Lane departure & seat belt issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The Dodge Ram ProMaster is a U.S. brand sold as a Fiat in Europe. There are several body configurations including the standard cargo van, a van with windows, and the chassis cab.
Launched in North America in 2014, it’s attracted consumer complaints from the start. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records, there are 62 complaints about the 2014 Ram ProMaster. Only 10 of these were filed in 2014, and the most recent is dated 15 December 2021. There have also been 13 recalls and a total of 235 manufacturer communications that draw dealer attention to component and system faults about this original model.
So far, there are 14 complaints, 3 recalls, and 19 manufacturer communications on record with NHTSA for the 2021 model. It isn’t possible to forecast future problems. But this first batch of complaints will give you an indication of possible problems that may indicate you’ve bought a lemon. Even if you’ve received a recall notice, this may not help as one of the complaints below illustrates.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2022
The complaints received by NHTSA are varied. Lane departure issues are the most common, followed by seat belt and brake problems. We will look at these in more detail below.
Additionally, there are individual complaints about the electrical system, equipment, exterior lighting, steering, the structure of the vehicle, suspension, and visibility/wipers.
One complaint is from a 2021 Ram ProMaster City owner who received 2 recall notices. In both instances, the dealer said the parts were not available. The catch is that the dealer had the van and warned the owner that if he took possession of it, he would be “held liable for any vehicle failure, including any recalls.” The manufacturer was notified “but offered no assistance.”
The first recall was for a malfunction of the turn signal and affected 23,852 2019-2021 Ram ProMaster City vehicles. The second was a malfunction of the seat belt locking retractor in the child restraint system. It affects as many as 10,372 2021 Ram ProMaster City and Ram ProMaster vehicles.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | |
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Power Train | |
| Wheels | |
| Seat Belts | |
| Equipment | |
| Engine | |
| Seats |
All 3 of the 2021 Ram ProMaster lane departure problems relate to the blind spot monitoring system.
One owner states that the system turns itself off repeatedly after being turned on. “I cannot replicate how or why it occurs and it has happened at various highway and lower speeds.”
Another complaint reports the system continuously playing “an audible chime.” The problem started when the van had only done 300 miles.
The third states that the dealer has examined the vehicle but “they do not know how to fix it.”
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In addition to the complaint about the seat belt recall repair not being available, there are 2 other seat belt complaints.
One describes how the back seatbelts “seize up and no longer extend.” The complaint states that there have been numerous complaints on forums about this issue.
The other was a problem with the seat belt in the dinette booth that failed. It was repaired even though the manufacturer reportedly offered no assistance.
One of these 2 complaints reports malfunctioning rear and front driver side calipers. The dealer did not have the spare parts required, and when the complaint was issued, the van was still with the dealer.
Ironically, there was no warning light when the calipers seized up but the second complaint reports brake warning lights that come on when there isn’t a malfunction. The owner says technicians claim this is normal in certain circumstances including traveling downhill. But the owner claims the “safety warning consistently appears in normal driving on ordinary roads.”
“If I ignore this warning as ‘normal operations’, then how do I know when there is an actual problem?
“I am unable to confidently use the vehicle as I can’t know if the brakes will function. Brake reliability is a life-threatening safety issue, yet Dodge is telling me to ignore the vehicle’s safety warnings.”
If you think your Ram ProMaster is a lemon you need to consult a lemon specialist. Lemberg Law has assisted many clients by negotiating cash settlements, buybacks, trade-ins, and replacement vehicles.
Call our Helpline and we will gladly assess your Ram ProMaster problems. It’s a free service because the law makes the manufacturer pay lemon law legal bills.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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