Are Ram trucks reliable? Or does the Ram 1500 suffer problems as its mileage increases? Ram released the fifth generation of its 1500 half-ton for the 2019 model year. An industrial diesel engine technician named Justin Wheeler bought a 2019 Ram 1500 Limited and has put nearly 50,000 miles on it every year since. Over the past 200,000 miles, this 5th gen Ram has had its share of issues, but both its engine and transmission are going strong.
Are Ram 1500 engines reliable?
The 5th generation Ram 1500 is powered by the tried and true 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Both engines regularly last past 100,000 miles, often in the 200,000 mile range.
Wheeler hasn’t been easy on the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in his 2019 Ram 1500 Limited. For the past 190,000 miles, he’s used his truck to cross-country for work. It often tows 6,000- to 8,000-pound trailers. He says he almost always uses 87-octane gas and only changes the oil when his truck asks for it (those intervals range from 8,000 to 10,000 miles).
On his YouTube channel about his high-mileage truck, Wheeler reveals that he has run his engine for more than 5,000 hours, more than 1,000 of which were at idle. He has also used the MDS system for at least a quarter of his driving miles.
The result? Well, the bad news is that Wheeler suffered at least one broken exhaust manifold. His truck was under warranty so Ram replaced the manifold with a stock part. He says it seems to have broken again after another 100,000 miles. He recommends replacing the stock part with aftermarket heads.
But the infamous manifold crack is the only problem Wheeler has run into. Despite the many hours of idling, it hasn’t suffered from the dreaded Hemi tick. In fact, he recently sent his used motor oil to a lab for analysis and found the condition of his motor to be excellent.
Do Ram trucks have transmission problems?
The Ram 1500 half-ton’s eight-speed automatic transmission has a reputation for extreme durability. In fact, the fifth-generation Ram 1500’s transmission is probably the most reliable of the truck’s main transmission components.
Wheeler hasn’t even had his automatic transmission serviced. He insists that Ram claims the transmission fluid should last the life of the truck. Despite this, it has not experienced any transmission problems of any kind.
Experienced some problems with the 4WD transfer case – changed the fluid twice and suffered from a stretched transfer case chain that makes a loud “clunk” when shifting from reverse to first. But despite this, the transfer case is still fully functional.
How many miles can a Dodge Ram 1500 last?
Ram 1500 owners, especially with the 5.7-liter Dodge Hemi V8 engine, often get more than 100,000 miles out of their truck. Even 200,000 miles is very possible.
Remember, 200,000 miles is the equivalent of a decade of light use – getting that mileage will require frequent servicing. Curious how often to get your Ram 1500 serviced? you are in luck
Our Motorbiscuit chart of Ram 1500 service intervals is one of the most comprehensive and conservative around. That’s because we’ve combined official Ram recommendations (via Junek’s Ram dealer) and additional suggestions from CarEdge.com. See the full chart below:
| Mileage | service |
| 8k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 16k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 20k | Inspect the brake pads, tie rods, and all front suspension components |
| 24k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 30k | Inspect brakes, front suspension components, CV joints, transfer case fluid, and transfer case and axle condition |
| 32k | Oil change, tire rotation, air filter replacement, spark plug replacement |
| 40k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 48k | Oil change, tire rotation, spark plug replacement |
| 56k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 60k | Inspect the brakes and suspension components. Check and/or replace: transmission fluid, engine coolant, transfer case fluid, and brake fluid. Inspect all filters. |
| 64k | Oil change, tire rotation, air filter replacement, spark plug/wires change |
| 72k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 80k | Oil change, tire rotation, cooling system flush |
| 88k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 96k | Oil change, tire rotation, air filter replacement, spark plug/wires change |
| 100k | Inspect brakes and suspension components and CV joints. Check and/or replace: transmission fluid, engine coolant, transfer case fluid, and brake fluid. Inspect all filters. |
| 104k | Oil change, tire rotation, cooling system flush |
| 112k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 120k | Oil Change, Tire Rotation, Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement, Transmission Fluid Service, Transfer Case Fluid Service Inspect the brakes and suspension components. Check and/or replace engine coolant and brake fluid |
| 128k | Oil change, tire rotation, air filter replacement, spark plug/wires change |
| 136k | Oil change, tire rotation |
| 144k | Oil change, tire rotation, spark plug replacement, cabin air filter replacement |
Below, read about the top Ram 1500 issues according to a mechanic, or watch Justin Wheeler answer frequently asked questions about his high-mileage Ram in the video below:
