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2013 Ram 1500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Ram 1500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 20% of relevant complaints.
Better than 87% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2013 Ram 1500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 235 of 1,277 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Ram 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (20%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 56% and the 2014 scores 41%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2013 compares with other Ram 1500 years
Of the 13 Ram 1500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2013 is the best on engine and transmission share (20%). The worst is the 2011 (64%). By volume, the 2013 drew 1,277 complaints (235 drivetrain), against 697 for the 2012 and 1,768 for the 2014.
Ram 1500 years to avoid and best years →
2011 1500 problems · 2012 1500 problems · 2013 · 2014 1500 problems · 2015 1500 problems · 2016 1500 problems · 2017 1500 problems · 2018 1500 problems · 2019 1500 problems · 2020 1500 problems · 2021 1500 problems · 2022 1500 problems · 2023 1500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2013 Ram 1500
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2013 Ram 1500 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 235 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2013 Ram 1500 engine and transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2013 Ram 1500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 12 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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…
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.
Fix: 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…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chrysler 300 AWD, Dodge Charger AWD, and Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 vehicles equipped with ZF all wheel drive ("AWD") 8HP45 transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission output shaft may fracture.
Risk: The transmission output shaft fracture could result in a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied before exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll away despite…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the transmissions, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 31, 2014. Customers may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 RAM 1500 trucks manufactured manufactured June 25, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the coolant bypass valve may stick in a position that does not allow coolant to flow into the heater core. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Vehicle Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 103, "Windshield…
Risk: Without a properly working windshield defrosting system, a buildup of mositure or ice could limit the driver's ability to see, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace replace the suspect coolant valves along with an updated calibration, free of charge. The recall began on June 25, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at…
9 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2013 Ram 1500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2013 Ram 1500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 235 of 1,277 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Ram 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (20%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ram 1500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2013 Ram 1500 is steering: 638 of 1,277 complaints (50%) name it, followed by electrical system (227) and engine (123). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 20% of the relevant total.
Is the 2013 Ram 1500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 20% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 87% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Ram 1500 years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Ram 1500?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2013 Ram 1500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 12 in total: 17V821000 (power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift), 13V610000 (power train: automatic transmission), 13V177000 (engine and engine cooling). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Ram 1500 years are better?
The 2013 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Ram 1500 years we track (20%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ram-1500
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.