NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 29 complaints against the 2024 Ram 3500. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2024 Ram 3500 complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2024 Ram 3500 has generated 29 NHTSA complaints and has 2 active recalls. If your 2024 Ram 3500 has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Ram pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2024 Ram 3500 has generated 4 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “The brakes do not apply until after the pedal reaches half of its travel distance and still not as good they should. Very soft pedal feeling and too long of pedal travel to apply brakes. Very unsafe! I have had it to the dealer 3 times for this condition since I had purchased it (New) on June 5, 2025. They bled the brakes and found a small omaunt of air in the system. This did not change the braking condition at all. They cannot seem to find the problem. Service advisor did tell me that recently another customer brought in his 2024 Ram heavy duty pickup with the same issue.” (NHTSA Complaint #11679244)
The 2024 Ram 3500 has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The backup (rear) camera worked intermittently, then did not work at all. Safety was put at risk by a lack of image during the backing event. The vehicle was taken to a local Ram dealer, where they reproduced the issue, diagnosed that the camera had an internal malfunction, and replaced the rear camera. No warning messages were displayed, only a black screen when backing.” (NHTSA Complaint #11725026)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2024 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 2 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “After the engine replacement, the tractor continues to operate unreliably, and I cannot use it in my business because it is unreliable.” (NHTSA Complaint #11716850)
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 2024 Ram 3500 include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “PTC cabin heater has overheated and replaced 3 times. Each time it filled the passenger compartment with toxic fumes and its a fire hazard. It has not been solved and is still at the dealer. It started Nov 21 2025. NHTSA Complaint # 11702941. Nothing has been done about it to this day. Am I wasting my time???? [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)” (NHTSA Complaint #11709260)
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2024 Ram 3500 has generated 2 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I was towing a 6,000 pound excavator on a 20’ tilt deck trailer and rounded a turn to see a line of traffic stopped waiting on a big truck to turn. I hit the brakes and the truck didn’t start to slow. I swerved to the shoulder and pressed breaks as hard as possible and went past several cars and t boned the big truck that was turning. The only brakes it felt like i had was the trailer brakes. Very severe accident that everyone walked away from but definitely was equipment failure involved.” (NHTSA Complaint #11704812)
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2024 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.
Component: STEERING:STEERING CONTROL MODULE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Turn signals and/or high beams that do not function as intended may cause confusion or reduced visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the steering column control module (SCCM) software, and inspect and replace the module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC’s numbers for this rec
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy in a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module, as necessary free of charge. Some owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2024 through June 20, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC’s numbers for this recall are 14B, 33B
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 2024 Ram 3500:
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.
If your 2024 Ram 3500 qualifies as a lemon under California law, Ram may be legally required to:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If your 2024 RAM 3500 has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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