Selling a broken or junk Ram 1500

If your 1500 has a steering, engine or electrical problem that costs more than the truck is worth, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and that includes full-size pickups, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

About these Ram 1500 figures: they reflect NHTSA complaints on hand October 10, 2026, and each is one owner's report. None of them is a verdict on any truck, and newer model years have simply been on sale for fewer years, so their counts lag.

Two trucks in one file

Wikipedia lists the current 1500, code-named DT, as built since 2018, with the 2019 model year its first. The truck before it was the DS. That split shows up clearly in what owners report.

One gap first. The Ram brand began in 2010, and NHTSA files some 2009-2012 trucks as the Dodge Ram 1500. Under the Ram name, the 2009 has 37 complaints and 2010-2012 have none.

2009-2018 (DS): steering, then engine and brakes

From 2013 through 2017, steering leads the list for each Ram 1500 year. The 2014 has the most complaints of any 1500 year, 1,770, with 98 crashes and 88 injuries reported in them. The 2015 stands out for fires: owners reported 58. On the 2016, service brakes climb to 216 complaints, the most of any year.

Recalls on these trucks that are worth checking:

• Shift interlock (17V821000). The brake transmission shift interlock on 2009-2017 1500s. Dealers update software and replace the part as needed. The campaign's 1,482,874 vehicles include heavy-duty Rams and cab chassis trucks too.
• Steering wheel wiring (15V459000). 2013-2014 trucks with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option get the steering wheel harness inspected and secured. That campaign also covers the 2500 through 5500.
• Curtain air bags (17V302000). Off-road driving or debris hitting the truck can set off the curtain air bags on 2013-2016 trucks. The fix is a restraint software update.
• Tailgates (18V486000 and 19V347000). Tailgate latch recalls. 18V486000 covers 2015-2017 trucks with a power-locking tailgate. 19V347000 covers 2015-2017 8-foot-bed trucks with a power-locking tailgate, plus all 2013-2014 and 2018 trucks.

The 2018, the last DS year in this data, is the first where the electrical system tops the list, with 128 complaints.

2019-2026 (DT): the electrical system takes over

Wikipedia lists three gasoline engines for the DT: a 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo six, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Some trucks carry the eTorque mild-hybrid system with a 0.43 kWh, 48-volt battery, and it lists two 8-speed automatics, the TorqueFlite 845RE and the 8HP75. Trucks are built in Sterling Heights, Michigan. In February 2026, crew cab production also started in Saltillo, Mexico.

The 2019 drew 1,486 complaints and has 29 recall campaigns listed, the most of any year. The electrical system leads that year with 297. It leads again on 2020 and 2023 through 2026. The 2021 and 2022 are different, with the engine named most (173 and 141).

The DT recalls to know:

• Air bag controller (19V407000). On 2019-2020 trucks, controller memory can corrupt and switch off the air bags and seat belt pretensioners.
• Stability control (24V653000). ABS module software may disable electronic stability control on 2019 and 2021-2024 1500s. NHTSA describes the campaign as 1,025,432 Ram 1500s.
• Tailgate strikers (22V904000). The tailgate may open while driving on 2019-2022 pickups. The campaign includes the 2500 and 3500.
• Rear seat belt anchors (26V495000). 2019-2026 trucks, filed July 30, 2026.
• Trailer brake module (26V059000). 2025-2026 trucks get a new trailer tow module. Jeeps and heavy-duty Rams share the campaign's 456,287 vehicles.

The 2025 is worth watching. It already has 358 complaints, more than the 2023 and 2024 put together, and the 2025 is a young model year, still adding owner reports. 121 of the 358 are electrical.

Records also show a 1500 Classic in 2019-2021 recalls. One of them, 21V037000, is a DO NOT DRIVE recall: 683 2020-2021 Classic SLT trucks were built without the clip that holds the brake pedal to the master cylinder push rod.

Ram 1500 complaints and recalls, year by year

Ram 1500 numbers come from NHTSA complaints pulled October 10, 2026. The crashes, fires and deaths are as owners described them. Each Ram 1500 year shows its own recalls, though a single campaign may cover more than one year.

Repair it or sell it?

Hold the 1500 repair quote up to what the truck would bring after the fix. If the two are near each other, selling it unfixed tends to come out ahead.

1. Look up your 1500's VIN before anything else. Use NHTSA's recall lookup and ask a Ram dealer about open items. Our open recall guide explains selling a truck that has one.
2. Electrical gremlins on a 2018 or newer? Electrical tops the complaint count in most DT model years. Get a diagnosis in writing before you decide. See electrical problems.
3. Engine trouble on a 2021-2022? Those are the years where the engine leads. Blown engine explains how to weigh it.
4. Brakes or steering? Don't drive it to a shop if it isn't safe. A truck that can't be driven can still be sold, and car doesn't run explains how.

Selling your 1500 whole

1. Gather the basics: VIN, mileage, cab and bed style, 2WD or 4WD, and what's wrong.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Let us know where it sits and whether it rolls, steers and has air in the tires. A lifted truck or one with a camper shell should say so, so the right tow truck comes.
4. Leave it together. Keep the wheels, catalytic converters and tailgate on. If anything's been pulled already, say so, because it changes the offer.
5. Bring the title, a photo ID and whatever keys you have when the tow truck arrives. Plate rules vary by state; after you sell lists them.

No title? Start with selling with no title. Have a bigger Ram too? See the 2500 and 3500, or all Ram models.