If you are weighing a used one, treat this page as a buyer's checklist. Most of these failures leave a paper trail of warning lights and stored codes, so a scan tool and a careful test drive catch the expensive ones before money changes hands.
📊 Most-reported problems, ranked by mileage
This table ranks the issues 2019 owners report most often, sorted by when they typically appear, with realistic out-of-warranty repair costs and a quick read on whether it is a dealbreaker.
| Problem | Shows up around | Typical repair cost | Dealbreaker? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uconnect / infotainment glitches | 5k–25k mi | $0 software, $900–$1,500 screen | No |
| Tailgate latch / multifunction hardware | 10k–40k mi | $150–$600 | No |
| Phantom warning lights / electrical gremlins | 10k–50k mi | $100–$700 | No |
| eTorque belt-starter-generator / 48V battery | 50k–100k mi | $1,800–$3,500 | Maybe |
| Hemi lifter tick / cam lobe wear | 60k–110k mi | $2,500–$4,500 | Yes |
| Steering shake / front-end clunk | 40k–90k mi | $300–$1,200 | Maybe |
Costs are independent-shop ballparks for a truck out of its 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Dealer pricing runs 20 to 40 percent higher on the big jobs.
🔧 The breakdown: what each problem actually is
1. Infotainment and electrical glitches
This is the single most common complaint category. Owners report the Uconnect screen rebooting on its own, freezing, going black, or losing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Dead USB ports, a backup camera that drops out, and phantom warning lights round it out. The good news: a large share are resolved with a free software flash at the dealer. If a reflash does not fix a black or cracked-looking display, a hardware screen replacement runs $900 to $1,500. If you are chasing a specific light, our check engine light guide walks through reading the code first.
2. Tailgate and multifunction hardware
Latch rattles, a tailgate that drops too fast, and on the optional multifunction split-gate, hinge and actuator wear. These are annoying, not dangerous, and most fixes are $150 to $600 in parts and labor. Worth a wiggle test during a walkaround.
3. eTorque 48-volt mild hybrid
eTorque replaces the alternator with a belt-driven motor-generator and adds a small 48-volt lithium battery. When it works, it smooths auto stop-start and adds a little torque. When it fails, you can get rough restarts, a charging fault, or a no-start. The belt-starter-generator and battery are not cheap: figure $1,800 to $3,500 depending on what failed. Not every 2019 has eTorque, so confirm whether the truck you are looking at does.
4. Hemi lifter tick and cam wear
The 5.7L Hemi can develop a top-end tick from a collapsing hydraulic lifter, which in worse cases chews a cam lobe and triggers a misfire. It is not universal and many trucks never see it, but it is the most expensive common failure at $2,500 to $4,500. On a test drive, listen at cold start and at idle for a steady tapping from the top of the engine. If you hear it, pull a misfire code such as P0300 and walk unless the price reflects a top-end rebuild.
5. Steering shake and front-end clunk
A subset of owners report a steering-wheel shimmy or a clunk over bumps, often traced to a worn track bar, control-arm bushings, or a steering damper. Repairs land between $300 and $1,200. A persistent high-speed wobble that returns after alignment is a red flag, not a quick fix.
⚠️ What to watch before you buy
- Cold-start listen. Start the truck cold and listen for a top-end tick before the oil warms up. This is your best early warning for lifter trouble.
- Scan for stored codes. Even with no light on, pull stored and pending codes. Charging faults point at eTorque; misfires point at the Hemi.
- Test the screen. Reboot Uconnect, pair a phone, and run the backup camera. A flaky display is a known headache.
- Bump test the front end. Drive a rough road and feel for clunks or steering shimmy.
- Check service records. Oil changes on a 5,000 to 7,500 mile interval correlate with healthier lifters. A truck pushed to 10,000-plus mile intervals is higher risk.
Not sure what a noise or light means on the truck you already own? Our engine ticking noise guide helps you separate a normal injector tick from a failing lifter.
🧭 Buy, negotiate, or walk: a quick framework
Use this decision logic when you find a candidate truck.
- Walk if you hear a confirmed lifter tick or find a stored misfire code with cam-related history. A top-end rebuild can erase your savings versus buying a clean one.
- Negotiate hard on an eTorque truck near 80,000-plus miles with no battery service history, or any front end with a returning steering shake. Price in $1,500 to $3,500.
- Buy with confidence on a non-eTorque 5.7L Hemi with clean records, a quiet cold start, and only cosmetic or infotainment gripes. Those are cheap, fixable, and great negotiating leverage.
If a seller hands you a repair estimate, run it through our quote checker to see whether the price is fair before you agree to anything.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📝 TL;DR
The 2019 Ram 1500 is a strong redesign with a few predictable weak spots. Budget mentally for infotainment quirks early, eTorque and Hemi lifter risk later. Most problems are cheap; the engine and hybrid ones are not. Listen at cold start, scan for codes, and price in the worst-case repair before you sign. Want a verdict on the exact truck in front of you? Run a free diagnosis.