Verified government source

NHTSA complaint #11713185

This page summarizes an official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration owner complaint. Use the verification links below to confirm the record directly with NHTSA.

Vehicle

2020 RAM 1500

Manufacturer

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)

Components

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Dates

Incident: 01/02/2026
Filed: 01/25/2026

Owner complaint summary

I own a 2020 Ram 1500 with approximately 61,000 miles. I started noticing a clicking/grinding around the motor area at around 59,000 miles. I brought the truck to a local mechanic, who diagnosed it as a possible alternator issue. He suggested bringing it to RAM service because it may be covered under warranty. I followed up by bringing it to RAM to diagnose the issue. After multiple visits, they could not pinpoint the issue, however recommended replacing the belts and adjusters. Over the course of the next month, the clicking/grinding got louder. I made another appointment with RAM, and while I was on my way over there the truck had catastrophic failure and seized all operations. Thankfully I wasn't going more then 20MPH or else something really bad could have happened. At that time, the truck was reading code U0594, which translates to "Invalid Data Received From Hybrid/EV Powertrain Control Module". I had to get the truck towed to RAM, where they have now had it for about one month. Originally they had said that I would need to buy a new alternator and associated belts/adjustors and battery because i was beyond any standard warranties on the truck, with estimates over what the vehicle is worth, however some personal research found that there is a federal emissions warranty that covers an issue like this. I was fortunate enough to get a loaner car from the dealer two weeks after my truck seized up. I have read online that this is becoming a more common issue with these trucks and feel the manufacturer should raise a warning to their consumers. Had I been on the highway when this happened, who knows where I could be.

This is an owner complaint filed with NHTSA (ODI #11713185). It is not automatically an official recall, investigation outcome, or manufacturer admission unless the complaint text itself describes one.

Official record ID (ODI): 11713185. This page is the human-readable source link used across afterwarranty. The raw JSON link proxies NHTSA's public API for machine verification; prefer this page when reading the complaint.