Ram’s certified pre-owned program explained
Certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles are used vehicles that have passed an inspection and include some sort of extended warranty. The automaker itself sets the terms of the CPO program — including the warranty, benefits and requirements — and dealers perform the inspection.
CPO vehicles are popular among used car shoppers because they offer an alternative to buying new or taking on the risk of a standard used car purchase. They’re cheaper than brand-new cars but are generally higher-quality than other used cars.
Ram doesn’t actually have its own CPO program. Instead, it follows the CPO program framework of its parent company, Stellantis, which also owns FIAT, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Alfa Romeo.
To qualify for the Stellantis corporate CPO program, a Ram truck must meet the following baseline requirements:
- The truck must be under five model years old (that’s a 2021 or newer model in 2026) and have fewer than 75,000 miles on its odometer.
- The truck must pass a 125-point inspection by factory-trained technicians at the dealership.
Once certified, every CPO Ram vehicle comes with a three-month/3,000-mile Maximum Care bumper-to-bumper warranty plus a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. You’ll also get some extra benefits, like roadside assistance and a rental car per diem.
Ram’s CPO warranty coverage
To put it simply, the Stallantis CPO warranty lags behind major competitors.
For context, a typical CPO warranty adds a full one-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that starts on the day you buy the car or on the day your remaining factory warranty period ends. Stellantis offering just a quarter of the usual coverage for its CPO Rams isn’t a great start.
New Rams come with the industry-standard factory warranty of just three years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage. So, if you buy a CPO Ram with 25,000 miles on the odometer, you’ll have just 11,000 miles left before your factory warranty expires. The Stellantis CPO warranty adds a minor three-month or 3,000-mile extension to this baseline.
Competing trucks from Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet all come with the same starting factory warranty, but all three companies provide a fuller, one-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty for their CPO trucks.
» MORE: Learn what components are typically covered
CPO Ram benefits
Like other Stellantis corporate program CPO vehicles, CPO Rams come with the following benefits:
- 24/7 roadside assistance, including flat-tire service using your good spare, delivery of up to two gallons of fuel, battery jump-starts, lockout assistance and towing up to $100 per occurrence.
- Car rental allowances of up to $35 per day for up to five days ($175 maximum) to help cover the cost of a rental while your Ram is at the dealer for a warranty-related repair.
- A first-day rental allowance of $35 to help cover a rental or a taxi ride while your Ram is at the dealer for any service visit, even if those repairs aren’t warranty-related (excludes bodywork).
Overall, these are below-average benefits for a CPO program. While we like the perks, they only cover basic emergencies. Ram’s CPO benefits don’t include travel expense reimbursement to help cover the cost of meals and lodging if your truck breaks down more than 100 miles from home.
In contrast, current CPO Fords include up to $500 in travel expense reimbursements plus $75 in emergency transportation assistance to help with a taxi, shuttle or rental car expense. That’s in addition to their standard $30 rental per diem.
How does Ram’s CPO warranty compare?
As mentioned, CPO Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota trucks all come with longer bumper-to-bumper warranties than what Stellantis provides for CPO Ram truck owners.
Chevy may have a shorter powertrain warranty (just six years compared to Ram’s seven) but keep in mind that powertrain warranties only cover a few dozen components in the engine, transmission and drive axle(s). Bumper-to-bumper warranties, meanwhile, cover almost every part of your vehicle.
| Make | Additional CPO warranty coverage |
|---|---|
| Ram | 3-month/3,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty*; 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty** |
| Ford | 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty*; 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty** |
| Chevrolet | 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty*; 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty** |
| Toyota | 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty*; 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty** |
| Tesla | 1-year/10,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty* |
*Measured from when you bought the vehicle or the end of your factory bumper-to-bumper warranty; **Measured from when your vehicle was new
» MORE: Best CPO warranties
Is a CPO Ram worth it?
Even though Ram’s CPO warranty and benefits are lacking, they can still be worth paying for if the price is right, especially when you weigh the cost against Ram’s spotty track record for reliability.
» MORE: When does an extended warranty make sense?
How reliable are Rams?
According to various sources, Ram trucks tend to score either average or below average in reliability.
In its 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, J.D. Power ranked Ram 18th out of 30 automakers overall, and it found a disappointing average of 218 problems per 100 Ram vehicles after three years of being on the road in its most recent U.S. Initial Quality Study.
RepairPal ranked Ram 23rd out of 32 automakers overall, citing the fact that Rams cost an average of 32% more to maintain and repair than the average vehicle.
If they didn’t have so many problems, I’d love a Ram 1500 Limited.”
While any powertrain issues may be covered under the longer seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain CPO warranty, build quality and electronics issues would only be covered under the three-month/3,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. That highlights why its short length is such an issue.
“If they didn’t have so many problems, I’d love a Ram 1500 Limited,” said Sean Kim, an experienced mechanic in Atlanta.
This seems to be a common sentiment among Ram fans: they’re great trucks, but you’ll probably want a warranty.
“Love the Ram and Ram line, products and features,” wrote a reviewer in Texas. “Bought a new one in 2021. Battery went bad after 16 months. It happens. Took them 4 days to diagnose and replace. It happens. Was under warranty, so they put a new one in Sep 2022.
“Last week it wouldn't start. … Took them 5 days to diagnose and finally they told me it was the battery, again. 14 mos on a battery is horrible! Not under warranty anymore and they wanted to put another Mopar battery in it, and of course charge me for it. Told them no way. ”
Overall, it’s unfortunate that you only get three extra months of exclusionary coverage with CPO Rams. But it could still be paying extra for CPO if you find a certified truck or van at the right price.
» MORE: Ram maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule
How much does a certified pre-owned Ram cost?
A quick scan of used and CPO listings on Edmunds indicates that you can expect to pay about 11% more for a certified pre-owned Ram 1500 than for a standard used one today. (That’s about $5,500 extra on a $50,000 truck.)
That upcharge could be worth paying if you really value peace of mind, but here’s something else to consider: You can always hire an independent mechanic to perform a pre-purchase inspection for around $200. That’s much cheaper than buying CPO, and for added peace of mind, you can apply it toward an extended warranty for your “new” Ram.
(On top of that, you’ll probably get a more thorough and objective inspection than you would from the dealership that’s trying to sell you the truck.)
Do you need an extended warranty for your Ram?
In our full breakdown of Ram extended warranties, we found that a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty from Mopar — the official parts and warranty supplier for Ram trucks — would only cost around $700 to $1,000 per year of additional bumper-to-bumper coverage. By purchasing a standard used vehicle and investing in an independent pre-purchase inspection, you can use your savings to buy a multi-year extended auto warranty.
While Mopar tended to have the best prices for Ram extended warranties when we wrote that article, it likely wouldn’t hurt to collect a few other quotes from reputable warranty companies to make sure you’re getting a good deal, either. Warranty prices tend to shift quickly, and you might catch a deal by shopping around.
» MORE: Learn more about manufacturer warranty vs. extended warranty
FAQ
How long is Ram’s certified pre-owned warranty?
Ram’s CPO vehicles come with a three-month/3,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The bumper-to-bumper warranty starts when you buy the truck or when the original warranty ends, whichever is later. Powertrain coverage is calculated from the vehicle’s original date of sale as new.
What does the Ram CPO inspection include?
To qualify for CPO status under the Stellantis corporate guidelines, a pre-owned Ram truck must pass a 125-point inspection done by a dealer technician. This inspection covers key systems like the engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, HVAC, tires and electrical components. Any parts that don’t meet standards are fully repaired or replaced before certification and sale.
What extra benefits come with a CPO Ram?
CPO Rams include 24/7 roadside assistance, car rental reimbursement of up to $35 per day for five days, and a first-day rental or taxi allowance of $35. However, the Stellantis program doesn’t include travel expense reimbursement or emergency transportation coverage, which puts it behind competitor standards.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Software Updates Become More Routine, but Fall Short on Perceived Benefit, JD Power Finds.” Accessed May 18, 2026.
- J.D. Power, “Fewer Physical Vehicle Controls and More Problematic Touchscreen Make Infotainment System a Modern “Catch-All Drawer,” JD Power Finds.” Accessed May 18, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Ram Reliability Rating.” Accessed May 18, 2026.
- iSeeCars, “Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Cars: Are They Worth the Extra Cost?” Accessed May 18, 2026.
