Diagsheet

2021 Ram 1500 · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

  • 42owner reports
  • 60,000median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Sep 2, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

196 of the 673 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 42 of those describe dead battery.

Tick what matches of 42 reports

11
6
14
30
6
5

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (36 reports), the module (7 reports), the alternator (5 reports) and the starter (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the electrical system covers the 2021 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the 1500

PE24-018opened Jul 19, 2024
Electrical · model years 2022

Engine stall with intermittent restart. Open.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 80 consumer complaints alleging an engine stall and loss of motive power on model year (MY) 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV vehicles. The particular engines in the subject vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque system. The eTorque system is a mild hybrid system that lets the vehicle partially power itself. It accomplishes this by converting the captured energy from the braking system into electricity for the battery pack, which is then used to power a variety of electrical components. ETorque engines replace the alternator with a 48-volt battery-powered belt drive and a motor generator. The motor generator provides extra torque to the crankshaft during gear changes. Simultaneously, the motor generator uses the 48-volt battery pack to increase torque. Many of the complaints state that the vehicle's engine would shut off, often while travelling at slow speed, the vehicle would shift into park and apply the emergency brake. The vehicles were sometimes able to be restarted. In addition, complaints state that the malfunction warning light with the battery fault symbol appeared on the dash. Many complaints state that a low voltage condition fault is present, sometimes not being able to restart the vehicle. On April 13, 2023, FCA announced recall 23V-265 describing a defect in certain 2021 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 5.7L eTorque engines. The recal
RQ15-004opened Jul 24, 2015
Electrical · model years 2013 to 2015

Software security vulnerability. Closed jan 5, 2016, led to recall 15V-508.

NHTSA summary
On July 23, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) launched Safety Recall 15V-461 to remedy security vulnerabilities in approximately 1.4 million model year (MY) 2013 through 2015 vehicles equipped with Uconnect head units (HU) 8.4A (RA3 radio) and 8.4AN (RA4 radio) manufactured by Harman International.On July 24, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query, RQ 15-004, to investigate HU security vulnerabilities and remedy effectiveness in the recalled population and to determine whether similar units have been supplied for use in other FCA vehicles.In an August 11, 2015 letter, FCA submitted a second Part 573 safety recall report expanding the scope of the Uconnect RA4 model radio to include additional 7,810 MY 2015 Jeep Renegade vehicles manufactured from September 18, 2014 through June 25, 2015 (Recall 15V-508).Scope analysis indicated that Uconnect radios installed in FCA vehicles not included in recalls 15V-461 or 15V-508 (subject recalls) are not equipped with built-in cellular access or short range wireless communication features and, thus, do not contain the security vulnerabilities addressed by the subject recalls. SUBJECT VEHICLES: MY2014 through 2015 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicles; MY2013 through 2015 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500 and 4500/5500 pickup trucks; MY2013 through 2015 Dodge Viper vehicles; and MY2015 Chrysler 200, 300, Jeep Renegade, Dodge Charger and Challenger vehicles.According to FCA, long and
DP14-004opened Sep 25, 2014
Electrical · model years 2010 to 2012

Totally integrated power module failure. Closed jul 24, 2015.

NHTSA summary
In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year. The petitioner alleges that TIPM defects may result in engine stall, airbag non-deployment, failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration, fire, and other symptoms. On September 25, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened DP14-004 to evaluate the petition for a grant or deny decision. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by CAS as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 296 complaints submitted by the petitioner in the original petition and five supplements, including 271 complaints related to the subject vehicles equipped with TIPM-7. Approximately 3 percent of CAS complaints are related to vehicles equipped with TIPM-6 and ODI?s review of these complaints did not identify any safety defect trends. ODI conducted a detailed review of complaints narratives submitted by CAS and consumers including careful analysis of vehicle repair histories, warranty claims obtained from the manufacturer and any available Customer Assistance Inquiry reports (CAIR). Analysis of the field data indicated that MY2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles exhibited significantly higher compla

None of these investigations covers the 2021 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 46,259 and 78,900 miles, from the 10 reports that gave a mileage.

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424
2525
626

What owners wrote

“Every time my truck sits for more than 3 days even in the summer the battery dies. I have to jump this truck more than I jumped anything in life. It has less than 30000 miles on it and I’ve had nothing but trouble with the battery staying charged and the air bag system being jimmied to keep the sensor from not going of by the dealer.”

Filed Jan 26, 2026 · 30,000 miles

“Alt/Gen failure stopped the truck in the middle of an intersection No transmission power steering lights. Had to walk back home to charge the battery in a driving rain storm leaving the truck in the intersection.”

Filed Jan 16, 2026

“All warning lights on dash came on including battery. Freedom Dodge assessed it on 11-10-2025 and said the vehicle generator has an internal short and is discharging the battery. If being operated could cause the vehicle to die while in motion. I am making $700 per month payments and Freedom indicated over 6000 of these units are on back order and cannot give me a date for replacement only saying "months"”

Filed Nov 15, 2025

“After a simple battery replacement, the entire infotainment system and computer for the vehicle crashed. Safety systems and other safety systems for the vehicle connected to the main computer can no longer be controlled, including parking sensors and other equipment and the battery continues to go dead. Many other owners are having the same issue.”

Filed May 29, 2025

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 42 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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