Editor’s note: This article was updated on 05/18/2023.

Nobody wants to be stranded by the side of the road. And while gently used trucks rarely break down completely, dealing with recalls or buggy infotainment systems is a pain. Luckily, reviewers and truck owners agree that 2019-2022 Ram 1500 reliability leaves little to be desired.

Which pickup truck is most reliable?

According to Repair Pal, few full-size light-duty (half-ton) trucks can beat the current Ram 1500’s reliability. This Ram won an above-average (3.5/5) Out of 17 full-size trucks, it landed in first place.

Repair Pal collects owner reviews on various vehicles. It also tracks the most common repairs and their cost. Finally, it lists all the recalls and how severe they are. Repair Pal ranks each vehicles problems by cost, frequency, and severity to rate the most reliable in each segment.

Not every website feels the Ram 1500 had the best reliability of 2022. For example, JD Power gave the Ram 1500 an 80/100 for combined quality and reliability. This put it ahead of the 2022 Toyota Tundra which, as the first model year of a new generation, had its share of issues (70/100). But the publication granted every other half-ton truck a quality and reliability ranking in the mid-80s.

Is Ram more reliable than Ford?

According to Repair Pal, the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 are neck-and-neck for reliability. Both earn a 3.5/5 (above average). But the Ram 1500 eeks out a win because it’s in the shop slightly less, costs you less when it does need a repair, and is less likely to have an urgent problem.

According to Repair Pal, 418 Ford F-150 owners reported their heat going out. An additional 183 folks said their engine runs rough at idle. Some 177 owners believe their engine actually spit out a spark plug. Then 170 people had to update their differential clutch because of rear-end noise. Ignition coil failure due to excessive spark plug gap affected 167 people. Oil leaking onto the starter was reported by 160 owners. Finally, 145 said their exhaust manifold cracked.

Do Ram trucks have problems?

The fifth-generation (2019-present) Ram 1500 is not without its reliability problems. The most common issues owners reported to Repair Pal were the exhaust manifold bolts breaking, the rear window seal leaking, and coolant leaks.

So how is the 2022 Ram 1500’s reliability? It certainly can suffer malfunctions. But according to Repair Pal, it sits at the top of its segment because these problems are cheaper and easier to address than the shortcomings of other half-ton pickup trucks. Repair Pal is not alone in this opinion.

Few 2019-present Ram 1500s have reached the high mileage mark, but a diesel engine technician named Justin Wheeler has been using a V8-powered 2019 Ram 1500 Limited to crisscross the country with his tools. His truck just passed the 200k mark, and oil analysis shows the engine is still in excellent condition. Wheeler feels the drivetrain is so strong, he’ll run the truck up to at least 250k miles before even thinking twice about its reliability.

Wheeler has had to swap out his exhaust manifold. He also complains of annoyances such as a warped ram box lid and an automatic tailgate that probably needs lubrication. He has never known his rear window seal to leak, but points out that he always parks facing uphill.

See some of Wheeler’s other issues with his Ram 1500 in the video below:

Ram 1500 Reliability conclusion

Every half-ton pickup truck has problems. But some reviewers and owners agree that the Ram 1500’s numerous issues don’t include its drivetrain. For this reason, it’s a work truck that you may be able to count on for hundreds of thousands of miles.

Check out the suggested maintenance schedule for a Ram 1500 or watch Wheeler’s review of the things he loves most about his 2019 Ram 1500 after 200k miles in this final video: