IIHS reports rear-seat belt issues in 2025 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

IIHS says the 2025 Ram 1500 Crew Cab failed its updated moderate overlap frontal test due to rear-seat belt performance. Learn what the results show.

The 2025 Ram 1500 Crew Cab failed to meet expectations in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s updated moderate overlap frontal crash test, drawing attention to a growing challenge for full-size pickups. According to IIHS, the decisive factor was rear-seat belt performance, an area that now carries significantly more weight under the revised evaluation criteria.

During the test, investigators observed that the shoulder belt slipped upward toward the dummy’s neck, while the lap belt moved off the pelvis and onto the abdomen. This belt geometry increases the risk of injury in a real-world crash and ultimately led to a poor rating for rear-passenger protection. IIHS notes that the same findings apply to the 2026 Ram 1500, as the relevant restraint design remains unchanged.

The result stands in contrast to the truck’s performance elsewhere. The Ram 1500 Crew Cab earned solid scores in the updated side-impact test and the small overlap front evaluation, underscoring strong structural integrity and effective front-row protection. Yet the rear seat emerged as a weak point—an issue that the updated IIHS protocol is increasingly exposing across larger vehicles.

Ram introduced pretensioners and load limiters for the rear outboard seat belts starting with the 2025 model year, but the test results suggest these additions alone were not enough. The way the belt routes and settles on the occupant during a crash continues to undermine overall rear-seat effectiveness.

IIHS also flagged several secondary concerns that add nuance to the safety picture. The forward collision prevention system performed well in pedestrian detection but received only a mid-level score in vehicle-to-vehicle scenarios. Child-seat installation proved less than ideal, with lower anchors that are difficult to locate and an awkward rear-center seating position. Even rear-seat belt reminders were rated no higher than marginal.

Taken together, the findings paint a mixed but instructive portrait. The Ram 1500 Crew Cab remains confident in several critical crash scenarios, yet the updated IIHS standards make clear that rear-occupant protection is becoming a decisive factor. How manufacturers respond to this shift may shape not only future ratings, but the next generation of safety engineering in the pickup segment.