Ram 1500 Classic · Model year 2021 · No longer built
2021 Ram 1500 Classic specs, maintenance & manuals
Shopping for a used 2021 Ram 1500 Classic or keeping one on the road? Here are the maintenance schedule, fluid capacities and 12 manufacturer publications and its towing capacity (up to 10,610 lb), straight from the factory sources.
- Max towing
- 10,610 lb
- Schedule covers
- 150k miles
- Publications
- 12
2021 Ram 1500 Classic maintenance schedule
The factory schedule for normal driving. Oil changes follow the oil-change indicator on most models; severe use (towing, dusty roads, lots of idling) shortens some intervals.
A dot means the service is due at that mileage or after that many years, whichever comes first. Engines: see schedule title.
| Service | 20k2 yr | 30k3 yr | 40k4 yr | 50k5 yr | 60k6 yr | 70k7 yr | 80k8 yr | 90k9 yr | 100k10 yr | 110k11 yr | 120k12 yr | 130k13 yr | 140k14 yr | 150k15 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Inspections | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect the CV/Universal joints. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends, and replace if necessary. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect the front and rear axle surfaces. If gear oil leakage is suspected, check the fluid level. If using your vehicle for police, taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent trailer towing, change axle fluid. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect the brake linings, replace as necessary. | ||||||||||||||
| Adjust parking brake as necessary. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect transfer case fluid. | ||||||||||||||
| Additional Maintenance | ||||||||||||||
| Replace cabin air filter. | ||||||||||||||
| Replace engine air cleaner filter. | ||||||||||||||
| Replace spark plugs. The spark plug change interval is mileage based only, yearly intervals do not apply. | ||||||||||||||
| Flush and replace the engine coolant at 10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect the transfer case fluid, change for any of the following: police, taxi, fleet, or frequent trailer towing. | ||||||||||||||
| Change the transfer case fluid. | ||||||||||||||
| Inspect and replace PCV valve if necessary. | ||||||||||||||
At Every Oil Change Interval As Indicated By Oil Change Indicator System
- Change the oil and filter.
- Rotate the tires. Rotate at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before the oil indicator system turns on.
- Inspect the battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
- Inspect the CV/Universal joints.
- Inspect the automatic transmission fluid if equipped with dipstick.
- Inspect the brake pads, shoes, rotors, drums, hoses and parking brake.
- Inspect the engine cooling system protection and hoses.
- Inspect the exhaust system.
- Inspect the engine air cleaner filter if using in dusty or off-road conditions, replace engine air cleaner filter if necessary.
- Inspect and replace the Evaporative System Fresh Air Filter as necessary, replacement may be more frequent if vehicle is operated in extreme dusty conditions.
2021 Ram 1500 Classic fluids & capacities
Oil, coolant, transmission and axle fluids with their capacities and specifications, wheel torque and fuel requirements, from the owner's manual.
Fluid capacities
| System | Applies to | US | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank (approximate) | Regular Cab Shortbed/Crew Quad Cab models | 26 gal | 98 L |
| Regular Cab Longbed/Crew Quad Cab models (optional) | 32 gal | 121 L | |
| Engine oil with filter | 3.6L engine | 6 qt | 5.6 L |
| 5.7L engine | 7 qt | 6.6 L | |
| Cooling system | 3.6L engine | 13.7 qt | 13 L |
| 5.7L engine | 18.3 qt | 17.3 L |
Engine fluids
| Component | Fluid / grade | Standard | Mopar product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine coolant | OAT (Organic Additive Technology) antifreeze/coolant, 10 year/150,000 mile (240,000 km) formula | — | Mopar Antifreeze/Coolant 10 Year/150,000 Mile Formula OAT |
| Engine oil (3.6L engine) | SAE 5W-20, API certified | MS-6395 | Mopar, Pennzoil or Shell Helix (examples); Mopar SAE 5W-30 to MS-6395 acceptable if 5W-20 unavailable |
| Engine oil (5.7L engine) | SAE 5W-20, API certified | MS-6395 | Mopar, Pennzoil or Shell Helix (examples) |
| Engine oil filter | Mopar engine oil filter, or a filter meeting SAE/USCAR-36 performance requirements | SAE/USCAR-36 | Mopar Engine Oil Filter |
Chassis fluids & lubricants
| Component | Fluid / grade | Standard | Mopar product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic transmission | ZF 8 and 9 speed ATF, or equivalent | — | Mopar ZF 8 & 9 Speed ATF |
| Transfer case | Mobil LT | — | — |
| Front axle | GL-5 synthetic axle lubricant, SAE 75W-85 | — | Mopar GL-5 Synthetic Axle Lubricant SAE 75W-85 |
| Rear axle | Synthetic gear lubricant, SAE 75W-90 | MS-A0160 | Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-90 |
| Rear axle limited-slip additive (Limited-slip rear axles) | Limited slip additive, 5 oz (148 ml) added | MS-10111 | Mopar Limited Slip Additive |
| Brake master cylinder | DOT 3 | — | Mopar DOT 3 |
Fuel
| Engine | Minimum | Ethanol / biodiesel |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6L engine | 87 octane Regular unleaded | 0-15% (up to E15) |
| 5.7L engine | 87 octane Regular unleaded (89 for optimum performance and fuel economy) | 0-15% (up to E15) |
Wheel lug nut torque
| Wheels | Torque | Thread | Socket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lug nuts/bolts | 130 ft-lb (176 N·m) | M14 x 1.50 | 22 mm |
- Not a flex-fuel vehicle: E85 and methanol blends are not approved.
- Reformulated gasoline and TOP TIER detergent gasoline are recommended.
- Re-check lug nut/bolt torque after 25 miles (40 km).
Source: Owner's manual on Mopar.com. Always confirm with the manual for your exact vehicle.
2021 Ram 1500 Classic owner's manuals & publications
The manufacturer's owner's manual, quick guides, radio manuals, supplements and warranty booklets for the 2021 model year.
Owner's manuals
Quick guides
Supplements
On Mopar.com
- Owner's manual on Mopar.com
- Maintenance schedule on Mopar.com
- Warranty information on Mopar.com
- How-to videos on Mopar.com
Manuals and guides are hosted by the manufacturer on vehicleinfo.mopar.com and open as PDFs. Mopar.com's owner site also has VIN-specific manuals and recall lookups.
2021 Ram 1500 Classic questions
How much oil does the 2021 Ram 1500 Classic take?
With a filter change: 3.6L engine, 6 qt / 5.6 L and 5.7L engine, 7 qt / 6.6 L. Capacities are from the owner's manual; check the dipstick or oil-life display after filling.
What kind of oil does the 2021 Ram 1500 Classic use?
3.6L engine: SAE 5W-20, API certified (MS-6395); 5.7L engine: SAE 5W-20, API certified (MS-6395); and Engine oil filter: Mopar engine oil filter, or a filter meeting SAE/USCAR-36 performance requirements (SAE/USCAR-36).
When is the first scheduled maintenance on the 2021 Ram 1500 Classic?
At 20,000 miles or 2 years: inspect the cv/universal joints; inspect front suspension, tie rod ends, and replace if necessary; inspect the brake linings, replace as necessary; adjust parking brake as necessary; replace cabin air filter. Oil changes in between follow the oil-change indicator.
Where can I find the 2021 Ram 1500 Classic owner's manual?
The manufacturer publishes it free on Mopar.com as a PDF (linked in the manuals section above), along with quick guides, radio manuals and the warranty booklet.
Specifications come from the manufacturer's spec comparison and its media-site specification sheets; maintenance schedules, fluids and publications come from Mopar's owner site and owner's manuals. Equipment and ratings vary by configuration; check the owner's manual or a dealer for a specific vehicle. This model is no longer sold new.