2023 Ram 5500 Safety Report

The 2023 RAM 5500, despite being a new model, has an early safety profile characterized by several significant recalls rather than consumer complaints. Currently, there are 0 total NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported, which is typical for a very new vehicle. However, the vehicle has already been subject to 3 safety recalls. These recalls address critical safety systems, including potential issues with the airbag system, steering control module, and electrical system. The most concerning recall involves the electrical system, specifically an electrical short in a relay for vehicles equipped with the Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. This defect poses a serious risk of an engine compartment fire, even when the ignition is off. Another significant recall pertains to the airbag system, where a faulty clockspring/spiral cassette could prevent the driver's frontal airbag from deploying in a crash, substantially increasing the risk of injury. The third recall addresses the steering control module, which could lead to non-functional turn signals and/or high beams, thereby increasing the risk of accidents due to reduced visibility and confusion for other road users. NHTSA crash test ratings for the 2023 RAM 5500 are not available (N/A) for Overall, Frontal, Side, or Rollover categories, which is common for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Therefore, the safety assessment relies heavily on the identified recall issues. While the absence of consumer complaints is positive, the presence of three recalls addressing fundamental safety components like airbags, steering, and fire risk indicates potential manufacturing or design flaws that owners should be aware of and address promptly through recall repairs. The fire risk associated with the electrical system recall is particularly severe and warrants immediate attention.

Our recommendation: Given the 3 active safety recalls addressing critical issues like fire risk, airbag deployment, and steering control, prospective buyers should verify all recall repairs have been completed before purchase, and current owners should address them immediately.