The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH on several occasions, the vehicle lost power and unintendedly decelerated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence and there was smoke coming from the engine and there was oil underneath the engine compartment. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence and retrieved a fault code referencing an exhaust system failure and a fire risk. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P003A (Turbo supercharger boost control module position exceeded learning limits, U010C - lost communication with turbocharger control module, FP2BAC - NOx exceedance deactivation of EGR) were retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.
The worst 2016 Ram 5500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Transmission6
- Wheels6
- Steering3
- Suspension3
- Electrical2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission6
- Wheels6
- Steering3
- Suspension3
- Electrical2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Engine1
Recalls 7
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. Incorrect information in the Service and Owner's Manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.
- Risk
- Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y36 owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y26 owner notification letters were mailed on December 1, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.
Recall number 21V398000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
- Risk
- If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Recall number 18V332000 · Recall details
Equipment
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit:
- Risk
- If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1‑855‑262‑3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
Recall number 17V824000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. 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. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
- Risk
- Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
Recall number 17V821000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2013-2017 RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines that have Concentric-brand water pumps without a vent hole. These water pumps may leak coolant.
- Risk
- The leaking water pump can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pumps, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T51.
Recall number 17V562000 · Recall details
Power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ram 3500 trucks manufactured July 24, 2015, through January 7, 2016, and 2016 Ram 4500/5500 trucks manufactured July 24, 2015, through October 8, 2015. The transfer case may have been manufactured with a misshapen main output shaft, creating voids that may cause a shaft fracture.
- Risk
- If the main output shaft fractures, the vehicle may lose motive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the driver may be unable to place the vehicle in PARK, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transfer case, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S48.
Recall number 16V495000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ram 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis and 4500/5500 Cab Chassis trucks manufactured July 31, 2015, to August 13, 2015 and equipped with a 6.7L Cummins Diesel engine. In the affected vehicles, the Engine Control Module (ECM) may short circuit, causing the engine to stall without warning.
- Risk
- An engine that stalls without warning increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECM, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R52.
Recall number 15V592000 · Recall details
See all 7 recalls for the 2016 Ram 5500
Defect investigations
Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and 6 EWR Death & Injury (D&I) reports describing post recall remedy failures of the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) system in certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 RAM pickup trucks.The subject vehicle models include 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks equipped with a column mounted shift lever.The failures of the BTSI described in the VOQs occurred on vehicles that had all previously been repaired under recall 17V‑821 or 18V‑100.Both recalls address a potential condition which can cause the BTSI locking pin to become stuck allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without depressing the brake pedal and/or without having a key in the ignition.Shifting the transmission out of Park when not having the brake pedal depressed can result in a vehicle rollaway. ODI is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to review the effectiveness of the 17V‑821 and 18V‑100 recall remedies, understand the root cause of additional vehicle rollaway incidents, and identify any other possible root cause that may affect the performance of the BTSI system. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
RQ25003
Front Driveshaft Failure
On December 12, 2019, the federal safety agency's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-017 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging failures of the front driveshaft and/or transfer case, resulting in conditions of 1) a loss of engine power, 2) loss of steering assist, 3) loss of foundation brakes, 4) unintended air bag deployment and 5) engine/cab fires from combustible fluids striking hot exhaust components. The VOQs involved model year (MY) 2015 through 2017 RAM 4500 and 5500 vehicles. ODI received information from the vehicle manufacturer [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)] via information request letters dated February 28, 2020, and April 21,2020. Supplemental information was received on March 17, 2021. A review of the responsive manufacturer information, and related meetings and presentations, showed that the transfer case failures in 97.5% of the claims did not disable the vehicle. Since analysis showed that a failed driveshaft could result in catastrophic damage to the transfer case as well as other safety risks (i.e. steering/brake failures etc.), ODI shifted the investigation to focus only on the front driveshaft failures. The double cardan universal joint design requires maintenance lubrication within every 8000 miles. Despite an under-hood maintenance reminder label and professional servicing at both dealers and independent repair facilities, the driveshafts were often found to be unlubricated due to lack of awareness, difficulty of the operation or the lack of the special tools needed to perform the work. To increase the maintenance lubrication rates, in the summer of 2021, FCA launched a communications campaign, circulating awareness bulletins, training information, special tool options and instructional videos through more than a dozen channels covering both dealer and independent repair facilities. Additionally, in the fall of 2021, FCA mailed a VIN-specific letter to each registered owner reminding them of the maintenance needs, and also sent a special grease gun adapter to every FCA US dealer and fleet operator with an FCA US dealer code. Since January 2022,the federal safety agency has not received a complaint of front driveshaft failure due to lack of lubrication that can lead to failure conditions such as loss of engine power, loss of steering assist, loss of foundation brakes, unintended air bag deployment and engine/cab fires. This drop in complaints, the communications campaign launched by the manufacturer, and the absence of reports from the manufacturer, support the closing of this Preliminary Evaluation. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE19017
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Ram 5500 313
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Air cleaner - none
- Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning
- Bearing
- Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot
- Squeak Or Squawk Noise Coming From Either Side Door Of The Vehicle, It Could Be Just One Door Or More
- Speaker - none
- Verify Reman part number availability
- Lamp - dome
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illumination, Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) P21C4 – (Diesel Exhaust...
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated
What 2016 Ram 5500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transfer case. The contact stated that the transmission was loud and vibrated abnormally while driving. The contact previously owned a 2014 Ram 5500 with a noisy transfer case which caused the vehicle to vibrate abnormally, and due to the failure, the contact was given a newer model vehicle. The contact stated that the current vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 156. The VIN was invalid.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while his driver was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to shake violently when all four tires detached from the vehicle. As a result, the contact’s driver was able to navigate the vehicle to safety. The vehicle was towed to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed that the wheels studs had detached from the wheels and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however the failure recurred. The contact then received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels). The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side wheel studs and lug nuts had detached and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact inquired about reimbursement; however, the contact was denied reimbursement and informed that vehicle was outside of the warranty contract and had expired. The contact was informed that parts were not part of the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 365,047.
We have sent this in for recall repairs and Dodge either did not have the parts or said it would be weeks before they got the parts and we, as a company have had three dodge ram 5500's in the last week that have broken all the wheel studs off, snapped a single stud, or the the lug nuts have gotten loose even after torquing them to the newly recommended 129ft/lbs. We have 30 plus of these trucks and we are worried that if dodge does not get this fixed that there will be an injury.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH the driver's side rear outer wheel suddenly detached from the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was discovered that all ten lug nuts securing the wheel had sheared off causing the failure to occur. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who serviced the vehicle under the federal safety agency recall campaign number: 21V398000(Wheels). The lug nuts were replaced and the recall was completed. Approximately 3 months later the same failure occurred on the front driver's side wheel. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH the wheel suddenly detached from the vehicle causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a concrete barrier. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the 10 lug nut bolts had also sheared off causing the wheel to detach from the vehicle. During the crash the front driver, front passenger, and rear passenger side occupant all sustained neck and back injuries that later required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was later towed back to the local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired under the previous recall campaign. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn the dual left rear tires had separated from the vehicle and the vehicle landed on the axle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he had the vehicle towed to a dealer who determined that the studs had sheared from the wheel and found that his vehicle had the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels) associated with the VIN. The vehicle had been repaired. However, the vehicle suffered a similar tire separation on the front driver's side tire. The contact stated that the vehicle swerved across two lanes of traffic on the highway and crashed into the highway barrier. The contact stated that the vehicle had suffered damage to the entire left side of the vehicle. The contact stated that police were on the scene and wrote a traffic ticket. The contact said that there were no injuries. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed back to the same dealer who did not repair the vehicle. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels) however, the local dealer and other unknown dealers informed the contact that they could not accommodate the vehicle for recall repair. The contact stated while his driver was driving at 50 MPH, the rear passenger's side tire inadvertently detached and rolled away. The driver was able to veer to the side of the road. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that all ten-wheel studs were missing. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The high pressure booster hose interior liner came apart and jammed into the brake booster pressure port. This caused loss of power steering and loss of power brakes. This is an ambulance, we have multiple of this same year and model. It was in motion on a city street and resulted in a near miss. Through an internet search and calling the dodge dealership and speaking to the mechanic, this is a common issue across multiple model years. Https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/forums/4th-gen-ram-non-drivetrain-2010-up-202/steering-locks-up-brake-application-315220/
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shake an vibrate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 16v495000 (power train). The failure mileage was 175,000.
Our transfer case failed (blow apart) causing a fire . We had the truck towed to our dealer and for the last three weeks dodge has not allowed the repair to proceed or provided us with contact information or a path forward. We have no truck or plan for it to be fixed. The truck was being driven on a highway at about 50 MPH when the transfer case failed.
Compare the 2016 Ram 5500
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Questions about the 2016 Ram 5500
Is the 2016 Ram 5500 reliable?
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2016 Ram 5500, 1.3 times a typical 5500 model year.
What is the 2016 Ram 5500 year score?
The 2016 Ram 5500 scores 56 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ram 5500: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ram 5500?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 6 complaints, typically around 77,122 miles. Next is wheels (6).
How many recalls does the 2016 Ram 5500 have?
7 recalls, covering wheels, electrical system and equipment.
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