. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
A recall, software flash for pcm was done on 03/12/2024. 6857 miles i now have 6919 miles. On 2 occasions my truck did not immediately start. Yesterday was the second time of weird starting. After it started i moved it on my lawn and it died. Now it will not start all it does is send the dash lights and electronics crazy. I have checked all items Ram problem solvers asked, all check out. I think this recall messed up the system. I am waiting for service advisor that was involved with recall to get back with me.
On numerous occasions since January 2024, the truck would not start or unlock, shut down while driving, power steering would go out, start up by itself, produce warning messages with & without codes for no reason, and the start/stop button flicker. We would have to set off the car alarm to get it unlocked then would have to disconnect the battery to make it stop. Every time we took it to the dealership, the technicians could not get the problems to repeat, even when keeping it for 10+ days. Once we got it back, the problems would start again. After further research and talking with the dealership, others have had issues like ours after it has rained. Upon further inspection, we found a water leak at either the rear sliding window or the taillight at the window. There was water droplets and wet carpet under the backseat. The truck has to "dry out" before it will start and run properly. Dodge/Chrysler/Ram really needs to put a recall on this issue as it is happening to MULTIPLE trucks and has had lawsuits with it. This is a safety issue!!
Truck would not start at first. Finally got it started to go home. All my Dash lights were all lit up but truck was running fine. 2 miles down the road my truck shuts off mid drive about 40-45 mph. Scared me to death. Was able to pull into a church parking lot before brake engaged automatically. Would not start again under any circumstances. But truck had power to lights etc.
This morning, I was slowing down, foot on the brake because traffic was stopped in front of me. When I got to about 4 mph the truck wouldn’t stop, it kept going, although my foot was on the brake. I was getting close to the car in front of me so I pushed harder on the brake. When I did this, the truck stopped but the wheels keep turning. So, now I’m stopped and tires are spinning as if I’m doing a burnout. I put the truck in neutral, then to park. I put back into drive and was able to drive to work. My safety and everyone else’s safety around me is in danger now because next time, will my truck stop? Will I run into the back of someone because my truck won’t stop? I have contacted the dealer (Walt Massey) but waiting on a call back to speak with someone about this issue. About 5 weeks ago, similar incident occurred. The following week, my truck wouldn’t start so had to have it towed to dealership. Told them about the first incident and that the truck would not start. Was told the radio frequency hub needed replacing. Waited 3 weeks for the part to come in, finally came in and was installed, I picked up truck from dealership Thursday, May 4. I assumed the issue was resolved, after paying $830 to the dealership. I have a 2 year old, $70,000 truck with 43,000 miles (just out of warranty) on it and I’m terrified to drive it. There have been no warning lamps or messages on the truck.
On three separate occasions within two months, the truck completely shut down without any warning. The first time I was at a stop light, when light turned green, I stepped on gas and truck died. Nothing worked on the vehicle, there were no messages or warnings. The truck was towed to dealership, tried to replace RF hub but "unable to be performed"-swapped star connector cavity to C12 and communication achieved-RF replace procedures passed. Five weeks later, went to start truck in driveway and wouldn't start, truck was completely dead, had mechanic come to home ,test the battery ,and it was fine. He thought the remotes were not communicating; had to be towed to dealership again, truck sat there for a few days, dealership said it started up, they did diagnostics, found nothing wrong and handed truck back to me. One week later, started the truck with remote and as I was walking to the truck, it died, completely shut down and had to be towed again. Truck has been at dealership for 17 days, diagnosed that the RF hub needs to be replaced. This truck is unsafe and unpredictable as it could just shut down at any time, cause an accident where people could get injured or killed.
Service bulletins that may apply
- ID-25-14
- D-25-17
- ID-25-14 all
- D-25-17 all
- Engine PNs: MY 24-26 WD/DT (5.7L) Code P00B is being misdiagnosed and incorrect parts are being installed...
- Check Engine Light (CEL) Illuminated with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0106 Manifold Absolute Pressure...
- 3-way valves are available in STAR Parts as two distinct components and must be selected correctly based...
- Camshaft cap bolts within the cylinder head assembly may
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.
- Risk
- An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the HPFP and inspect and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Z96.
Recall number 22V767000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2021 Ram 1500 won't start
Is won't start a common problem on the 2021 Ram 1500?
17 of 687 owner complaints about the 2021 Ram 1500 (2%) mention won't start. The model year with the most reports is 2019.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Ram 1500?
There is 1 recall and 130 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Ram 1500
Stalling 132Check engine light 50Loss of power 34Fuel pump 28ABS 21Power steering loss 19Water leak 19Backup camera 18Engine failure 17Key fob 12No deployment 10Screen failure 8Jerking 8Start-stop 8Warning lights 8Airbag light 7Grinding brakes 7Fuel smell 7Won't shift 7Overheating 6Adaptive cruise 5Battery drain 5Fire or smoke 5Hesitation 5Steering lock-up 5Whining noise 5
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