2018 Ram PROMASTER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ram PROMASTER has 54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: poor seal at windshield allowing water to enter into engine bay and electrical. engine dies out when driving while raining, headlights blow and need to be replaced. electrical problems since water is always getting into engine bay. dealer says its common and is nothing they can do about it..

4 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

12 complaints

22%

• POOR SEAL AT WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER INTO ENGINE BAY AND ELECTRICAL. ENGINE DIES OUT WHEN DRIVING WHILE RAINING, HEADLIGHTS BLOW AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE WATER IS ALWAYS GETTING INTO ENGINE BAY. DEALER SAYS ITS COMMON AND IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM PROMASTER 2500. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FRANK FLETCHER DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP (LOCATED AT 3314 STADIUM BLVD, JONESBORO, AR 72404, (870)277-2011) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EN
• IT HAS BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS SINCE THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED, AND FCA HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION OR TIMELINE FOR REPAIR! NOR HAVE THEY FOUND A FIX FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM RECALL 20V-036! I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS QUICKLY LOSING VALUE. PLEASE MAKE FCA FIX OR BUY BACK THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“POOR SEAL AT WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER INTO ENGINE BAY AND ELECTRICAL. ENGINE DIES OUT WHEN DRIVING WHILE RAINING, HEADLIGHTS BLOW AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE WATER IS ALWAYS GETTING INTO ENGINE BAY. DEALER SAYS ITS COMMON AND IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

11 complaints

20%

• I BOUGHT A RAM PRO 2500 IN APRIL 2018. I START MY BUSINESS AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR AND STARTED DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATE DELIVERY). AFTER 2 WEEKS, THE NAVIGATION, LIGHT AND SOMETIMES BEHIND THE STRAIGHT WHEEL DASHBOARD SCREEN STARTED TO TURN OFF (WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND USING NAVIGATION). AFTER T
• POOR SEAL AT WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER INTO ENGINE BAY AND ELECTRICAL. ENGINE DIES OUT WHEN DRIVING WHILE RAINING, HEADLIGHTS BLOW AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE WATER IS ALWAYS GETTING INTO ENGINE BAY. DEALER SAYS ITS COMMON AND IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM PROMASTER. WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAYTIME, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KAHLO CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (9900 PLEASANT ST, NOBLESVILLE, IN 46060, (317) 773-6363) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I BOUGHT A RAM PRO 2500 IN APRIL 2018. I START MY BUSINESS AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR AND STARTED DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATE DELIVERY). AFTER 2 WEEKS, THE NAVIGATION, LIGHT AND SOMETIMES BEHIND THE STRAIGHT WHEEL DASHBOARD SCREEN STARTED TO TURN OFF (WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND USING NAVIGATION). AFTER T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

7 complaints

13%

• I BOUGHT A RAM PRO 2500 IN APRIL 2018. I START MY BUSINESS AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR AND STARTED DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATE DELIVERY). AFTER 2 WEEKS, THE NAVIGATION, LIGHT AND SOMETIMES BEHIND THE STRAIGHT WHEEL DASHBOARD SCREEN STARTED TO TURN OFF (WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND USING NAVIGATION). AFTER T
• THERE ARE 2 OUTSTANDING RECALLS WITH NO RESPONSE FROM DODGE OR DEALER FOR: VB2/NHTSA 19V-818 (15NOV2019) -ENGINE COOLING FAN AND W00/NHTSA 20V-036 (23 JAN 2020) -SHIFT CABLE RECALLS, THE DEALER LARSON DODGE PUYALLUP, WA HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. I AM STILL PAYING PYMTS AND AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VAN. THE
• The 2018 Ram Promaster 1500 appears to have a manufacture defect with the Engine Coolant Reservoir bottle. Based on my research and due to the lack of national shortage of the OEM coolant reservoir replacement (even after market are out of stock), the reservoir has a soft spot on the tank which allo

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

7 complaints

13%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM PROMASTER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE GEAR DOWNSHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F
• OUR 2018 PROMASTER VAN WAS IDLING IN OUR DRIVEWAY IN PARK, NO EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AS I RAN ACROSS THE FRONT OF IT TO GRAB A SHIRT/PANTS FOR THE CLEANERS. IT WAS HOT AND WANTED THE VAN TO COOL OFF IN AUGUST IN EL DORADO HILLS, CA. THE VAN WHICH WAS POINTING DOWNHILL TOWARDS OUR BACKYARD AND I WAS IN
• THERE ARE 2 OUTSTANDING RECALLS WITH NO RESPONSE FROM DODGE OR DEALER FOR: VB2/NHTSA 19V-818 (15NOV2019) -ENGINE COOLING FAN AND W00/NHTSA 20V-036 (23 JAN 2020) -SHIFT CABLE RECALLS, THE DEALER LARSON DODGE PUYALLUP, WA HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. I AM STILL PAYING PYMTS AND AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VAN. THE

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM PROMASTER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE GEAR DOWNSHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

4 complaints

• THERE ARE TWO VISIBILITY ISSUES THAT CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD. FIRST, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT EXTEND HIGH ENOUGH TO GIVE A SUFFICIENT VIEW OF THE ROAD. A DRIVER OF AVERAGE HEIGHT HAS TO BEND FORWARD SEE THE WHOLE ROAD. OVERHEAD TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHEN SITTING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITI
• THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE WINDSHIELD IS TOO LOW TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO SEE OVERHEAD TRAFFIC LIGHTS. DODGE HAS TOLD ME TO LOWER THE SEAT TO IMPROVE VISIBILITY, BUT ON MY MODEL THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT. IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT ON OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT MIN
• THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I HAVE SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT FOR THIS VAN. THERE ARE TWO VISIBILITY PROBLEMS THAT MAKE THIS TRUCK UNSAFE TO OPERATE ON THE HIGHWAYS. FIRST, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT EXTEND HIGH ENOUGH TO GIVE A FULL VIEW OF THE ROAD. IT IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO SEE OVERHEAD TRAFFIC

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

“THERE ARE TWO VISIBILITY ISSUES THAT CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD. FIRST, THE WINDSHIELD DOES NOT EXTEND HIGH ENOUGH TO GIVE A SUFFICIENT VIEW OF THE ROAD. A DRIVER OF AVERAGE HEIGHT HAS TO BEND FORWARD SEE THE WHOLE ROAD. OVERHEAD TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHEN SITTING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 54 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: POOR SEAL AT WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER INTO ENGINE BAY AND ELECTRICAL. ENGINE DIES OUT WHEN DRIVING WHILE RAINING, HEADLIGHTS BLOW AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE WATER IS ALWAYS GETTING INTO ENGINE BAY. DEALER SAYS ITS COMMON AND IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I BOUGHT A RAM PRO 2500 IN APRIL 2018. I START MY BUSINESS AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR AND STARTED DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATE DELIVERY). AFTER 2 WEEKS, THE NAVIGATION, LIGHT AND SOMETIMES BEHIND THE STRAIGHT WHEEL DASHBOARD SCREEN STARTED TO TURN OFF (WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND USING NAVIGATION). AFTER T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I BOUGHT A RAM PRO 2500 IN APRIL 2018. I START MY BUSINESS AS AN OWNER-OPERATOR AND STARTED DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATE DELIVERY). AFTER 2 WEEKS, THE NAVIGATION, LIGHT AND SOMETIMES BEHIND THE STRAIGHT WHEEL DASHBOARD SCREEN STARTED TO TURN OFF (WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND USING NAVIGATION). AFTER T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM PROMASTER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE GEAR DOWNSHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)