2018 Ram 2500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ram 2500 has 3660 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 45.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (61% of all complaints), specifically: upon maximum emergency braking at any speed, the truck stops as if the brakes where wet, impossible to stop when towing a unloaded 16 foot utility trailer down hill it just keeps on going until you reach bottom. taken to dodge dealership they say it's normal but they say other trucks like chevy 250. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 50 crash reports 10 injuries

3660

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

45.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

2233 complaints

61%

• UPON MAXIMUM EMERGENCY BRAKING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRUCK STOPS AS IF THE BRAKES WHERE WET, IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WHEN TOWING A UNLOADED 16 FOOT UTILITY TRAILER DOWN HILL IT JUST KEEPS ON GOING UNTIL YOU REACH BOTTOM. TAKEN TO DODGE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY IT'S NORMAL BUT THEY SAY OTHER TRUCKS LIKE CHEVY 250
• 2018 RAM 2500 HD DIESEL 13000 MILES, 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, UNDER ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR REQUIRING PUMPING ACTION TO STOP VEHICLE. OTHER OCCASIONS PEDAL FEELS SPONGY. NO SERVICE AVAILABLE. ONE DEALER WAS 4 WEEKS OUT SCHEDULING TWO OTHER ARE 1-2 WEEKS SCHEDULING. VEHICLE IS
• WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A STATE HIGHWAY THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS 10 MONTHS OLD AND HAS ~8000 MILES ON IT. THE ABS ACTIVATED WHILE NOT APPLYING THE BRAKES. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE TOOK MUCH LONGER TO SLOW DOWN AND OR STOP.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 28 crashes

“UPON MAXIMUM EMERGENCY BRAKING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRUCK STOPS AS IF THE BRAKES WHERE WET, IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WHEN TOWING A UNLOADED 16 FOOT UTILITY TRAILER DOWN HILL IT JUST KEEPS ON GOING UNTIL YOU REACH BOTTOM. TAKEN TO DODGE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY IT'S NORMAL BUT THEY SAY OTHER TRUCKS LIKE CHEVY 250”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

457 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE U-CONNECT SCREEN PERIODICALLY FAILED TO FUNCTION, WHICH IMPACTED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SOS FEATURE BUILT INTO THE REARVIEW MIRRORS. THE DEALER (FREMONT MOTOR, 6101 E 2ND ST, CASPER, WY 82609, 307-237-8491) SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC AP
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CRASH SENSOR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WACONIA DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 905 STRONG DR, WACONIA, MN 55387, (952) 373-5327) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE EXTREME COLD AND W
• PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE GAS PEDAL DID NOT PROPEL THE TRUCK AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BROADSIDE. IT'S LIKE THE GAS PEDAL TOOK 3-4 SECONDS TO SEND FUEL TO THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE TRUCK TO JUST ROLL INSTEAD OF PROPELLING IT DOWN THE ROAD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 6 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE U-CONNECT SCREEN PERIODICALLY FAILED TO FUNCTION, WHICH IMPACTED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SOS FEATURE BUILT INTO THE REARVIEW MIRRORS. THE DEALER (FREMONT MOTOR, 6101 E 2ND ST, CASPER, WY 82609, 307-237-8491) SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC AP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

418 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM AND FIAT JOHNSON CITY (3700 BRISTOL HWY, JOHNSON CITY, T
• LOSS OF THROTTLE FROM DEAD STOP AND WHILE AT VARYING SPEEDS, VEHICLE IS NOT THROWING ANY CODES. DEALER IS STUMPED AND HAS SENT ME AWAY IN A TRUCK THAT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH RAM TRUCKS/CHRYSLER FIAT BUT NOT GETTING MUCH TRACTION.
• THE TOUCH SCREEN ON THE CENTRAL CONTROL COMPUTER/ENTERTAINMENT/CELL PHONE SYSTEM HAS DELAMINATES AND RANDOMLY SELF SELECTS BUTTONS. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE DISTRACTION OF CANCELLING PHONE CALLS AT ALL HOURS, ACTIVATION OF BACK UP CAMERAS AND SIGNALS THAT TELL THE VEHICLE TO DO WIERD THINGS NEG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM AND FIAT JOHNSON CITY (3700 BRISTOL HWY, JOHNSON CITY, T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

166 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW CAMERA SCREEN TURNED BLACK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, "ERROR" WOULD DISPLAY OCCASIONALLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLE
• THERE IS A SERVICE THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM. THERE IS ONLY 13,900 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEEN FORUMS THAT THIS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT KEEPS HAPPENING.
• The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that the infotainment system ceased randomly without warning. The back-up camera was inoperable. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V398000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the Vin was not included.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW CAMERA SCREEN TURNED BLACK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, "ERROR" WOULD DISPLAY OCCASIONALLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

114 complaints

• THE FCA BASED UCONNECT SYSTEM WITH THE 5 YEAR SIRIUSXM TRAVEL LINK SUBSCRIPTION HAS A FATAL SOFTWARE ERROR WITH NO SOLUTION. IT FORCES PERSISTENT "WEATHER UPDATES", EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES, WHICH ARE A FULL SCREEN BLOCKING NOTIFICATIONS REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO PHYSICALLY INTERACT WITH THE SCREEN TO
• I'M HAVING ISSUE WITH CONSTANT WEATHER ALERT POP UPS ON THE SCREEN IN THE CENTER OF THE CAB. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING AND IT FORCES YOU TO MANUALLY CLOSE THE POP UP TO RETURN TO THE SCREEN. THESE ALERTS HAPPEN WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND WILL HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES DURING A 15 MINUT
• AFTER BUYING THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC TRIM AROUND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS COCKED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE. IS IT A SAFETY ISSUE NO BUT IT IS AN APPEARANCE ISSUE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT ON 1/21/19. THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED IT'S NOT FIXED. WAS TOLD NOTHIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“THE FCA BASED UCONNECT SYSTEM WITH THE 5 YEAR SIRIUSXM TRAVEL LINK SUBSCRIPTION HAS A FATAL SOFTWARE ERROR WITH NO SOLUTION. IT FORCES PERSISTENT "WEATHER UPDATES", EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES, WHICH ARE A FULL SCREEN BLOCKING NOTIFICATIONS REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO PHYSICALLY INTERACT WITH THE SCREEN TO ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 3660 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: UPON MAXIMUM EMERGENCY BRAKING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRUCK STOPS AS IF THE BRAKES WHERE WET, IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WHEN TOWING A UNLOADED 16 FOOT UTILITY TRAILER DOWN HILL IT JUST KEEPS ON GOING UNTIL YOU REACH BOTTOM. TAKEN TO DODGE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY IT'S NORMAL BUT THEY SAY OTHER TRUCKS LIKE CHEVY 250
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE U-CONNECT SCREEN PERIODICALLY FAILED TO FUNCTION, WHICH IMPACTED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SOS FEATURE BUILT INTO THE REARVIEW MIRRORS. THE DEALER (FREMONT MOTOR, 6101 E 2ND ST, CASPER, WY 82609, 307-237-8491) SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC AP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM AND FIAT JOHNSON CITY (3700 BRISTOL HWY, JOHNSON CITY, T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW CAMERA SCREEN TURNED BLACK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, "ERROR" WOULD DISPLAY OCCASIONALLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)