3C7WRNFL8MG5080112021 RAM 5500Crew Cab DRW
2021 RAM 5500 was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. There are 5 open recalls on record — these are safety-critical and should be addressed immediately. 3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA — review the complaint section for the most common failure patterns.
Executive Summary
2021 RAM 5500
2021 RAM 5500 was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. There are 5 open recalls on record — these are safety-critical and should be addressed immediately. 3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA — review the complaint section for the most common failure patterns.
- 5 open recalls including safety-critical systems (Fire risk — park outdoors recall; Airbag system recall)
- High fire risk — 1 complaint(s) involved a fire
- Electrical is flagged in both recalls and owner complaints — double-confirmed failure pattern
- Engine or platform shared with models that have documented failure issues
- Complaint language indicates serious real-world safety incidents beyond routine mechanical failures
- Vehicle may qualify for lemon law protection based on recall and complaint pattern — consult an attorney
3 owner complaints filed — top areas: Electrical (33%), Other (33%), Suspension/Wheels (33%). 1 crash reported.
Title Brand Check
Mined from auction damage fields and listing titles — not a DMV title history pull
No auction records available. Title brand status could not be verified — request title history from seller or state DMV.
Vehicle Specifications
Decoded from NHTSA vPIC database
- Make
- RAM
- Model
- 5500
- Year
- 2021
- Trim / Series
- Crew Cab DRW
- Body Style
- Incomplete - Chassis Cab (Single Cab)
- Vehicle Type
- INCOMPLETE VEHICLE
- Drive Type
- 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
- Fuel Type
- Diesel
- Engine
- 6-cyl 6.7L 360 hp
- Manufacturer
- CHRYSLER DE MEXICO TOLUCA
- Assembly
- SALTILLO, COAHUILA, MEXICO
- GVWR
- Class 5: 16,001 - 19,500 lb (7,258 - 8,845 kg)
Assembly Plant Quality
Plant: SALTILLO, COAHUILA
No specific quality data available for this plant. No documented recall or complaint concentrations on record.
Safety Intelligence
Composite analysis from NHTSA recall, complaint, and crash data
- ▸Fire risk — park outdoors recall
- ▸Airbag system recall
- ▸1 complaint(s) involved a fire
- ▸2 recall(s) involve fire or ignition risk
- ⚠3 recalls on same component: Electrical
- ⚠Safety system appears in both official recalls and owner complaints
Lemon law eligibility depends on state law, number of repair attempts, and days out of service. Consult an attorney for actual eligibility.
The same components appear in both official NHTSA recalls and owner-filed complaints — a double-confirmed failure signal.
6.7L Cummins diesel: DEF/SCR system failures, NOx sensor faults, and urea injector failures leading to engine derate — class action lawsuits pending
NHTSA Safety Recalls
5 RECALLSNHTSA VIN-specific recall lookup returned no data for this VIN. The 5 recalls below are model-wide and may or may not apply to this exact vehicle depending on production date. Verify at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
1 of 5 recalls has a low industry completion rate — statistically likely unrepaired.
Statistical model based on recall age, component type, and manufacturer. Not a repair confirmation. Demand dealer service records.
RAM has a below-average recall completion rate (82%). Open recalls on this vehicle may go unaddressed longer than average (~23 months). Verify completion before purchase.
Avg time to remedy open recall: ~23 months · Source: NHTSA Recall Completion Rate Reports
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:RELAYS/SOLENOIDS
SummaryChrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 3500, 2500 pickup trucks, and Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. An electrical short in the relay may cause a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.Read full details...
~28% chance this recall was never fixed
Moderate RiskSource: NHTSA statistical model by recall age & component type
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
SummaryChrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. Incorrect information in the Service and Owner's Manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.Read full details...
~35% chance this recall was never fixed
Moderate RiskSource: NHTSA statistical model by recall age & component type
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SummaryChrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Ram 2500, 3500, and 3500, 4500, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay, which could result in a vehicle fire.Read full details...
~31% chance this recall was never fixed
Moderate RiskSource: NHTSA statistical model by recall age & component type
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:RELAYS/SOLENOIDS
SummaryChrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Ram 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, and 4500, 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles equipped with a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine. An electrical short may occur in the heater grid relay with the ignition on or off.Read full details...
~28% chance this recall was never fixed
Moderate RiskSource: NHTSA statistical model by recall age & component type
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
SummaryChrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500, and Ram 5500 vehicles. The steering column control module may cause the driver's side air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."Read full details...
~59% of these vehicles are statistically unrepaired
High RiskSource: NHTSA statistical model by recall age & component type
Recall Intelligence
Detailed analysis of recall history and severity
This vehicle shows 3 lemon law indicators. Eligibility depends on state law, number of repair attempts, and days out of service — consult a lemon law attorney.
Complaint Intelligence
3 complaints analyzed across 3 system categories
Owner Complaints
3 safety complaints filed with NHTSA
The contact owned a 2021 Ram 5500. The contact stated that the vehicle is a flatbed tow truck, and while one of his drivers was driving at 48 MPH, the tow truck driver noticed that white/gray smoke was emitting from under the hood. It was unknown if the smoke entered the vehicle. The tow truck was towing a vehicle on a flatbed. The contact stated that the driver noticed multiple lights were illuminated, and the RPM was at zero. The driver stated that an abnormal knocking sound could be heard coming from under the front of the tow truck. The driver pulled to the side of the road and immediately exited the vehicle. The tow truck driver used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. None of the air bags deployed. The driver did not sustain any injuries. The contact stated that the damage by the fire was isolated to one side of the engine, by the heater of the relay intake on the driver side. The wires that were connected to the relay were damaged. The fire department was called. The police were called and arrived after the fire was extinguished. It was unknown if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the business location. The contact owns a vehicle electrical shop and determined that the fire was electrical. There was no damage to the vehicle that was towed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The insurance company was not notified. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,040.
See attached document from complainant
The wheel studs broke going down the Interstate causing the wheels to come off into oncoming traffic. This caused damage to the wheel studs, lug nuts, brake calipers,brakes, rotors, rims and tires.
Complaint Severity Analysis
NLP analysis of complaint language — not all complaints are equal
2 complaints use high-severity language including fire — these are not minor inconveniences.
Complaint & Reliability Timeline
Annual complaints (blue) vs. composite reliability score (amber) — recall years marked in red
The blue line shows 3 NHTSA complaints on file for the RAM 5500 — a relatively low volume that spans from 2023 to 2026.
The amber reliability line averaged 97/100 across the vehicle's life — relatively stable, with the lowest point of 90/100 in 2023.
The recalls (red dashed lines) were issued in the same year or before complaints peaked, suggesting the manufacturer identified and acted on the defect relatively quickly.
Red dots on the amber line flag 2023, a year when complaints included crash events — these are the highest-severity incidents in the dataset.
Legal & Regulatory Actions
Known class action lawsuits, settlements, and manufacturer extended warranty programs
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Estimated based on EPA fuel data, risk-adjusted maintenance, and depreciation
Estimated 5-year cost of ownership: $31,584 (~$526/mo). Repair risk buffer is standard due to vehicle risk profile.
Negotiation Ammunition
Use these data-backed findings to negotiate the price down
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Tailored for the 2021 RAM 5500 — specific failure modes your mechanic must check, not a generic list
Recall Probability Forecast
Estimated likelihood of a new recall in the next 18 months based on NHTSA signals
15% baseline recall probability — no strong indicators of an imminent recall.
- ▸Multiple prior recalls — pattern of safety issues on this model
Maintenance Schedule
OEM-specified service intervals for this vehicle
Maintenance intervals vary significantly by make, model, year, engine, and driving conditions. Always follow the manufacturer's official schedule — not generic industry estimates.
Tip: Request the seller's service records and compare against the manufacturer schedule. Missing intervals are a negotiation point.
Auction History
Public sale records from Copart, IAAI, and auction aggregators
Searching Public Auction Records
Checking Copart, IAAI, BidFax, and other sources for 3C7WRNFL8MG508011. Results appear automatically when found.
Insurance Cost Estimate
Estimated annual premiums based on vehicle profile, theft data, and NHTSA safety ratings
Based on 2024 national avg ($2,011/yr full coverage). Individual rates vary by driver, location & insurer. Always compare 3+ quotes.
Manufacturer NHTSA Penalty History
Federal fines issued for recall delays and safety violations
RAM has been fined $105M+ by NHTSA. Most recently in 2015: Failure to conduct timely recalls on 23 campaigns.
State-Specific Legal Protections
What consumer laws apply to this vehicle purchase in your state
Select your state to see what consumer protection laws, lemon law coverage, and title disclosure requirements apply to this vehicle purchase.
Complete Data Table
All decoded fields in a single flattened view
Vehicle Identity
| VIN | 3C7WRNFL8MG508011 |
| Model Year | 2021 |
| Make | RAM |
| Model | 5500 |
| Trim | Crew Cab DRW |
| Vehicle Type | INCOMPLETE VEHICLE |
Body & Configuration
| Body Style | Incomplete - Chassis Cab (Single Cab) |
| Drive Type | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
Engine
| Engine Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement (L) | 6.7 |
| Horsepower | 360 |
Manufacturer
| Manufacturer | CHRYSLER DE MEXICO TOLUCA |
| Assembly City | SALTILLO |
| Assembly Country | MEXICO |
VIN Structure
| WMI (Chars 1–3) | 3C7 |
| Check Digit (Char 9) | 8 |
| Model Year Code (Char 10) | M |
| Plant Code (Char 11) | G |
| Sequence (Chars 12–17) | 508011 |
Safety Data
| NHTSA Recall Count | 5 |
| NHTSA Complaint Count | 3 |
VIN Structure Decode
ISO 3779 character-by-character breakdown of this Vehicle Identification Number
Disclaimer: Data sourced from NHTSA public APIs and scraped auction listings. For informational purposes only. Not a substitute for a paid vehicle history report. Retrieved: 8/3/2026, 11:57:51 AM.