Full-size pickups · 3 model years, 2015 to 2020
Ram 2500 vs Chevrolet Silverado 2500: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Silverado 2500 looks better on 5 and the 2500 on 0, with 2 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 21, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2015 to 2020 | 2500 | Silverado 2500 |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 5.2% | 3.2% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.6% | 2.7% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.8% | 1.7% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 30,000 | 48,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 8.7 | 5.3 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 6 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system 2500 owners complain about most is transmission and drivetrain; for the Silverado 2500 it is electrical. Complaints citing engine make up 19% of all 2500 complaints, against 7.4% on the Silverado 2500. The Silverado 2500 leans the other way on electrical: 23% of its complaints, against 14% for the 2500.
Ram 2500Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the 2500 is brake wear (11% of its complaints), and the Silverado 2500 shares it (17%).
| Problem | 2500 | Silverado 2500 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 11% 69most in 2016 · 43k mi | 17% 70most in 2015 · 23k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 8.2% 5226k mi | 6.9% 2844k mi |
| Wheel bearing, tires or wheels | 6.3% 4020k mi | 4.4% 1822k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 3.5% 2234k mi | 6.9% 2860k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 3.5% 2230k mi | 3.9% 16 |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 2.2% 1424k mi | 4.2% 1745k mi |
| Fuel pump failure | 2.8% 1824k mi | 3.2% 13 |
| Check engine light or misfire | 3.6% 2348k mi | 1.7% 7 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
2500 owners report problems earlier. Half the 2500 complaints that give a mileage come before 30,000 miles; for the Silverado 2500 the halfway point is 48,000. 69% of 2500 reports and 53% of Silverado 2500 reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Ram 2500Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 343 for the 2500 and 227 for the Silverado 2500.
Worst and best years
The 2018 2500 draws 12.3 times the complaints of a typical 2500 year for its age. The 2024 Silverado 2500 draws 3.9 times the complaints of a typical Silverado 2500 year for its age.
Chevrolet Silverado 2500
- Years to avoid: 2022 and 2024
- Best years: 2017 and 2018
Ram 2500Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The 2500 draws more recalls: 8.7 campaigns per model year against 5.3 for the Silverado 2500. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Ram 2500
26 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: steering (3), structure (3) and airbags (3).
- 19V-021 (steering) covers 2 model years
- 18E-096 (steering) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- RQ25003: Post recall remedy brake transmission shift interlock (btsi) failure (open)
- EA23001: High pressure fuel pump failure (open, led to a recall)
- PE21021: High pressure fuel pump failure (closed)
Chevrolet Silverado 2500
16 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (5), transmission and drivetrain (3) and service brakes, hydraulic (2).
- 18V-578 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 2 model years
- 16V-651 (airbags) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- PE21010: Air bag malfunction (closed)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of 2500 complaints report a crash: 5.2%, against 3.2% for the Silverado 2500. Fire reports: 10 for the 2500 and 11 for the Silverado 2500. Complaints on file report 1 death in the 2500 and 0 in the Silverado 2500 for these model years.
Ram 2500Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Ram 2500 or the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Silverado 2500 looks better on 5 and the 2500 on 0, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the 2500 has 634 complaints and the Silverado 2500 407 for the 3 model years from 2015 to 2020 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the 2500 or the Silverado 2500?
The 2500 has 26 recall campaigns and the Silverado 2500 16 across the 3 model years from 2015 to 2020 that both have on file. The 2500 draws more recalls: 8.7 campaigns per model year against 5.3 for the Silverado 2500.
What are the most common problems on the 2500 and the Silverado 2500?
The most reported problem on the 2500 is brake wear (11% of its complaints), and the Silverado 2500 shares it (17%).
More comparisons
- Ford F-250 Super Duty vs Ram 25002014 to 2022
- Ford F-250 Super Duty vs Chevrolet Silverado 25002015 to 2020