2018 RAM 1500 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 159 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2018 RAM 1500, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 20,712 miles. The words owners use most often: “touch screen” (11% of reports).
- 159electrical system complaints
- 20,712median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Touch screen: mentioned in 17 of 159 complaints (11%)
- Backup camera: mentioned in 16 of 159 complaints (10%)
- Phone calls: mentioned in 12 of 159 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 40 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 159 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
RAM 1500 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 1500 | 49 | 49% | 42,500 |
| 2025 1500 | 187 | 52% | 5,000 |
| 2024 1500 | 28 | 37% | 10,000 |
| 2023 1500 | 69 | 34% | 13,909 |
| 2022 1500 | 196 | 31% | 40,000 |
| 2021 1500 | 197 | 29% | 43,535 |
| 2020 1500 | 164 | 26% | 30,000 |
| 2019 1500 | 382 | 26% | 18,000 |
| 2018 1500 | 159 | 24% | 20,712 |
| 2017 1500 | 109 | 12% | 23,000 |
| 2016 1500 | 192 | 12% | 32,666 |
| 2015 1500 | 159 | 11% | 45,900 |
| 2014 1500 | 246 | 14% | 49,439 |
| 2013 1500 | 227 | 18% | 37,100 |
| 2009 1500 | 6 | 16% | 79,300 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Electrical system:software; vehicle speed control:cruise control; electrical system:wiring
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
After driving through a heavy downpour, power steering cut out intermittently. The next day, it became full inoperable. Repair shop initially suggested letting the controls "dry out". When that was unsuccessful, the shop suggested taking it to a dealer, stating that the entire rack and pinion…
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the infotainment screen delaminated, and the HVAC system, radio, rear-view camera, or navigation system became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the radio needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster independently enabled the seat adjustments, made phone calls to 9-1-1, and adjusted the side-view mirrors. Additionally, the instrument cluster independently activated and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 RAM 1500s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 159 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2018 RAM 1500 (24% of the 664 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 RAM 1500 electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 20,712 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2018 RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “touch screen”, in 17 of 159 complaints, followed by “backup camera” (16).
Other 2018 RAM 1500 problems
See all 2018 RAM 1500 problems or electrical system problems across all 1500 years.