RecallMyCar

2016 RAM 5500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

7 safety recalls list the 2016 RAM 5500, and owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

7
safety recalls
17
owner complaints to NHTSA
2 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire

7 safety recalls for the 2016 RAM 5500

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)

    NHTSA 21V398000 Reported 447,985 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)

    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.

    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…

  2. Software (electrical system) and 2 other components

    NHTSA 18V332000 Reported 4,815,661 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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…

    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…

  3. Equipment

    NHTSA 17V824000 Reported 61,791 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the…

    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…

  4. Column shift (power train)

    NHTSA 17V821000 Reported 1,482,874 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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…

    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…

  5. Diesel (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 17V562000 Reported 443,874 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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.

    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…

  6. Transfer case (4-wheel drive) (power train)

    NHTSA 16V495000 Reported 889 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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.

    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…

  7. Electrical system: module and engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V592000 Reported 41 vehicles potentially affected Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

    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…

    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…

17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2016 RAM 5500 have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 99,302 miles. Complaints peaked in 2023 with 4 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2026 · Engine

“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 function”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 2, 2025 · Power train

Compare RAM 5500 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every RAM 5500 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2008 RAM 550010
2009 RAM 550020
2013 RAM 550094
2014 RAM 55001011
2015 RAM 5500813
2016 RAM 5500717
2017 RAM 5500721
2018 RAM 5500838
2019 RAM 5500912
2020 RAM 550098
2021 RAM 550054
2022 RAM 5500426
2023 RAM 550030
2024 RAM 550020
2025 RAM 550042
2026 RAM 550040

Checking a specific 2016 RAM 5500

How do I know if my 2016 RAM 5500 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2016 RAM 5500; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised RAM dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 15V592000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other RAM models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.