RAM 2500 / 2018
2018 RAM 2500 problems
Owners have filed 3,772 complaints about the 2018 RAM 2500 with NHTSA. Service brakes account for 48.1% of them — far more than any other system, ahead of electrical system at 12.4%.
Complaints3,772
Crashes56
Fires5
Injuries15
Deaths2
What owners report breaking
Service brakes 48.1% · 1814
Electrical system 12.4% · 468
Service brakes, hydraulic 11.5% · 433
Vehicle speed control 8.9% · 337
Forward collision avoidance 6.5% · 244
Unknown or other 2.7% · 102
Steering 2.3% · 85
Power train 1.9% · 73
Severity
Of those complaints, 56 describe a crash, 5 describe a fire, 15 report an injury and 2 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 11 model years of the RAM 2500 in this data, 2018 draws the most complaints of any of them.
Filing volume has held steady, 1960 in the last three years against 1722 in the three before.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 52,000 miles.
In owners' own words
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesmen 6.7 liter diesel. My ABS hydraulic control unit failed at 41000 miles. I paid over $1400 to have a new HCU installed. It failed again at 82000 miles. In Nov 2024, NHTSA Recall Number 24V-896 was issued. 2 years later I am now at 109,000 miles and there still is not a remedy available for my truck, and Stellantis refuses to refund me the $1400 for the original reapir cost that failed. Service brakes
Hydraulic control unit has failed on the ABS system at 50k miles causing breaks to lock up when wet or heavy load also loss of traction control. Tried to get fixed immediately in April 2023 but was told no stock by dealer and still waiting. I feel that the truck is unsafe to drive but I have no options to have it fixed. I had a previous repair done at he dealer with the same issues at 15k miles while under warranty. Service brakes
The ABS/Traction lights/Bell keeps alarming on my dash. The ABS HCU needs to be replaced. I have found out from research on line that RAM knows about this and chooses to do nothing about it. It mainly affects the 2017 and 2018 RAM 2500's. They switched manufactures for the ABS/HCU during those two years and the parts are inferior and constantly fail causing the ABS to be inoperable causing a serious safety concern. Service brakes
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…