2023 Ram 3500

Engine & Cooling

Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Ram 3500 have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no fix available and suggested that the vehicle was no longer driven or parked too near the residence. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.” (NHTSA Complaint #11715490)

Electrical System

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Ram 3500 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 1 NHTSA complaint have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “high beam lights turn on when left turn signal is activated” (NHTSA Complaint #11629272)

Suspension

Suspension problems affect vehicle handling and ride quality. For the 2023 Ram 3500, reported issues include clunking noises, premature wear, and handling instability. With 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect has a documented pattern. Owner reports include: “What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Vehicle was manufactured from the factory with defective frame/left upper coil spring mount causing the coil spring to move off it’s locking perch making the coil spring unsecured to the vehicle frame. Yes, the vehicle available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The defective coil spring mount allows the unsecured coil spring to move during travel with the potential of becoming dislodged from the vehicle which would cause complete suspension failure and the potential of loss of control of vehicle. This is especially true when towing. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? – Yes, the issue has been confirmed by the dealership and area engineer of Ram/Stellantis. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? – Yes, this have been inspected and confirmed by the dealership, area rep and area engineer of Ram/Stellantis. (See attached work orders) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? – There were no warning lamps or messages, the very first symptom was just a squeaky spring type noise when driven off the lot after purchasing. That squeak intermittently continued until the squeak became a clunk and a metal on metal type noise and the vehicle didn’t feel like it had equal suspension from left to right side of the vehicle. The dealership and area engineer for Ram/Stellantis stated the vehicle has a defective frame/coil mount, vehicle should not be driven on the highway, the vehicle should be repurchased by automaker and parted out/destroyed. This case has been going on for seven months, Ram/Stellantis has been stalling and unwilling thus far to repurchase the vehicle and take ownership of the defective manufactured vehicle.” (NHTSA Complaint #11621660)

Electrical System,Exterior Lighting

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Ram 3500 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 1 NHTSA complaint have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Despite having taken my 2023 Ram 3500 HD truck to the Ram dealer 3 times for the same recall, the issue still persists. The recall in question is B2A/NHTSA 23V-799 related to a malfunctioning SCCM that results in high beams activating with left turn signal activation. Also, left turn signal activates with high beam pass activation. Per Ram’s protocol, they performed a software reboot upon the first attempt. The problem quickly returned. I returned to the same service department who did not perform any service on the vehicle despite the ongoing problem for more than one week. I took the truck back as it was my main mode of transportation. Because this safety issue has not resolved, I attempted to take it back to a different Ram service center who wanted to perform some incredibly involved electronic disconnection of all systems. I told them this was unacceptable because this was a known recall item that is still active. I have tried calling Ram Cares Customer service, but they have been entirely unhelpful. I am not filing this safety issue because Ram refuses to provide the needed replacement of the SCCM unit, which was the correct fix for this recall because they insist that the recall has been serviced appropriately. I have a recent video that shows the problem still happening, but they have not cared to look at it.” (NHTSA Complaint #11621770)

Engine

Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Ram 3500 have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “On my model year 2023 RAM 3500 equipped with the Cummins 6.7L High Output engine, the premature failure of the camshaft valve lifter has caused the engine camshaft to have abnormal wear due the valve lifter roller bearing seizing. This has also caused metallic debris to contaminate the engine oil causing further damage to other engine components. This potential safety hazard of this incident, potential catastrophic engine failure which may occur while driving and cause the vehicle to stop suddenly without driver input. According reports provided by multiple consumers and dealer service departments for this vehicle model, others have experienced the same failure. The vehicle has not been independently inspected. There were no warning lamps, the only recognizable symptom to the issue is an irregular ticking sound coming from the engine bay upon startup and at warm temperature idle.” (NHTSA Complaint #11616861)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2023 Ram 3500

The following 5 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Ram 3500 by the NHTSA or Ram. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Ram 3500:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Ram to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ram must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2023 Ram 3500 qualifies as a lemon under California law, Ram may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Ram pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Ram willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2023 Ram 3500 Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Ram a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Ram dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Ram pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Ram a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2023 Ram 3500 Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2023 Ram 3500 as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Ram pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ram is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2023 Ram 3500?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.