2018 RAM 2500 problems & reliability
2,574 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 RAM 2500, alongside 9 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
7 complaints report injuries (12 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 RAM 2500 vehicles were involved in 131 fatal crashes with 31 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes → | 1,828 | 71% |
| Electrical System → | 473 | 18% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 448 | 17% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 341 | 13% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance → | 224 | 9% |
| Unknown / Other | 103 | 4% |
| Steering → | 85 | 3% |
| Power Train → | 75 | 3% |
| Service Brakes, Air → | 59 | 2% |
| Engine → | 37 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 26 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 497 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 52,000 miles (middle 50% between 30,000 and 83,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“he contact owns a 2018 Ram 25000. The contact called in regards of NHTSA Campaign:24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics);however, the parts were not available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during rainy weather condition, both rear tire would lose traction and could possibly cause a rear end…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Sep 17, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with cruise control engaged, there was an abnormal dinging sound coming from the vehicle, and the cruise control disengaged. The vehicle started coasting. The driver reset the cruise control. The ABS message was displayed. The…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Sep 16, 2026
“My 2018 Ram 2500 is subject to safety recall C4B/24V-896 involving failure of the brake Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) and possible loss of ABS, electronic stability control and traction control. I previously contacted a Ram dealer in [XXX] regarding completion of this recall but was informed that the parts/remedy were…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 15, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure
Recall Query RQ25003 · opened Jul 3, 2025 · open
- Loss of Brake Performance
Preliminary Evaluation PE22012 · opened Nov 28, 2022 · closed Mar 3, 2025
- Steering loss due to linkage separation
Engineering Analysis EA19004 · opened Dec 1, 2019 · closed Nov 20, 2025
- Steering loss due to linkage separation
Preliminary Evaluation PE18016 · opened Dec 17, 2018 · closed Dec 12, 2019 · led to recall 19V021000
Technical service bulletins
431 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 RAM 2500. The 10 most recent:
Sensor - turbocharger speed
113744 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
Sensor - turbocharger speed
113742 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning
S1203000003 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
Backup Camera Poor Image Quality Inspection
S2208000045 REV.D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 Rev. K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
For Dealer awareness, HD truck, eliminate 1 of 2 M8 Joints for Sidestep bracket to Body Attachment, Bolt and rivet (06102165AA, 06511062AA) per TCR # 402632, CN 80403-T18
9100831 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 4, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 29, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 RAM 2500 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 RAM 2500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 52,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.