2012 Ram 1500 Undeniably The Least Reliable Half-Ton Truck On The Road
Jason Lancaster | Mar 26, 2012 | Comments 174
What I’m about to say might sound like biased drivel, but I can prove it. Here goes:
> IF YOU’VE BOUGHT A 2012 RAM 1500, YOU’VE BOUGHT THE LEAST RELIABLE HALF TON ON THE ROAD
I know a few of you are hitting the “back” button on your browser right now, but hear me out. The two major quality and reliability authorities have found that Ram trucks have the worst quality and reliability ratings. There’s simply no logical justification for buying a truck made by Chrysler-Fiat (unless you work for the company and have to buy one) – at least if you’re concerned about reliability.
Chrysler’s 2012 dependability ratings are the worst in the industry. If you believe that Chrysler-Fiat can make a quality truck, either you work for Chrysler or you haven’t heard of JD Power or Consumer Reports.
JD Power’s dependability studies (which rank brands on relatively quality) has consistently put Ram/Chrysler products below average:
- JD Power’s 2012 Dependability Study ranks Ram, Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge dead last in dependability. Ram had 174 problems per 100 vehicles, which is 31% higher than average. Toyota and Ford, by the way, were ranked above average in 2012.
- JD Power’s 2011 Dependability Study ranked Ram with 173 problems per 100 vehicles, but because quality ratings suffered for a lot of manufacturers in 2011, that same dependability rating just put Ram in the bottom 25%. Ford and Toyota? Above average (again).
- In JD Power’s 2010 Dependability Study, Ram was still part of Dodge, so the ratings are worse…190 problems per 100 vehicles. That’s only 23% worse than average. Once again, Ford and Toyota were above average in 2010.
Consumer Reports rates individual vehicles relative to other vehicles in the same segment. For 2011, the Ram 1500’s reliability is “fair,” which is half a black circle. The 2011 Tundra and the F150? Above average.
Diving a little deeper into Consumer Reports reliability ratings, they’ve rated every 2wd and 4wd Ram 1500 built between 2002 and 2011. Out of those twenty vehicles, only two have above-average reliability ratings – the 2008 1500 2WD and the 2010 2WD 1500. Of the other eighteen, three have “poor” reliability ratings and three others have “worse than average” ratings. That means that, all things being equal, you’re about three times as likely to buy a Ram 1500 with below average quality than one with above average quality using Consumer Reports data.
If you’re wondering how that compares to other models, all Ford and Toyota models over the same time span have ‘good’ or ‘above-average’ ratings. GM trucks are rated to be marginally better than Ram trucks, but they too fall behind the Tundra and F150…but we’re not talking about them right now.
Consumer Reports and JD Power are currently the only two organizations that publish reliability data, and JD Power’s data is used by Edmunds.com, US News and World Report, and Consumer Guide. If you don’t think that either of these data sources should be trusted, that’s your business. Just understand that there aren’t any other data sources out there to look at.
According to the only two companies that produce reliability data, the Ram 1500 is the least reliable half-ton truck on the road. Why would anyone buy one?
Seriously – why would anyone buy a Ram 1500 after learning about their poor reliability ratings? Comment below cause’ I really don’t get it.
Filed Under: Auto News
I guess besides the Tunrda, the RAM is the best looking 1/2 ton out there
I agree 100%
Well for one, learning about it from someone else may not be accurate. I have an 05 1500 4×4. which according to this artice would be fair or below average reliability. I have 113,700 trouble free and very hard miles on my truck. I am hard on it. (period) and NEVER been to a shop other then for tires, brakes, and oil changes.
Looks and ride quality and decent interior/exterior looks with decent power in the hemi V8? I think the ford trucks are butt ugly, why would I want to drive an ugly truck regardless of ratings? Personal opinion, just like why would anyone buy a prius based on looks or a smart fit for two? People buy different vehicles not just based on reliability. But I do agree, I wouldn’t buy a dodge product of any kind, only GM and Toyota and might consider some Ford products if the deal was right.
I agree with you, Ram is a beautiful truck and I don’t have any issues with it. Ford f-150 is just butt ugly !!
I had a 99 ram 1500 with a 12″ lift and 40’s for almost 100k miles. 0 problems other then wheel bearings and a few trannys. I just bought a 2012 and the truck blows that 99 out of the water. tons of hp, good mpg, and quick as any car i’ve been in.
“0 problems other then wheel bearings and a few trannys.”
Just a few?
BaHahahahah!!!
I’m surprised how poorly the Ram is rated. It’s too bad in my opinion since I have had the opportunity to drive both a 2010 and 2011 model for an extended period of time and both impressed me, especially the 2011 Ram. I actually seriously thought about going with the new 2012 Ram before deciding to stay with Toyota and pulling the trigger on my DC Rock Warrior. I guess if I ever do decide to go with a truck other than the Tundra then all that’s left is Ford. GM is out. All the problems I had with my last chevy truck is what pushed me into giving the Tundra a chance and now that GM can’t make it without bailouts pretty much makes them a non-starter for me now.
I was a Ford guy, owning two trucks starting with the 2005 F150 and then a 2007 F150 XLT. Those trucks were good and only experienced a misfire around 50k on the latter. Switched to 2011 Tundra 5.7 Limited and hated it! The truck had an awkward bounce, steering was the worst I’ve ever experienced and all the power was already at 2k rpm, which imho is only good if you towing heavy loads all the time! Granted, it had some good build quality, althoug the interior wasnt the best astetically speaking. And im sure it would have been reliable, but I hated driving it and couldn’t get past the flaws I mentioned.
I went out and test drove a Dodge Ram 1500 Outdoorsman and let me tell you – BAM! Awesome truck…looks cool, interior and exterior is fantastic, and did I mention the hadnling?? HEMI…starts to really pull at 4K rpm, which is exactly where it should be. Dont have to worry about the truck giving me whiplash as soon as i press the gas…it comes on when I want it too!
I’ll never buy another Japanese truck…Ford was good, but hate the tonka-toy look and the bling…real bithces truck imho…i’m sticking with the Dodge…even i have a few repairs around 300K!
Enjoy your Ram. Much of what you said is subjective to the person though. Personally I like the powerband on the Tundra.
The interiors on the Rams are nice as far as layout goes but both the 2010 and 2011 felt and sounded flimsy compared to my Tundra.
Handling wise I find my RW Tundra every bit responsive as the Rams I drove.
The HEMI thing doesn’t impress me anymore, especially after driving the 5.7 IForce. Just my personal opinion.
Stick with Dodge, more power to use. I’ll stick with the build quality, safety and reliability of the Tundra.
Have a nice day 🙂
My family have been buying dodge 1500’s for years, and I can not remember ever having a problem with them. Its all about maintenance, if you take pride in your vehicle then it will last, but if you don’t maintain your vehicle, and don’t use quality products then of course there will be problems. I just purchased my first new car which was a 2012 dodge ram 1500 with the hemi. I test drove every truck on the market and compared prices and in the end the dodge is a better product for the lowest prices out there. Plus they look better then any other truck out there. The only truck that looks and drives as well as a dodge is the tundra, but who really wants to spend 40 to 60 thousand dollars on a truck. The concecpt is almost laughable. Its not like your paying for the quality; your paying for the lable, which by my standards leaves a person without any regard to Americas gdp and growth. Buying products from overseas was originally createted to reduce
It is all a psycological game, you are bashing the ram because you have a worthless tundra, Ram way more refine better truck, i bought a 2013 Ram hemi with no regrets, your article is completely worthless, the testimonies of the ram owners is what it counts.
Hey im soory i own a ram 2010 it was the worst truck i h0ave ever baught 40000 wasted i have own chevys beafor i baught my shity dodge and they were the best vehicule i have ever own most reliable truck i have ever own truck will treat you right if you treat them right but the dodge you take care of it and they break down even worst i hade to put a water pump head gasket tie rods one new coil in the back and diff since the gasket material is so bad it craked and started leaking this is in the first 35000 kms of owning it i pull regularly and a dodge is not made to pull they are made to look at and thats it form over function big time i had my 2000 silverado with 367000 kms on it still ran like brand new and never did need much and i pulled reggularly with it never faild me once until i traded it for my pos dodge man do i regret buying this truck i new i should of listen but i never learn btw chevys are the best trucks on the road.
Wow man…just, wow.
spell check……
Haha… That is by far the most proper English I have ever read…
Did he go to school past the 3rd grade?
one tip dude…spell check..
Learn how to spell dipshit!!!
Well nice spelling. Here’s what I have found any engine dodge makes that ends in a 7 is junk. Here’s what their problems are. 2.7 is just plain garbage for more reasons than I have time to wright. But the 3.7 4.7 and yes 5.7 hemi have a big problem with the valve seats falling out. You can google it and the internet is flooded with these problems. My friend owns a cylinder head shop and has shown me several dodge problem. Also ford 1.9 and 2.0 4 Cyl have the same problem. Then the seat breaks into many pieces and travels through the intake and ends up in other cylinders. So yeah dodge engines are all pretty bad.
I think that Dodge hemi engine is pretty good I’ve had one lasted many miles never had any problems with it but the Ford pickups have that 5.4 engine and I can tell you from experience that that engine is a junker garbage pile to chevy has pretty good engines except that they are gutless compare to a hemi I have a dealer ship I sell and drive a lot of different pickups I have experience with most all of the pickups on the market 2009 and up ram has one of the best made vehicles out there best ride Best interior best looking from the outside as well
I have always owned Dodge Ram trucks and they have always been very reliable trucks. The new Ram trucks are just great, and highly upgraded from previous models so I don’t see any problems with the rliability of my 2012 Ram.
I bought my 2010 Tundra DC 4X4 new. The F150 was a very close second. Having been a “Ford guy” that decision was tough. Living in rural Alaska reliability was/is paramount. With almost 30,000 hard miles I’ve had zero issues. This is the first vehicle I’ve owned that I can say that about.
GM and Dodge were never considered! Mostly because of reliability but also their inability to operate without government subsidy/bailout.
One of the fellows at work bought a new Ram last fall and has already been back to the dealer for problems(he would not discuss what)twice. He is however, a “Chrysler guy” and says he’d do it again. Go figure!
We all know a guy that has problems with their Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, or any other auto brand in the world. Your story does not mean anything, when you stop to think about the fanous toyota gas pedal problems, as well as Ford ignition fires and all that crap.
And not just the gas pedal on the Toyota and fires on the fords that ford power stroke is a joke for a engine I have had so much trouble with that engine that no body should say any thing about dodge and I now have a 2011 chevy that runs ok nothing impressive also have a 2011 dodge that I think is pretty impressive no problems so far runs great I love it
Some people like to visit the dealership. They like the salesman drooling over them trying to make a sale. I had my days visiting the dealership.What’s embarassing is that Enterprise car rental knew who I was from seeing me so much with the Ford issue. Same for Chevy. So this kind of limits me since Dodge can’t get it together. I never drove a Ram so I don’t know. What I can tell you I won’t buy one even if the CEO doesn’t get paid by Chrysler…… But by Fiat…… Liar liar pants on fire.
Dodge paid all the government money they barowed plus 10%more I had some ford with that 6.0 ford power joke with lots of problems and I currently have a 2011 chevy with 50.000 miles runs ok but lots of cab noise like wind just not as good as I would expect on the chevy I also have 2011 dodge 2500 cummins I absolutle love that truck twice the truck than that ford and that chevy so nobody is going to tel me that dodges are not good i hope you will figure it out one day what you are missing out on
[…] Re: Tundra Redesign 2013 Originally Posted by Breathing Borla Chrysler's build quality has always sucked. they couldn't build a trans if their life depended on it. 2012 Ram 1500 Least Reliable Truck | Tundra Headquarters […]
I’m looking at them all right now, and I agree that even in HS the guys with the old Cudas had tons more problems than we who had old camaros etc, but the ram 1500 sure is looking good. I used to own an AAMCO a few years back, and Chrysler transmissions were junk for sure, but so were ford, and even GM had its unresolved issues in the 4L60E etc, but I had my guys tear down the ZF unit in my BMW 540i, and they have the most admireable technology of any I’ve seen. ZF is in most of the high line cars on the road, and guess what, the new ram 8 speed is a ZF unit, and ram even hired one of the ZF design gurus to ensure the success of the application. I’m just saying that it’s possible that ram is really making an effort to step up their quality, and we all know they’ve had the look factor over any others for years. Oh, and I’d take a 427 over a hemi any day (if it was a pre 1970) but the hemi has not been one of DCPs issues as far as I know. Lastly, I hit a deer in my cayenne, and ended up borrowing a friends tundra for two days… Initially I was really impressed with the interior space and power, but after a couple hundred miles in it I went and rented a car. Toyota and even lexus have been reliable for the most part over the years, but one of the ways they’ve accomplished that is by having very little in the way of sexy technology, and i like the creature comforts of the toys that everyone else offers. I;ve routinely spent well over $50K on my rides, and have tried many brands, but the fun ones have cool toys and big power! If ya only have four wheels and a seat, there’s not much to go wrong 🙂
All I know is,I’ll pull my 440+6 Roadrunner any day of the week with my hemi Ram!!
I guess not everyone makes wise decisions. I am not that rich, that I can afford to make a big mistake again with Dodge. Excuse me “Ram” 🙂
Regardless of the studies, ram provides the best warranty of them all. 5yr – 100k mile powertrain. In today’s age of pickups, they are all good…they can all last forever if you just take care of the darn thing. I bought a 2012 ram express regular cab for 4 reasons. It looks great, its fast as hell, it has a rock solid warranty and it was 8k cheaper than the tundra of the same class. For people that want a truck that will last forever, buy a tundra. For people that want to enjoy a powerful, great looking truck for 5-6 the ram is a solid choice…and I run 13.8 in the quarter.
Wes,
The Rams are nice trucks but the workmanship is still pretty questionable. I agree they have an excellent warranty but I personally prefer to drive a vehicle that I do not need to take into the dealership every month or so to fix things that should have been done right from the get go. It is a good looking truck but IMO so are Ford’s and GMC’s. As far as 8 grand cheaper, when I was pricing the Ram packages they were right around the same price as my RW. So I will have to disagree with you there. Power wise my 5.7L Tundra feels just as powerful as the 2011 5.7 hemi Ram I drove in Alaska last summer and I can tow more to boot. Quarter mile rans mean nothing to me since I bought my truck as a hauler, not a racer.
Too each their own. Enjoy your Ram, they are nice trucks but I think I will stick with Tundra’s for now.
Wes – Fair enough. $8k in savings pays for a lot of repairs that you may or may not need down the road. Congrats.
Dude what are you talking about. You can’t say the tundra lasts forever. It hasn’t been around long enough to prove that it does. I see old as hell fords, Chevys, and dodges on the road all the time. When I see a 40 year old Tundra on the road I might say it, but for right now I can tell you that it will probably only last so long before you begin to get serious problems with it like any other truck. The great thing about those older trucks though is that your average joe can actually fix them himself. The new trucks, toyotas especially, are too complicated and require professionals to fix it and a lot of money. Besides theres nothing like working on a good old American truck with a son or a close friend and then taking it offroad. They are also far more customizable than your precious tundra.
I’ve bought a 2012 ram and I love it to death and I’m a Ford guy. My family had toyotas , boring and gutless and fell apart except motor. Ram offers most styles and most powerful v8 I checked. Eco mode is good descent mileage and truck just sounds and looks mean. Plus 100,000 5 yr warrant so if something breaks who cares! Takin care of
I think that all brands have reliability issues at one point or another. I know this because I had the worst of luck with my F-150, as where millions of people think that F-150’s are the best thing ever. I think I wont ever buy one again, plus they are ugly as hell. Ram trucks on the other hand have lasted me over 200 thousand miles with relatively no issues or none at all, so I am sticking with Ram regardless of J.D. powers opinion of reliability.
Also Toyota gets help from ford for their trucks and shares their technology , also really a Japanese truck!? Seen the Titan lately? POS buy American plus fiat is really helping Chrysler
Ummmmm correct me if I’m wrong, but the links you posted to JD power and associates showing results of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 model years? nowhere in there did they test the 2010, 2011, or 2012 models. So is it not a poor assumption to say that the 2012 ram 1500 is the worst half ton? Ram fully redesigned their trucks after 2009, for all we know, ram could have jumped to the top. I personally think the tundra isn’t even in the same league as the silverado/sierra, f150, and ram 1500.
Actually you are incorrect. Here is a link that rates the 2011 year models.
http://autos.jdpower.com/ratin.....=909201120
In overall quality the Tundra scored a final 4/5 whereas the Ram1500 scored only a 2/5. F150 scored 5/5, Avalanche 4/5, Silverado HD 2/5, Silverado LD 3/5, F250-350 2/5, Sierra HD 3/5, Sierra LD 4/5 and Titan 2/5.
So by JD Power’s evaluation the Tundra tied with the Avalanche and Sierra LD at 4 out of 5 stars and beat the Ram 1500, Silverado’s and the Titan last year.
It would seem that the “poor assumption” is on your part. As far as who is in who’s “league”, it would seem that the Silverdo’s, Titan and Sierra HD are the ones who are batting AAA ball among the major leaguers now, BG.
I am a former chevy truck owner and have also driven both the 2010 and 2011 Rams. The Tundra is definitely a competitor in both quality and function to the domestic makers.
Think what you wish but the facts do not support statement.
Damn! KMS won that round…what do you have to say Tyler?!!
LOL
I agree with you 100% and I really love Toyotas, but For trucks there is none better than Ram, Ford or Chevy. I just happen to like Rams better than te rest, and I have great luck with my Ram trucks. Matter or fact I don’t think I know a Ram owner that is not stisfied with their truck.
9 Dec, bought first RAM outdoorsman – engine stalling. Get another RAM outdoorsman – engine stalling.
Get a Larimiel – engine stalling
Get a LongHorn – engine stalling.
In just over four months I had four Rams. Well I still have the LongHorn Dealership, Ram customer service tells me there is NO stalling going on. Ser. mgr. drives it but “forces” it to stall by putting gas pedal down and then braking at the same time while doing 45 mph. Tells me it’s MY problem because I keep my left foot “over” the brake pedal – I can stop faster that way. Customer ser. tells me to not move my foot “over” the brake pedal because there are sensors that detect the movement of my left foot and that will stall the engine. Yea right!
Dealer and dodge tells me there is no problem so I finall (yesterday) tell the Gen. Mgr. of dealership to just forget about this problem – BUT WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE STALLS AND SOMEBODY REAR ENDS ME. Use to be a Chevy man “only.” But bought the dodge because of the way the interior/exterior look. Love everthing about this truck except the stalling. I can’t wait for me to get rear ended when it does stall.
Bill – The stalling issue sounds like it might be the brake-throttle override feature, which is soon to be federally mandated safety equipment.
In terms of driving, it means that merely touching the brakes will cause the throttle to cut out completely. Sounds like what you’re describing.
Finally, I don’t know of any driver’s ed class that recommends riding the brakes, so I would say that you need to change your habits. All vehicles will have this safety feature in the next couple of years.
You are right that is exacly what his problem is. He is riding the brakes while trying to accelerate a the same time, and the brake-throttle safety feature kicks in. This feature is put in place so that the throttle will not overcome the braking power in case of an emergency.
Bill, you are a nerd if you drive like that. you are lucky you received as much help as you did for the dealer. after finding out that you drive like that i wouldn’t have giving you anything.
My dad used to own 70’s Chrysler cars and unless they were in top tune you needed to keep some thottle and brake action going so it wouldn’t stall. After years of driving like this he got in the habit of using his left foot for the brake and the right for the gas. People driving behind him couldn’t tell if he was braking or not as his brake lights were nearly on all the time. You may have someone rear end you without having your engine stall as they mis-judge the stopping time between you and them as your brake lights are always on. Doesn’t matter what vehicle you drive if you drive like that.
I bought a 2012 RAM 1500 hemi. I paid 2k less than a similarly equipped toyota. I have had no problems. Appears the JD power measures something that does not matter much. 174 problems per 100 vehicles means about 2 problems per vehicle. Whats a problem ? A knob thatsqueaks ? I funny noise ? Real people are interested in real problems that put the truck in the shop.
Glad to hear your Ram is treating you good, do far. I like the Rams myself but when co
Pared to the build quality of the Fords and Toyota it isn’t even a contest. Ford and Toyota both hands down beat the Ram. Sorry if you din’t like what JD has researched but facts are facts.
I like getting facts and other peoples’ opinions,like I said,maybe I just got one of the good ones.Just commented because it was seeming like a bashing thing going on beyond the JD Powers reports.I know I’ve seen alot of Dodges totally rotted out in the rockers and doors,with people trying to sell them for 5000 or more in some cases.I don’t care what brand,when it’s that rotted out you’re not getting that much.
So if J.D. power tells you to kill yourself because you will go to heaven with a bunch of virgins that is a fact right?? Not everything that J.D. power says is true, drive all trucks draw your own conclusions. I have owned F-150’s and Rams, and I can tell you hands down the Rams have gave me better service then the F-150’s have. I will agree that some of the Rams did not have the interior quality that the F-150’s had. But with the new model Rams that has changed, and now the quality is there all around the truck.
I’m basically a Dodge guy myself,but when talking about a brand new vehicle,a problem of any type is a problem that shouldn’t exist.
Funny this isnt a Toyota tundra website”……and they are bashing dodge…
toyota tried to copy dodge
LOL, thank God they DID’NT succeed. If they had they would be at the bottom for reliability and needing a government bailout ;).
Seriously though, the Rams have could be much better trucks if Chrysler would get there act together on quality control. I’ve driven the recent Rams and liked them quite a bit but I get the same power, better towing capacity and better reliability out of my DC RW.
To each their own as the saying goes.
I’ve always been a Dodge man, but I too would have not bought a Ram truck until they redesigned the 1500 for 2012. Prior to 2012 they were butt ugly, poor interior and best suited for if you owned a farm and didn’t care about looks. But, I simply love the look and performance of my 2012 1500 Ram. I’ve got just over 6000 km on mine and still love it. MIleage is good, 13.8 average city and highway with getting down to 12L per 100 km if I’m on the highway constantly. Looks better than Ford or Chevy and costs $5000 less for the same options. Call it what you will but I think it’s a great truck and great value.
Well look at it this way, three company’s make heavy duty trucks and Toyota, Nissan, or Mitsubishi don’t. Dodge has Cummings diesel, ford in the bigger trucks 650 or bigger has cat motors and the smaller super duty has power stroke not one of the best diesel motors and GM has dura max with Allison transmission option. So when a the japs make a truck like that I might buy one.
Nissan, Mitsu, Isuzu, and Toyota make hundreds of thousands of HD trucks every year…they just don’t sell them to US consumers. But if you go to your local heavy-duty truck dealership (like this one – http://www.transwestbuickgmc.com/isuzu-trucks.htm ) you’ll find a “jap” truck that many HD buyers choose ahead of Ford, GM, and Ram.
In other words, expand you horizons.
Did you know that the engine in the GM deisel trucks is an IZUZU?! They make great industrial engines just like CAT and Cummins and Perkins. I currently do not have a truck. I do like the looks of the new Ram trucks but will wait until the release of the half ton diesels with the 8 speed trans in them to see how things change. Had a Chevy and a Toyota now I will look at the Dodge next. I have taken my vehicles all over 300,000 miles before selling them to their new owners. I am not going to bash anyone’s choice. Just glad that we have many to choose from.
I can’t speak for other people,but I bought a ’98 Ram 1500 used 11 years ago,did maintenance when I was supposed to,and the truck still runs good and has only minor rust just starting on rear fenders only.Perhaps I have one of the good ones.
Same here My 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 had 240,000 miles on it when I traded it in for my 2012 Hemi, and my 1985 Doge Ram 1500 4×4 single cab had over 300,000 thousand miles when I sold it to buy my 1997 Dodge Ram brand new back in 1997. So anybody that says Ram trucks are garbage is full of shit.
Exactly. Can anybody here say that they have a tundra with that many miles on it and it still works. I doubt it.
Mark,
Sigh. Probably should have done some research. Here is a Tundra with 666,803 miles on it. https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2012/10/05/toyota-tundra-666803-miles/
-Tim
I bought a 2012 Ram express 2 weeks ago and I love it. That hemi is awesome and the amount of features I got for the price cannot be touched y any other company. Basically the people int this forum bashing American products is the fundamental problem is this country. All these trucks will last if u take care of them. Every company has lemons but dodge has a warranty to protect you from major issues later in the trucks life. I drove the tundra and it was a nice truck but I would have paid about $150 more a month so I said forget that. The ride on the Ram is the best out of any truck I’ve ever drove or ridden in. My wife also got a hemi charger and we love both vehicles. So I wish people in this country would take some pride in the red,white, and blue and quit buying these foreign products. So what JD power said Ram wast the best. You people need to quit letting others think for you and grow a couple. Hopefully we can take this country back before you can’t afford to buy a truck.
I was in total agreement until you went into that “red, white and blue” nonsense. My RW Tundra is more “American made” than your Ram, hands down. As far as your “You people need to quit letting others think for you and grow a couple”, great advice that I suggest you put in practice for yourself before preaching to others.
The Ram’s are nice, especially the newer ones, but considering its reliability ratings I’ll stick with my “foreign” Tundra. If I ever do go back to “American” trucks it will be Ford anyways. Good, solid, reliable product that didn’t need taxpayer money or government assistance in order to survive.
Agreed – Ford gets my vote too.
bud I got 2 new ram trucks 2012 and a 2013 I just love them trucks im just going to remind you that ram took some money to but its all paid for plus 10% more so Im helping the American auto industry not japan this foreign junk will break america
This is why Ram guys get cr*p on many sites, “so Im helping the American auto industry not japan this foreign junk will break america.”
-Tim
Coltsin1 – You know that Fiat owns Ram, right? How is it any more American than the Tundra?
Also, if you buy a regular cab Ram 1500 or an HD Ram, there’s a pretty good chance it was built in Mexico.
If you want to buy a Ram good for you, but don’t come in here telling us how much more American the truck is, cause that’s BS.
Yes it is made in america, but all your money goes to the Japanese economy. Yea that’s real American of you. Thanks for helping the American economy by sending all your money overseas. A real American truck will be American owned. And right now that’s ford and Chevy.
Mark,
Sigh. Tell that economy in Texas that directly benefits from the San Antonio plant.
-Tim
I have been in mexico most of my live these pickups are made in the us they are assembled in mexico like a ram 2500 with a cummins diesel you cant even buy in mexico and there is a lot of fords and chevy suburbans an tahoes the same way and that new power stroke 6.7 engine in build in mexico
I bet u don’t even own a truck. Why don’t u tell people to look at the reviews on Edmunds and Cars.com. Cars.com gives Ram a 4.6 out of 5 and the number 2 on the ratings of Edmunds.com. But I guess in your book one bad review trumps everyone elses. Let list the facts: Profits of Jap cars go to Jap companies. All the trucks are built in USA. Your supporting a country that doesn’t like Americans and laughs all the way to the bank when u buy one. Ever heard of Toyota recalls… People who died because of them. Them is a bashed up Nissian in my city the family put in there front yard and said there teen was killed because a recall wasn’t reported. Ever heard of Dodge doing that?? As far as bail outs… What company wouldn’t take free money. I work with major companies and let me tell u, many companies you support everyday have filled the same bankrupcy Dodge did and most all of them are stronger because of it. Still want to buy a Jap truck, they buy our recycled scrap metal to make vehicles and when it hails they are usually the first to get damage. Atleast Dodge don’t need a forum to bash the competition like tundra owners do. Look at the recent sales on Rams because it says it all
LOL slick. You come on this forum trolling with a bunch of false patriotism and lecture us. I’ve been driving trucks for quite a while now. Chevy, Fords and Dodges before I finally switched to the Tundra. My last Chevy was a nightmare on 4 wheels. Same can be said about the Dodge. I work for USACE and we use a Dodge, Chevy and Ford for our ranger and maintenance vehicles. The Chevy is a PITA with all the b.s little things falling apart and we’re getting rid of the Dodge (complete hunk o junk) for a new F250. The F150 we have is the best out if the bunch, go figure.
So why don’t you go troll elsewhere and when you grow up then come back. No one here was “bashing” Dodge, just commenting on the info presented in the article. The only bashing seems to be coming from you with your juvenile and thinly disguised racism with the “jap” comments. Not to mention your idiotic comments about us supporting folks who don’t like us. If the Japanese do dislike us it’s because if bigots like you. Funny how you accuse Tundra owners of that when YOU are supporting middle eastern regimes who do definitely hate us every time you fill your gas tank.
Good day from a Iraq and Afghan vet who proudly drives his made in America by Americans Tundra.
HAHAHA ok Ford fan boy, what ever you say. You need to take your sh@t somewhere else because nobody here is listening to your bull@#%$, exept for maybe the dumb ass$% at J.D power.
George,
I’m editing this comment with the amount of vulgarity that you like to use. Please be more respectful.
-Tim
Dude, if you’re talking to me then take it elsewhere. Don’t come here acting like another juvenile troll.
I don’t hate naps or any other group of people. I do support American companies and stay loyal to brands my ancestors bought. Ok so about consumer reports. They give Ram a 9.6 in reliability and Tundra 9.1. F150 is 9.5. I guess JD power trumps them too. How about US news giving Ram # 2 overall reliability. Just google 2012 ram reliability and it will dis credit everything this forum is claiming. Oh and popular mechanics long term report gives ram the best numbers it has ever had and sings it’s praises. I love how this guys runs his mouth with only one report to hang his hat on.
Coltsin1 – You’re being a bit selective on the reliability ratings from Consumer Reports by focusing on the current year only. If you look at the last 10+ years, you’ll see that the Ram is generally the least reliable truck in CR’s data set. History has to count for something, doesn’t it?
I mean Japs not naps. LOL
Here is the top sales of trucks for Jan 2012 compared to 2011 from Pickup trucks.com Notice where Rundra is and how many units they sale. Theres something to be said about where the masses spend their hard earned dollars.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2.....sales.html
Coltsin1 – Sales figures are meaningless. McDonald’s has sold more hamburgers than anyone in the world. Does that mean they make the best hamburger in the universe?
HAHAHA that is the first argument with the Ford fan boys that claim that Ford is a superior product just based on how many more units they sale comapred to the Ram. It is a matter of preference, I love the Ram truck and have alwas had good luck with them, and the only F-150 I ever owned was terrible, not to metion how ugly it was. For me the Ram Hands down is a much better product plain and simple.
Ram + 46.8%, Tundra -9.4% Dodges sells more than 3 times as many Rams so I’m sure if they were as bad as this forum claims people would be buying more of them. Search the sales numbers on Ram and how much they have increased. Face it, least reliable is subjective to some guy who loves his tundra and is mad that a Ram is better looking and has more horsepower.
You’re assumption is that consumers are rational. They’re not.
BTW KMS still hasn’t said what kind of truck he owns. Just that his job has a bunch of dodge and chevys. Last time I checked people never treat others peoples stuff as good as they would their own. Ever heard the saying “Don’t be gental its a rental”
A Tundra – duh!
HAHAHA you are 100% right you said it man. I work for a transportation company we deliver fuel. I can guarentee you our fleet drivers will destroy a tank if you give them the opportunity to dive one. I also wanted to add that the owner of the company also bought all brand new Ram trucks for the terminal managers and there are no issues with the truck. All the managers say nothing but good things about their Ram trucks. That is enough evidence for me to say that J.D power, and some of these guys bashing on Dodge and Chvey are full of shit !!
Sales figures are like comparing apples to avacados. The inclusion of fleet sales skews them severely. As far as the ancestry garbage goes, I support those companies that support American workers. In that regard both Ford and Toyota are hands down the winners when it comes to trucks. Bottom line, leave your veiled bigotry elsewhere.
Its ok if you don’t have any other research to back up your claims or that you don’t own a truck. Your like a kid that says I know you are but what am I. My Ram was built in Dearborn Michigan by Americans. I mean in no way to disrespect any group of people. If you were in the military you should know everyone in the world hates the US, including Japan. I take pride in America and all that it stands for;(except traitors that buy foreign vehicles) down to the truck I drive. (German vehicles excluded obviously)
You only prove my point about being a bigot. On top of that your an idiot to boot. Take the time to research just how “American” your truck really is parts wise. You drive a vehicle with a lot of foreign involvement, probably own quite a few electronics courtesy those evil Japanese, fuel your vehicles thanks to middle easterners and you call us that buy U.S built Tundra’s made in America by Americans for Americans traitors, LOL. You are nothing more than a useful idiot, as Lenin would say. Enjoy your “American” Ram as I will enjoy my American made Tundra.
Good night.
It is built in Amreica with Japanese parts. Also you claim that Ford is the best quality truck and 100% American. You are wrong again, most of Frauds componets are fabricated in Mexico and other parts of the world. That being said, you sir are full of shit !!
Actually its not entirely built with Japanese parts. The fact is a lot of the parts are built in America.
-Tim
I just love all of your useless information about where oil comes from, like anyone has a choice to buy it. All electronics come from Japan because after we dropped bombs on them; we were stupid and rebuilt their country with better technology than we had at home. Thus giving them a technology advantage. I could care less about u and your opinions because I’m here to give cold hard facts about the Ram. Ex. My neighbor has an 07 with 150k on it and hasn’t even replaced the brakes. U should just shut up because all u do is enjoy a truck u don’t even have.
Sigh. Another troll has been sighted.
Colts has more info to back up his claims even though using the word “japs” is out of line. It is crazy that this forum is taking a cheap shot at Ram. I guess sine they are number 3 in America toyota has to pIck a fight with the smallest auto maker. Can’t we all just get along!!!
The problem with Colts postings is that he obviously didn’t bother to read the article posted or the responses. This forum is not taking a “cheap” shot at Ram. All this forum did was post and republish information from a 3rd party, in this case J.D Powers and Consumer Reports. Then on top of that he decides to play the juvenile and sophomoric race game. I’ve driven both a 2010 and 2011 Ram 1500 and found both pretty good. On top of that today we just had a new 2012 Ram 2500 delivered at our site. A very nice truck to say the least. But the fact remains that the J.D Powers report has the 2012 models ranking last in reliability.
What I find amusing, and sad at the same time, is how fan boys like Colt surf non-Dodge forums to defend their precious Ram from the “traitors” like us, LMAO.
Bottom line is simple. Colt is nothing more than a bigoted troll who came on this forum looking only to start trouble. If Colt is truly secure in his choice of trucks then the opinion of forums like this shouldn’t matter at all then.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
BMG – If you think that polling JD Power and Consumer Reports reliability data to argue that the Ram is unreliable compared to any other half-ton, so be it.
Hahaha atleast others can see I spit knowledge and u don’t even own a truck. Enjoy your corolla and I’ll enjoy my ram. The only juvenile name caller in this forum is u. The reason I’m here is because when u do a search on Ram reliability this is the first cheap shot website that
Pops up. Don’t worry, I’ll let u have the last word because I’ve done my job and given people facts about Ram and how it dominates the industry. U can continue to craw out of your hole to make a post everytime someone comes here to defend Ram; so that sir makes u the Jap saving troll.
Don’t need to have the last word, you have already proven my point that your a troll and a bigot to boot. That’s alright though. I’ll continue enjoying my “corolla” with its 5.7 engine with 4.3 diff wrapped in the RW package. So far the only thing Ram can dominate is keeping the mechanics employed as well as propping the bruised ego’s drooling sycophants such as yourself.
Now go back to playing with your hot wheels little man.
LOL, two Ram fan boys with nothing better to do than surf the forums in defense of their precious Rams. The sad part is no one was brand bashing the Ram, only commenting on the J.D Powers report and then Colt and his sidekick BMG come on with Colt spewing his bigotry and BMG “backing his man”, ROFL. Sounds like the two that need to get a life is the Ram fanboys, LOL. But that’s cool, I’ll keep driving my “corolla” with its IForce 5.7 and rock solid Toyota dependability while you two keep singing the praises of your union made, bottom of the dependability list (according to J.D.P), and lower percentage of American made parts (http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2.....erica.html). In the meantime us “traitors” will keep supporting quality products like the Tundra that rank at the top in American made parts, produced in America on American factory lines, and actually have a higher reliability rating than the Ram( http://usnews.rankingsandrevie.....liability/ vs http://usnews.rankingsandrevie.....liability/). Of course I shouldn’t be surprised than such ignorance comes from Colt. Anyone who makes the statement that “The most superior foreign product brought to this country is the AK 47. 7.62×39 can’t be touched by those NATO rounds”, either is a complete moron or has never fired 7.62×51.
Keep talking boys, you only further demonstrate your complete ignorance on both trucks and now weapons every time you post a sentence on this forum. Having you two here is like watching the 3 stooges with one of the stooges on vacation, BFG.
Seems like you are hurt because not everybody agrees with you that tundra the best thing ever. I am no Ram fan boy, but I will tell you that my Ram trucks have been better than any Ford I owned. Toyotas have been great to me as well, but when it comes to pick up trucks toyota is nothing compared to any of the big three trucks.
>> Comment deleted because it was stupid. – editor
You obviously have a reading comprehension problem friend. This whole thread is about dependability of the Ram trucks, hence the title “2012 Ram 1500 Undeniably The Least Reliable Half-Ton Truck On The Road”.
Now if you bother to actually read the two links posted by me you will see that the Ram earned 3/5 stars whereas the Tundra earned 4/5 stars IN RELIABILITY WHICH IS WHAT THIS THREAD WAS ORIGINALLY ABOUT. Not overall scores or subjective personal preferences nor the blind racial bigotry your friend Colt brought into this subject
Try to keep up there buddy, I can see now that relevance of subject is a foreign concept for you. Especially since you now are attempting to compare a HD truck to a Tundra. By your logic then we should also throw in the mix the Ranger/Colorado and Tacoma’s, LOL.
Good night troll.
>> Comment deleted because it was stupid. – editor
An AK fires 7.62×51??????? Really???????? I thought you said the AK fires 7.62×39????? Which one is it slick? BTW, I’m well aware and versed with the 7.62×51, also commonly called 308 Winchester, since it is the caliber of the GPMG M240 as well as M60 GPMG, M14 DMR and M134 minigun, all three weapon systems I have shot and/or qualified on.
You sir are both an idiot, a buffoon and from your latest posts, a silly poser/mall ninja.
Now back to the reviews of the Tundra and the Ram 1500 by U.S News. Lets break down the scoring. The Tundra scored as follows:
Overall: 8.2
Performance: 7.9
Exterior: 6.8
Interior: 8.1
Safety: 9.2
Reliability: 4/5
The Ram as follows:
Overall: 8.7
Performance: 9.1
Exterior: 9.1
Interior: 9.0
Safety: 7.6
Reliability: 3/5
Overall difference only being .5
Since the topic of this thread is about reliability we’ll compare those first. The Tundra scored 4/5 compared to the 3/5 for the Ram. Winner=Tundra.
Now lets go to safety. Tundra scores 9.2 whereas Ram scores 7.6. Winner=Tundra
Performance goes to the Ram, and rightfully so. The updated 5.7hemi is a damn fine motor. No one has argued differently. But again, just to help you keep up with the original topic, this is about reliability, not performance.
Interior and exterior scores goes to the Ram, which is fine. Again, just to help keep you on subject, this is about reliability.
So the bottom line is simple here. If you want a “pretty” truck then have at the Ram. I’ll stick with my Tundra because where it matters the Ram doesn’t hold a candle to the Tundra.
But I’m not surprised your a Ram fan boy. Anyone who sings the praises of the anemic 7.62×39 with its 30-30 performance would definitely buy into the “guts and glory” marketing hype of the Fiat owned Ram 1500, ROFL.
Good night troll. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you in the future, LOL.
I wish u nothing but success in your aspirations to get a tundra and apologize for getting caught up in this pissing match. It’s time for me to turn the other cheek and stop this foolish behavior. Cheers!
I just purchased a Dodge truck after Ford gave me the run around on a pressure power steering hose I have been waiting for 6 months! A new vehicle is well…..a new vechicle. Dodge offers a better warranty than Ford so regardless if it’s great or not it will get fixed at no cost to me. I ask this, if Ford’s are better vehicles why don’t they back there product with better warranties??? Maybe it was just the Ford F150 FX4 that I bought but it was JUNK!!! I had the back stop light replaced 3 times for lealing water inside my truck, and then the power steering leak! All happened on a New truck at only 34000 miles on it. I bought it with 15 miles on it…..Never again with Ford!!!
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Enjoy your Ram, from the newest reports coming out on them you’ll need that “awesome” warranty, LOL. Seems that their Penstar V6, which they will be putting in their 2013’s, suffers from a design flaw, go figure.
What I’m trying to still figure out is why the Dodge fanboys feel such an overwhelming desire to come on this site and defend their choice of product. If Fiat/Chrysler is so great then let the product speak for itself.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
You really need to go troll somewhere else. This site is not affiliated with the corporation by any means. By your logic then Ford, Chevy and Dodge then must need help from their forums to sell their products, ROFL. I suggest you take the time to actually read through all the comments before posting. Besides, it seems your “manhood” is dependent on what truck and motor size you drive. Do you need to compensate that badly for something left off at birth????? Goodnight troll. Enjoy that “Guts, Glory, Ram” courtesy of Fiat, LOL.
Thank you for your comment, now I know I am no the only one that had terrible trubles with a Ford F-150. Just for the record I will never again buy a Ford truck in my lifetime.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Adios troll. You come here accusing this site as your “proof” that the Toyota Motor Company needs websites to sell their vehicles and then get mad when your called out for being the troll that you are. Your only argument is Ram sells more trucks than Toyota does the Tundra. This means what considering that Dodge, like Ford and Chevy, include fleet sales. Let’s talk individual consumer and your vaunted numbers will come down quite a bit. Now let’s talk reliability, which is what this thread is about. Guess what slick, your precious Ram comes in dead last. But hey, as long as you have that awesome warranty, right???? Now why did you come here again? Is your manhood so threatened by sites like this? You sir are nothing more than a trolling fanboy. It must really stick in your craw that Ford and Toyota rank top in reliability and being truly made in America compared to your Fiat/Dodge. Now why don’t you go back to your laughable “Guts, Glory, Ram” sites and go stroke your “egos”.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Actually I’ve read ever word you have wrote. Have gone out of your way to insult anyone who drives anything but a Ram. You belittle those who like Fords by calling them “ford lovers”, accuse Toyota of needing sites like these “again this site is one of Toyotas way of saying “we need help selling the Tundra”, and calling any folks “morons” and “idiots”. You are the one who came here trolling and name calling from the get go. You’re nothing more than a very small person who obviously can only feel good about your purchase of a Ram by denigrating those who have chosen something different.
Like I said earlier, you are nothing more than a trolling fanboy who obviously is so insecure that you feel the overwhelming compulsion to seek out sites such as this to defend what you perceive as the “impugned honor” of your precious Fiat owned truck company.
Enjoy your Ram, nobody has told you differently here. But don’t expect everyone else to drink the “guts, glory” koolaid so blindly.
The only one caught up in the name brand “shit!” as you put it is you.
BTW junior, you have yet to offer anything to refute the actual facts concerning Rams poor showing in the reliability department. So far your only recourse is profanity which only further demonstrates the intellectual shallowness of your argument.
Go away little troll, you offer nothing of substance to this discussion and are nothing more than juvenile irritant.
Good night troll.
No responses needed……
Good night troll.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
LOL. Now that you have demonstrated that you are a homophobic bigot, why don’t you actually attempt to address the actual topic of this thread, which is the documented reliability issues with the Ram1500.
I understand that it must very difficult for you, considering your demonstratable limited vocabulary, but I’m confident that if you try hard enough you will persevere in overcoming your linguistic limitations.
Rest easy, tomorrow’s a big day for you 😉
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
And this has what to do with the reliability of the Ram 1500 series???????????????? Your “copy of a post” has no hyperlink to its source. As far as any rational person is concerned this could be just something you have fabricated in order to bolster your already weak arguments.
The title of the article here is “2012 Ram 1500 Undeniably The Least Reliable Half-Ton Truck On The Road”. Not “what some random and unknown source from wherever wrote”, ROFL.
The bottom line to this whole thread, in spite of your juvenile and sophomoric attempts to derail it, is that when compared to Ford, GM, and Toyota, the Ram 1500 currently ranks last in reliability. This data comes straight from J.D Powers and Consumer Reports. Both of which are highly respected when it comes to publishing reliable and unbiased data.
So instead of the adolescent school yard homophobia and incredulous third person “statements”, which has nothing to do with this topic, why don’t you address the data and facts published?
No one here is saying that the Tundra or F150 is perfect, as you have attempted to insinuate with the “ford lovers” nonsense and other statements. But the data is pretty clear that besides the cosmetic appeal of the Ram, it really does not stack up very well with its competitors.
So either you can continue the petty innuendo that has nothing to do with the article or you can actually address the data presented by J.D powers.
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
Ray is a troll, offensive, and not welcome here…
I was very hesitant to buy a Ram after an ordeal with an ’05 Grand Cherokee soured me on Chrysler. I wasn’t even going to test drive one until my wife talked me into at least looking at it before deciding.
I really expected to buy an F-150, but I drove everything, Titan, Tundra, Silverado, and the Ram.
It came down to the Ram and the F-150, and the Ram was $4k cheaper and had a lifetime warranty for $2k. Not powertrain, bumper to bumper forever with a $100 deductible after the factory warranty expired. So, $2k cheaper and a no miles/no time limit warranty, plus the looks and the hemi vs the 5.0 (ecoBoost was neat, but pricey) and I ended up driving the Ram.
My vehicle had two of those 174 problems per 100 vehicles. A tiny nick in the paint on the driver’s fender noticed at delivery. They repainted the entire fender, not just touch up paint, and gave me a spray in bedliner for my down time. The second is the upper glove box liner was slightly misaligned, sticking out a bit on the left and in a bit on the right. Easily fixed by taking out the bottom glove box liner and adjusting after loosening a screw. That’s hardly a big deal, and I would bet most of those 174 problems are in the same ball park.
Why buy a Ram? Chrysler lifetime warranty and purchase price are two huge reasons.
Doc – Fair enough. Saving some money out of the gate and getting a warranty to cover any problems makes sense. Congrats!
What funny and pathetic is that Ray needs to post as 3 different people (Dic, Guess, and Sam) to “win” his argument. What you forgot to do Ray is change your writing style. Pretty sad and pathetic actually. Good night troll(s), ROFL.
No…..Doc wasn’t Ray……the only “Pathetic” person here is you!!!! Your proved it yourself when you couldn’t handle what I had to say!!!!!! You can keep your little thread…..in the long run you still lose!
Ok Ray, whenever you decide to actually address the Consumer Reports and J.D Powers reliability findings then get back with me. Until the Ray you’re just a troll, just like the previous one.
Good night Ray 😉
“Sam” – IP addresses don’t lie. Thanks for playing.
Your like a kid that has to have the last word….
Dude, who are you talking to and what is your point????
BMG – Funny that you accuse me of needing to have the last word when you’ve posted the exact same comment about a dozen times in the past 24 hours.
Here’s the deal: The comment policy is explicitly clear here – your comments are being removed/deleted because you’re not using a valid email address, not interested in engaging with anyone in a rational, positive manner, nor are you following the rules about being offensive. When you trotted out the references to firearms, I seriously wondered if I shouldn’t report you and your cohort to the authorities. It’s one thing to call me an idiot, quite another to call KMS (or any other reader) names, let alone hinting that you’re going to shoot someone who you disagree with.
It’s juvenile behavior that I have no tolerance for. If you want to discuss it further, email me directly: admin@tundraheadquarters.com
Nothing like another troll (or most likely the same ones from earlier) continueing to stir up trouble. Let it go already.
I’m a Ford F150 owner and it scares me to hear about these Dodge problems I see spread all over the net. Bear in mind, Ford has their share of problems but not near as much as Dodge. I’m glad I bought my F150 because I almost bought the RAM 1500. The 1500 is great looking truck with lots of power but I’m not prepared financially and timewise to spend that amount of effort on repairs and dealing with the service dept. Ford FTW.
Like you I almost went with the Ram 1500. It is a very good looking truck and the 5.7 hemi is a great motor but the overall build quality and reliability of the Rams has been pretty hit or miss through the years. If the F-150’s were not so overpriced in my area it would have been my next choice. But with that said I’m very happy with my RW package Tundra. Plenty of power (recently pulled a 5 ton dump truck that was broken down on my father-in-laws farm and it pulled it like it wasn’t even there) and very comfortable compared to our older F-150 and Avalanche we use at work.
Enjoy the F-150, they are very nice trucks-especially the latest ones.
Stokie – The F150 is undeniably a fine truck, and even the Ram 1500 – for all it’s worts – is a good truck too. However, the data shows pretty clearly that the Ram is inferior…so you made a good choice.
Of course, a Tundra would be even better LOL!! 🙂
I recently purchased a 2012 dodge ram express 4×4 quad cab. Do to the fact i have owned 2 other rams and a charger with good luck out of all of them. I myself do believe that a toyota is almost unmatched on engine reliability, but as far as interior, paint, gadgets, buttons go, not so much. My neighbor owns a 80 ? something model toyota truck, he loves that thing, and i can see why, very reliable to this day. But i believe that saying a Ram Truck is unreliable is a extreme statement, they are very reliable. Im not saying they will last you all your life, they are made by humans, and humans make mistakes, but saying a tundra is better than a ram is like saying a honda is better than a harley , it just starts crap.
Hello gentlemen, please allow me to weigh in on this quite emotive thread… with a few anecdotes.
My family and I have owned vehicles in five nations, on four continents.
We have always found Toyotas to be very reliable vehicles. And more importantly, all dealerships we have used have had outstanding sales and service departments. Anywhere in the world. Thankfully, most of our service appointments have been for routine maintenance. All other issues have been rectified quickly and properly. No other brand (Ford, GM, Chrysler) has shown us this same high level of service and support.
We have owned around 15 pickups – Ford, Toyota only. I have always been very happy with the reliability and performance of these two brands.
We have owned four vans – two Dodge, two Ford. Overall OK until 50,000 miles, at which time both Dodges starting having frequent breakdowns. No issues with the Fords.
We have owned about 12 SUV’s – 3 Chevy, 7 Toyota and 2 Jeep as i remember. I had serious issues with both Jeeps. Both were heavily optioned Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited models.
My Jeep experiences (admittedly 12 – 15 years ago) and my Dodge van experiences (even longer in the past) have served to make me very leery of Chrysler or Ram products. Rightly or wrongly.
We currently own four Toyotas – and have been very happy. And I just bought a 2012 Shelby as a toy (male menopause, if you don’t understand you will sooner or later).
I have owned Tundras (old style from early 2000’s) in the past and was reasonably satisfied. I have not owned the 2008+ Tundra.
I do have several friends in the USA that are very happy with their Ram trucks. Two of them had transmission issues which, once rectified, never caused further issues.
I generally find JD Power surveys – and Consumer Report surveys – to be in line with my experiences and with the experiences of my friends, colleagues and acquaintances. But these are trends, and not reflective of individual experiences.
Good luck to all.
Mike
2002 Ram engine had a catastrophic engine failure at 68,000 miles and under 7 years. Dodge claimed vehicle was not maintained by owner. Major bullshit!! The oil was changed every 3K. Truck was my pride and joy. Ironically, the vehicle was brought in to the dealer for service prior to failure with symptoms of sudden loss of coolant and a whitish substance under the oil filler cap. Per the dealer, the fix was that the injector o-rings had to be replaced. The dealer claims to have done this. Less than 2,000 miles later, the engine failed. The head gasket was bad, cracked cylinders, major sludge…etc. And during the tear down, it was obvious that the fuel injector o-rings were factory original and not new replacements as claimed by the dealer.
The front wheel bearings also went around 30K.
I will never purchase another Chrysler or Dodge product.
I bought a 2012 Ram Longhorn and it takes only 3 letters to describe it – WOW! It is one beautiful truck and the interior cant be beat by Toyota or Ford. I traded in my Ford F150 which served me well over the years. With the MDS system I can get decent mileage city and hiway if I keep my foot out of the Hemi. With the 5yr/100k powertrain warranty and a relatively inexpensive ($850) 7YR bumper to bumper extended warranty, I’m not concerned with reliability reports. The ride is the best I’ve experienced in any truck and the quietness on the road is fantastic. It’s a darn good value for what it offers.
These magazines and rating companies are not reputable. The company that pays the most gets the best rating. Toyota rusting frame bed hop unintended accelaration issues disintegrating cams. Consumer reports and others ignored these issues and still recommended Toyota. Don’t believe what you read.
I would actually like to see something that backs up that assertion that rating companies are being paid off. If not then it’s only so much horse manure you’re trying to spread.
As far as frame rust, yep Toyota has had some issues but all the other makers have had rust issues also, welcome to the club. Bed hop, all pick-ups will do that. It’s called harmonics. Disintegrating cams, isolated and few in number. Another overblown and overhyped “issue” by the xenophobic types.
Toyota isn’t perfect but right now you are just fishing with overused and old bait.
This is totally bullsh*t. Myself and my entire family have Owned 9 rams. All ranging from 97 to 2010 and we use them for hauling wood cars trailers hay bails campers etc. we use them all the time for hauling take them in the woods through mud have gotten them stuck many times and have had hardly any problems. I think maybe the biggest problem with idiots who don’t like dodge is you don’t do regular maintenance. Oil every 3000, batteries tires brakes etc. 3 have over 200,000 one over 250,000, 3 over 150,000 and 2 ender 50,000. My immidate family owns 2 which is a 2001 and 2010. No problems and great trucks. So all I can say to people who hate them and say they don’t last it’s bullshit. The one with 250,000 has had ball joints and tie rod ends. All the trucks over 200,000 have new shocks cuz they rode rough. And idk the only one lacking power is the 97 it has a 318 but it has the most miles and burns 0 oil. The hemi has amazing power and our 01 has a 360 which has good power. Soooo fuck what Toyota says our rams will kick their asses. My 2010 outdoorsman has a 3 in lift Micky Thompson rims and Baja country tires. Chip with programmer and I’m going to put a supercharger on it. After the supercharger I will kick the shot outta any 1500 out there and I will bet my truck lasts longer than a pos Toyota. Fords and Chevys are good too but Toyota? Give me a f*ckin break.
Truck guy,
Each person’s experiences are different, we are simply stating the facts from several highly thought of automotive tests.
-Tim
I just purchased a Dodge Ram 1500, Laramie Package, Its an awsome truck with an unbelievable ride. The technology it is equipped with is state of the art design. I purchased the truck for 8000 to 10000 dollars less than a loaded down ford F150 or Toyota, I never have been a dodge guy but after driving them all, and comparing prices Dodge was hands down the best deal along with a bumper to bumper lifetime warrentee.
F/A
I jake I use to Like ford pickups but the are just not the best looking pickup at there so I bought a new Chevy in 2011 the pickup runs actually ok but then I tried a new dodge and its got so much nicer interior than that Chevy better fuel economy better ride twice the power it just fiels like its twice the truck compare to the Chevy got lot of miles on the dodge runs good no problems so I’m going to keep buying dodges it a great truck nothing to worry about it I have had plenty of problems with ford and Chevys no pickup is trouble free guys
KMS all I got to say is *****2013 MOTOR TREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR**** RAM 1500 PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.
Big Steve,
Did you read that article? It is really funny that the Dodge won truck of the year versus 3 trucks. What a joke!
-Tim
I don’t smoke pipes, only cigars. As far as the rest of your post, whatever. Enjoy you “truck of the year”. You seem like another one that needs to compensate for something left short at birth. BTW, try actually reading the report. Maybe that way you will can actually add something of value to this topic.
Hahaha…comin` from a Tundra site? Dude….Tundras don`t even make the list. My 5.7L Hemi will roast these pilons any day of the week 100 times over.
Hemi 5.7 is a good motor. I have driven both a 2010 and 2011 Ram for extended periods while traveling as well as a 2012 we got to replace our 2008 work. But whether you like it or not, Chrysler/Fiat falls behind both Ford and Toyota when it comes to reliability right now. Those are facts Dave. Sorry the facts seem to really get under your skin and the other fanboys/trolls who seem to have nothing better to do than surf websites to defend your choice of truck (actually that’s pretty pathetic when you think about it).
As far as “roasting” a Tundra with its 5.7, ROLMAO. If that’s the best you can argue, again pretty pathetic there bud. When it comes to performance both trucks are pretty much equal. Just look at the BHP/Torque/GVWR/axle ratio. Both have their slight advantages and disadvantages that in the end are a wash when comparing the two. Again, numbers don’t lie.
Have a nice day and hopefully you’ll come back after moving out of your moms basement.
I`m a Ram owner, but I`d own a Ford or a Chev also before I`d ever own a Toyota. There`s a reason they call them The Big Three. Hahaha.. Facts and research? By who? Toyota? Hahahaa
I didn’t know J.D Powers and Consumer Reports worked for Toyota???? Please enlighten us with more of your “facts” davy.
1st I own a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie crew 4×4. It’s my first chrysler product ever. I have always been a GM guy before this. I considered Ford but didn’t care for the options & lack of styling/ inovation . I looked at Chevy but their interior was really plain like a taxi cab. I also didn’t care for the power options. If im to be completely honest about my selection process. I must say I never buy japanese! I feel I live in the U.S.A. it only seems right I buy/ drive an American vehicle. The fords exterior looked plain & I’ve personally never had luck w/ them. Chevy didn’t have too many attractive options. For me it came down to power, fuel economy,interio / exterior styling & innovation. I’ve driven almost all the major brands & ram out handles & out performs them all. If you truly think a tundra gives the same ride as a ram your fooling your selves like the chrysler loyalists that make lite of their brand new trucks defects! I know your saying wait first he’s bragging about ram now he’s knocking them. No just being a realist. The truck does outperform the rest & look better than all the comp. In my opinion. That said it also has issues like mine had/has the following: paint issues like scratches, chips,nibs,orange peel, a small ding behind the drivers side door. It sometimes makes a drive train clunk when letting off the throttle & coming to a stop. The transmission hunts for gears & the engine doesnt respond to throttle command as quick as I’d like. I get some cross wind noise in the cabin a highway speeds. The sunroof makes a slight squeak sound when hitting bumps. I noticed the other day when changing the oil that I found some fluid residue on my rack & pinion that I believe to be power steering fluid from a small,small leak. Last but not least is the encrypted computer that they don’t have a tuner for. I must say thats alot of negatives for a brand new spec ordered vehicle. My biggest issue is w/ the chrysler corp itself. They don’t do much to back their product but boy do they put effort in to deni responsibility for poor craftsmanship. All in all, i can say that given my experience w/ ram i love the tuck but dont like the manufacturer.Down the road I’ll choose from one of the big 3 still. Most likely chevy or ford. I’ll never go japanese. In my opinion they’re like fake trucks, toys playing truck if you will. I don’t care for their look, they look like toys & I am not a fan.But as you have read I’m not blind to reality. I’d just rather drive a good looking great riding American truck w/ plenty of power & decent fuel economy than brag about an ugly truck that performs marginally & doesn’t go in for too many repairs.
Non-Biased – You know that Fiat owns Chrysler, right? How is buying a car from an Italian company better than buying one from a Japanese company, especially when the truck built by the Japanese company uses more domestic content?
You seem like a reasonable person – and I appreciate your comment – but I’m mystified as to why Dodge buyers think their trucks are somehow more “American” than a Tundra. It just doesn’t add up.
No trolling friend, just an opinion being placed on a blog as it was meant for. As far as elleven year olds are concerned, really! You find disagreement w/ my opinions & then trash talk it. Thats cool but whos the child here. Besides atleast the American auto manufacturers don’t put the abbreviated word for Turd on their rear fenders! Now thats being an11yr old! As for data & facts from those two aforementioned companies I’m sure they are correct but in the same token I’m sure the manufacturers assist w/ a contribution of $ome kind!
Ok, so far I had have heard bad things about Ram from Tundra guys and bad things about Tundras from Ram guys…. Here’s the situation Tundras ARE reliable they will last a long time…. However so will a Titan which is Japanese made in Tennessee of mostly domestic parts…. But again both of these Japanese tricks are prime money in a market that can’t take the extra expense! I would personally prefer a Titan over a Tundra and a Tundra over ANY Ford. Now that being said I own a 2012 Ram Express 1500. I have worked for Nissan North America and I have owned Chevys and Fords. My brother in law owns a Tundra and he has been been trying to get rid of it for two years however he paid soo much for it he can’t get rid of it. He basically hates the fuel economy the looks and the ride, but he hasn’t had to put very much repair money into it. My Ram is a problem child however the only issue I have is exhaust drone (which Chrysler can’t seem to figure out how to fix)! I did drive every truck on the market before I bought my Ram and it simply is the most comfortable ride with the most gizmos I could find for the money. The Titan is the most powerful feel I found. I didn’t buy the Tundra because they were in the low thirties at the time I bought my truck ( stripped model) and my Ram came in at 24,500 (tow package with brake controller 20″ wheels running boards XM for a year digital dash with user customized controls and 1 hell of a stereo) oh and did I mention the regional 8k rebate. For all that making the decision to buy my truck was easy. Oh and Ford must have fallen out of a tree on their pricing. I could have MAYBE gotten a worthless V6 for the same money as my truck. Bottom line I don’t love my truck but it was a great value for what I got and my local Ram dealer has been great!
Justin
Unreliable have you gone on the ford blog.Warm engine knock,$1300.00 spark-plug changes,reverse in transmission problems,data problems.I believe this is the most unreliable truck out there and they are not getting any better.
This whole post was hilarious! I want to hear more from “KSM”, “jason” and “The Troll”.
As far as reliability, I suppose anyone can write anything they want. There are alot of facts out there pos and neg, it is just how you arrange them. Some what like the news media’s..
I like to hear other opinions but when it comes down to it, I will trust my own experience’s and opinions first.
Haha look at all the people drinking the Toyota koolaid. The Tundra is a joke as well as that C-Channel frame it sits on. If you own a Tundra don’t stick it in the mud because the frame will bend trying to pull it out. This happened to my Boss. I’ve owned Dodge trucks my whole life and I will say I’ve never had a bad experience. To me a Tundra is great if your a city boy. If you use your truck for a living buy a Dodge.
Oh you mean that c channel frame that it shares with fords HD trucks you silly bitch
Lol Japanese sure build the best cars why would
Their their trucks be n e different?
The Tundra is probably the most ill conceived piece rust bucket ever conceived.
It took $2,200 for a Penske owned Toyota dealership in Norcross, Georgia to still not be able to fix a simple short that would burn the fuse for the brake lights.
They changed the whole harness and it still shorted out…
But maybe it is the dealerships that need reigning in for their idiot technicians.
I own a 2012 dodge ram 1500 5.7 hemi. I have 25000 miles on it. Drove from Florida to Ontario Canada and back. To NY and back. I fly with this truck! I have yet to have any problems!!!! perfect so far and very reliable. You need to care properly for any auto you have. I use Mobile 1 extended oil. Change air filter regularly. I had 2 Dodge Neons 1997 and 2000. both junk! but this truck has been extra reliable.
I have a 2008 Tundra…the worst vehicle I have ever owned…nothing but trouble.
Rusts like a tin can in the gutter. Electronics that suck… recently, Penske Toyota dealership charged over $2000. 00 to figure out why the brake light fuse blew so often.. actually, day light robbery in my opinion but they have you over barrel after they have ripped out the entire harness. Imagine, $2000.00 to rectify a short.
Heavy on gas and parts are exorbitant.
I also own a Dodge Ram 3500 dually diesel crew cab…it has over 500,000 miles, delivers 23 MPG and can stand up to anything you can throw at it…
No wonder the slogan goes..Guts , Glory…tough as nails
Lol. Tundra fanboys of all things are picking on another full size. This makes me lol. It’s by and far considered one of the worst and least popular trucks on the market. Toyota should stay in the mid size and compact market where they belong.
And of course it’s no secret that dodge trucks have never been the highest quality. It’s an affordable, work grade truck designed to do work grade stuff. I affectionately call my ’01 a POS.
I think you proved this article’s point.