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2020 Ram 5500 problems

The most common problem on the 2020 Ram 5500 is brakes. It has fewer complaints than a typical 5500 model year.

Fewer complaintsAmong the best years of this model
Year score
77/100
Owner complaints
8
Recalls
9
Service bulletins
3936 warranty
Worst area
Brakes

The worst 2020 Ram 5500 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Brakes
    3
  • Seat belts
    2
  • Airbags
    1
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Tires
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Brakes
    3
  • Seat belts
    2
  • Airbags
    1
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Tires
    1
  • Transmission
    1
  • Wheels
    1

Recalls 9

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsReported October 11, 2022 · 26,961 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The rear brake hose inside diameter may be too small, which could cause the hose to rupture. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 106, "Brake Hoses."
Risk
A brake hose rupture can cause a loss of braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 27, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is ZA5.

Recall number 22V759000 · Recall details

Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkagesReported January 27, 2022 · 171,789 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 vehicles, Ram 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, 5500 Cab Chassis and 3500 Cab Chassis with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs. The windshield wiper arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to function improperly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
Risk
Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will tighten the wiper nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2022. This recall is an expansion of recall number 20V‑208. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z08.

Recall number 22V035000 · Recall details

Fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pumpReported November 12, 2021 · 222,410 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500 pickup trucks, and Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. The High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) may fail, resulting in a sudden engine stall without warning.
Risk
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the HPFP, update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, and inspect and replace additional fuel system components as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters to inform owners of the safety recall were mailed on January 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 17, 2022. Phase 2 owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 2, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y78.

Recall number 21V880000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubricationReported June 10, 2021 · 32,002 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L High Output engine. The engine calibration software may not warn about low oil volume.
Risk
Low oil can damage the engine, causing an oil leak or a punctured engine block, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the engine calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is Y21.

Recall number 21V439000 · Recall details

Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studsReported May 27, 2021 · 447,985 vehicles affected
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

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsReported January 26, 2021 · 4 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Excellance, Inc (Excellance) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Excellance-modified RAM 4500/5500 vehicles to be equipped with CLASS Suspension Systems. In the affected suspension systems, the rear brake caliper flexible line may have been routed so that it contacts a suspension component, possibly causing excessive wear and a loss of rear brakes.
Risk
A worn rear brake caliper flexible line may cause brake fluid leakage which may result in a partial or complete loss of the rear brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Excellance will notify owners, and dealers will install a kit to remedy any damage and to prevent any future damage, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Excellance customer service at 1‑800‑882‑9799.

Recall number 21V023000 · Recall details

Service brakesReported January 20, 2021 · 6 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Custom Truck And Body Works is recalling certain 2020 Dodge 4500 and 5500 vehicles. In the affected suspension systems, the rear brake caliper flexible line may have been routed so that it contacts a suspension component, possibly causing excessive wear and a loss of rear brakes.
Risk
A worn rear brake caliper flexible line may cause brake fluid leakage, which may result in a partial or complete loss of the rear brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Custom Truck And Body Works will notify owners, and dealers will repair the affected suspension systems, and rear brake caliper flexible line, free of charge. Owners may contact Custom Truck And Body Works customer service at 1‑706‑553‑9178. Custom Truck And Body Works number for this recall is 20E-031.

Recall number 21V016000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsReported January 13, 2021 · 23 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Braun Northwest (Braun Northwest) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAM 4500/5500 vehicles equipped with Liquid Spring rear suspension systems. In the affected suspension systems, the rear brake caliper flexible line may have been routed so that it contacts a suspension component, possibly causing excessive wear and a loss of rear brakes.
Risk
A worn rear brake line may leak fluid, resulting in a partial or complete loss of the rear brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Braun Northwest will notify owners, and dealers will install a repair kit to each rear caliper and modify the rear brake caliper flexible line mounting. Any worn rear brake caliper flexible lines will be replaced as needed, free of charge. The recall began June 8, 2020. Owners may contact Braun Northwest customer service at 1‑360‑748‑0195.

Recall number 21V008000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubricationReported August 27, 2020 · 32,318 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 cab chassis built with a Cummins 6.7L High Output engine. Inadequate warmup protection can cause a lack of oil film on the engine connecting rod bearings while the engine is reaching operating temperature. This can result in engine damage and connecting rod failure, which could potentially puncture the engine block.
Risk
A damaged engine block may leak oil, which can contact hot engine or exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the engine calibration software to enhance the engine warm up protection, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W57.

Recall number 20V511000 · Recall details

See all 9 recalls for the 2020 Ram 5500

Defect investigations

High pressure fuel pump failureOpened March 17, 2023, still open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, the federal safety agency determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW.During the investigation FCA filed recalls 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087 which include vehicles not identified in the initial subject population by ODI. ODI also received recall 21V586, involving loss of motive power due to failed CP4 fuel pumps on certain BMW manufactured vehicles. An information request letter response received from BMW indicated that failed pumps on their vehicles were caused by an interaction between pump internal components and US market diesel fuel, leading to increased slip and eventual particle-generating wear surface. Additional work will be done to identify whether a similar root cause is associated with the FCA recalled population and if similar wear dynamics occur on pumps supplied to vehicle manufacturers other than those included in the recalled population.ODI has upgraded this investigation to an EA in order to 1) determine engineering specifications of internal pump components that are correlated with pump failure leading to loss of motive power or other safety related hazards, 2) identify vehicle populations equipped with alleged defective pump variants, 3) assess if vehicles equipped with alleged defective pump variants result in an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety and 4) gather and review any other relevant information related to high pressure fuel pump failure associated with the subject populations of recalls 21V586, 21V880, 21E094, 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087.Review of the above information will allow the federal safety agency to confirm root cause and recall remedy viability, and identify and evaluate vehicle populations equipped with pump components that may pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference using the following complaint identification numbers: 11257550, 11351441, 11361603, 11361616, 11365300, 11365426, 11365858, 11366401, 11372337, 11373793, 11374797, 11376793, 11377871, 11378173, 11384377, 11386063, 11387018, 11399710, 11402550, 11415339, 11418868, 11418870, 11427075, 11434276, 11436807, 11437226, 11437249, 11437273, 11437292, 11437294, 11437394, 11437399, 11437403, 11437405, 11437423, 11437528, 11437565, 11437579, 11437580, 11437590, 11437679, 11437744, 11437781, 11437842, 11437993, 11438006, 11438008, 11438121, 11438138, 11438155, 11438392, 11438629, 11439359, 11439879, 11440397, 11443030, 11446542, 11448163, 11453556, 11458918, 11460558, 11469337

EA23001

High pressure fuel pump failureOpened October 14, 2021, closed April 14, 2023

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021 to investigate allegations of stall/loss of motive power as a result of high pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 RAM 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines.On November 12, 2021, FCA filed vehicle recall 21V‑880 and equipment recall 21E-094 on the subject population, identifying an `internally failed component? of the high pressure fuel pump equipped on the 6.7L Cummins Turbodiesel engine that introduced debris into the fuel system potentially causing fuel starvation and consequently an unexpected loss of motive power. Discussions with FCA identified the high pressure fuel pump equipped on these vehicles as the Bosch-supplied CP4. On December 16, 2021, Bosch filed recall 21E-101, stating the pump failure was a consequence of a manufacturer application-specific fuel system design.the federal safety agency subsequently identified recall 21V‑586 involving loss of motive power due to failed CP4 fuel pumps on certain BMW vehicles.As a result of having received multiple recalls related to a common component, from two separate vehicle manufacturers, the federal safety agency?s focus shifted to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. In early 2022, information request letters were sent to FCA and BMW to determine the root cause and consequentially identify the proper scope of potentially defective vehicles. After ODI received their information request response, FCA filed recalls 22V‑406, 22E-048, 22V‑767, and 22E-087. During review of information request response materials, the federal safety agency determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA or BMW. On March 17, 2023, this Preliminary Evaluation was upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA23-001), expanding the scope to include the Tier-one supplier and any manufacturer who equipped or installed similar high pressure fuel pumps subject to the failures observed in the recall population.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference using the following complaint identification numbers: 11351441, 11361603, 11361616, 11365300, 11365426, 11365858, 11366401, 11372337, 11373793, 11374797, 11376793, 11378173, 11384377, 11386063, 11387018, 11399710, 11402550, 11415339, 11418868, 11418870, 11427075, 11434276, 11436807, 11437226, 11437249, 11437273, 11437292, 11437294, 11437394, 11437399, 11437403, 11437405, 11437423, 11437528, 11437565, 11437579, 11437580, 11437590, 11437679, 11437744, 11437781, 11437842, 11437993, 11438006, 11438008, 11438121, 11438138, 11438155, 11438392, 11438629, 11439359, 11439879, 11440397, 11443030, 11448163, 11458918, 11460558

PE21021

Technical service bulletins for the 2020 Ram 5500 393

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 393 bulletins for the 2020 Ram 5500

What 2020 Ram 5500 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Nov 11, 2025 · Airbags, Brakes · AL · crash · 4 injuries

I was traveling down the hwy and and car went thru the stop sign. I could not stop in time and I t boned it. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 19, 2025 · Brakes · 1,000 miles · CO

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during a heavy crosswind, the electronic stabilization system warning light illuminated, indicating that the system had deactivated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 1,000.

Filed Dec 12, 2024 · Tires, Wheels · 223,926 miles · CO

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at 20-25 MPH, the dual wheel tires detached from the vehicle and struck another vehicle. On another occasion while driving 60 MPH, the tires detached. There was no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wheel studs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 223,926.

Filed Nov 4, 2024 · Transmission · ID

While driving on the freeway at 75 mph transfer case went into neutral. No power to wheels. I managed to coast off the freeway and then towed to dealership. Dodge 5500 trucks are used for heavy hauling such as fire trucks, ambulances and in the west ranchers. If a rancher is going down a steep grade with a heavy load (cattle/horses) they would not be able to STOP due to weight. Transfer case has defective parts internally. Dealer said that there is a defect in the transfer cases and is common on Dodge Ram 4500/5500.

Filed Nov 7, 2023 · Seat belts · 25,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving and slamming on the brakes, the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where the seat belt was inspected, and the contact was informed that the seat belt needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired free of charge because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and made the same assessment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Nov 7, 2023 · Seat belts · 2,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and slamming on the brakes, the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where the seat belt was inspected, and the contact was informed that the seat belt needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired free of charge because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and made the same assessment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

Filed Sep 6, 2023 · Brakes · 150,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V759000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and towing a trailer, while attempting to stop the vehicle, the contact noticed that the vehicle failed to stop within a reasonable amount of time. The contact stated that the vehicle had lost proper braking functionality. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Filed Jul 15, 2021 · NY · fire

2020 dodge ram 5500. Consumer writes in regards to y26 studs safety recall. Consumer would like to know when parts will be available to perform this recall. The consumer stated the vehicle had an exhaust fire. The vehicle smoked for 20 minutes. * (recall related incident) ts

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Questions about the 2020 Ram 5500

Is the 2020 Ram 5500 reliable?

Owners have filed 8 complaints about the 2020 Ram 5500, fewer than a typical 5500 model year.

What is the 2020 Ram 5500 year score?

The 2020 Ram 5500 scores 77 out of 100 (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 2020 Ram 5500?

Brakes, with 3 complaints. Next is seat belts (2).

How many recalls does the 2020 Ram 5500 have?

9 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic, visibility and fuel system, diesel.

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