MODEL
Ram 5500 Safety
NHTSA safety across every Ram 5500 model year we cover.
Across the 4 model years of the Ram 5500 we cover (2019 to 2022), no year has an NHTSA crash-test score on record. 27 recalls have been issued across those years.
The Ram 5500, a Class 5 heavy-duty commercial chassis cab, is engineered for vocational applications such as dump beds, service cranes, and tow rigs. This purpose-built vehicle operates within a safety context distinct from that of consumer pickups.
The Ram 5500 for the 2019 to 2022 model years lacks any federal crash-test ratings, leaving buyers without independent structural performance data. NHTSA did not conduct crash testing on the 5500 for any of these model years, meaning there is no computed Safety Index or star ratings available. What is available, however, is a substantial recall record. The 5500 accumulated 27 recalls across these four model years. Four of these campaigns received park-outside or do-not-drive severity designations from federal regulators, indicating defects severe enough to mandate keeping the vehicle away from structures or entirely off the road. Owner complaints total 48 across the coverage window. These include three reported crashes, three allegations related to fires, and six injury claims. While unverified, the fire-related complaints are particularly notable given the risks in a vocational vehicle. The safety profile of the Ram 5500 is thus largely defined by its recall history rather than by crash-test performance. Buyers must consult NHTSA's recall database for each VIN and remain current on all open campaigns.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAYReviewers generally regard the Ram 5500 as a no-nonsense vocational chassis that prioritizes payload capacity and upfit flexibility over interior refinement or driving comfort. Most acknowledge the cabin is utilitarian by design, with modest materials and a driving experience tuned for work-site practicality rather than road manners. Value is typically assessed through the lens of fleet cost and upfit compatibility rather than consumer-market comparisons.
- The Ram 5500 was not crash-tested by NHTSA for any model year from 2019 to 2022, so there are no star ratings or Safety Index scores available to guide your purchase decision.
- Twenty-seven recalls across the 2019 to 2022 model years is a substantial count. Four of those campaigns were serious enough to carry park-outside or do-not-drive designations from federal regulators, signaling elevated risk if the defects go unaddressed.
- Owner complaints include three fire-related allegations across the coverage window. In a heavy-duty commercial truck that may carry flammable materials or operate in remote work environments, any fire-risk recall or complaint pattern deserves immediate attention before putting the truck into service.
- Because this is a commercial chassis cab that is often sold and upfitted through multiple hands, buyers of used examples should verify that all open recall work has been completed on the specific VIN, not just the model year in general, using the free NHTSA VIN lookup tool at nhtsa.gov.
Most-recalled year on record: 2020 Ram 5500 with 9 recalls.