The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel seized and failed to function properly. The contact pulled over safely, and after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily operated normally however, the failure recurred. Upon restarting and driving the vehicle, the vehicle lost steering functionality, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and drive up on the embankment on two wheels. The contact stated that the running boards previously failed to operate, creating a concern for passengers exiting the vehicle. While attempting to tow the vehicle to the dealer, a warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified, and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with an electric power steering (EPS) internal rack and pinion failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 53,000.
Ram 1500 steering lock-up problems
215 of the 11,912 owner complaints about the Ram 1500 describe steering wheel locks up, most of them for the 2013 model year.
- owner complaints
- 215
- worst model year
- 2013
- typical repair cost reported
- $3,000
- typical mileage
- 83,000
By model year
Often reported together
Engine failure 76Power steering loss 30Loss of power 16Check engine light 3No deployment 3Whining noise 2Stalling 2Jerking 2
Trouble codes mentioned
C2217 2U11E8 1U0415 1U0402 1U0155 1C2128 1
What owners say
On Approx. July 15 2026, I was driving down the highway 65 mph and my power steering locked up, I could no longer drive I finally got the truck to turn a little bit so I can get off the highway and pull over and I had to be towed the rest of the way home. . After this incident it became sporadic sometimes it would start to lock up and sometimes it wouldn't there's a loud noise when I turn the steering wheel either way.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while pulling out of the garage and onto the driveway, the steering wheel seized, and the message "Power Steering Needs to Be Serviced" was displayed. The contact turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle the following day, the steering wheel operated as intended, and the contact slowly drove to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering rack and pinion had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 16V167000 (Steering); however, the repair was not covered because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired at the owner's expense. The manufacturer, RAM, was notified of the failure via website and by phone, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that no assistance would be provided and was referred to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 13,800.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at speeds under 25 MPH and turning, the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, and the steering wheel was held firmly until the steering wheel released. The contact stated that on another occasion while the vehicle was parked, the power-steering warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle, but the steering wheel was stiff, and the contact was unable to drive any further. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack and pinion, steering gear, and linkage, AUX coolant pump, and driver's seat airbag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the failure was associated with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V812000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel to the left or the right. The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel seized in place and failed to return to center. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
I was attempting to turn around in my driveway when the steering locked up and I could not control the steering. If I had been driving on the road instead of in my driveway I could have crashed into something or someone, potentially causing severe injury or death to myself or others. This was a horrifying experience in my driveway, let alone on the road! I had my truck towed to the repair shop, where they determined that the power steering rack failed. It cracked completely in half. Attached please find the photos that the repair shop provided, along with my repair invoice. There should be a recall for this before people get killed!
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.
I was attempting to turn around in my driveway to go someplace when the steering locked up and I could not control the steering. It stopped working. If I had been driving on the road, instead of driving in my driveway, I could have crashed into something or someone, potentially causing severe injury or death to myself or others. This was a horrifying experience in the driveway, let alone on the road! I had my truck towed to the repair shop where they determined that the Electronic Power Steering Rack failed. It cracked completely in half! I will attach the photos the shop provided. There should be a recall on this before someone gets killed. I have several friends and neighbors who own the same make and model truck and I informed them of our situation and recommended that they have their trucks checked out before tragedy strikes them or their families.
Steering wheel locked up. I was in the driveway when this occurred but if I was driving on the road my vehicle could have potentially crashed into something and cause harm to myself or someone else, since I could not steer the vehicle. I had the truck towed to VIP Tire &Service and they checked the truck and determined through diagnosis, that my problem is with the circuit card assembly for the Electric Power Steering gears and that only Dodge Ram service companies can fix the problem and to bring my truck to a Chrysler Dodge service center. So I had my truck towed to Quirk Chrysler in Marshfield. They said that my VIN was not in the recall and that it would not be covered. It obviously should be included in this recall, since this is precisely what my problem is. There were no warning lights indicating a problem. Please add my VIN number to this recall so it will be covered as it should be.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. The message "Service Power Steering" was displayed. The contact called a tire retailer and was informed to disconnect the battery to reset the vehicle. The contact disconnected the battery, which corrected the failure temporarily, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19E077000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Related recalls
Steering: steering control module
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- A driver's side air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the steering column control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 11, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 14C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on beginning November 13, 2025.
Recall number 25V765000 · Recall details
Steering: steering control module
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2023 Ram 1500 Classic, Ram 3500 Classic, 3500 Cab Chassis, 2023-2024 Ram 2500, 4500/5500 Cab Chassis, and Ram 3500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the high beams to activate when the turn signal is used or activate the turn signal when the high beams are used. In addition, the turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Turn signals and/or high beams that do not function as intended may cause confusion or reduced visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the steering column control module (SCCM) software, and inspect and replace the module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's numbers for this recall are B2A and D5A.
Recall number 23V799000 · Recall details
Steering: steering control module
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Ram 1500 pickup trucks. The Trailer Reverse Steering Control Module (TRSCM) may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the TRSCM software. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on January 19, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y80. This recall was superseded by 23V‑059.
Recall number 21V918000 · Recall details
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Ram 1500 trucks. These vehicles may have been built with a contaminated electric power steering (EPS) gear that may short circuit, potentially resulting in an intermittent loss of power steering assist.
- Risk
- An intermittent loss of power steering assist may cause an inconsistent steering effort, especially during lower speed maneuvers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 12, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA's number for this recall is VB8.
Recall number 19V812000 · Recall details
Steering
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Wrangler and 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles. These vehicles have improperly machined steering column stub shafts that may break, possibly causing the steering wheel to detach from the steering column.
- Risk
- If the steering wheel detaches from the steering column, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering column, replacing it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 5, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V29.
Recall number 19V201000 · Recall details
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Ram 1500 vehicles. The battery ground fastener on the driver-side front fender may have been improperly secured, possibly resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
- Risk
- A loss of power steering could vary the steering effort required, possibly causing vehicle oversteer or understeer, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will properly secure the ground fastener, free of charge. The recall began on February 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V04.
Recall number 19V020000 · Recall details
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured January 22, 2015, to September 13, 2015. Contamination on the Electric Power Steering (EPS) control circuit board may cause a short and result in the loss of power steering assist.
- Risk
- If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS unit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 16, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S19.
Recall number 16V167000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ram 1500 steering lock-up
Which Ram 1500 years have steering wheel locks up problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2013 (63 complaints), 2014 (34 complaints) and 2015 (29 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix steering wheel locks up on the Ram 1500?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $3,000 (median of 14 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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