2018 RAM 2500 Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 1,842 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2018 RAM 2500, 71% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 33,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “traction control” (43% of reports).
- 1,842service brakes complaints
- 33,500median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 54%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.
- Traction control: mentioned in 796 of 1,842 complaints (43%)
- ABS module: mentioned in 274 of 1,842 complaints (15%)
- Service electronic: mentioned in 248 of 1,842 complaints (13%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 225 of 1,842 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2018 RAM 2500 at $1,500, and half of them between $1,100 and $1,900.
Based on 67 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 28 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,842 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
RAM 2500 service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 2500 | 12 | 44% | — |
| 2025 2500 | 5 | 8% | — |
| 2024 2500 | 13 | 22% | 10,000 |
| 2023 2500 | 3 | 6% | — |
| 2022 2500 | 18 | 10% | 2,300 |
| 2021 2500 | 8 | 7% | 45,000 |
| 2020 2500 | 11 | 7% | 12,031 |
| 2019 2500 | 12 | 6% | 1,900 |
| 2018 2500 | 1,842 | 71% | 33,500 |
| 2017 2500 | 412 | 59% | 42,050 |
| 2016 2500 | 34 | 13% | 37,507 |
| 2015 2500 | 20 | 9% | 39,000 |
| 2014 2500 | 21 | 6% | 23,000 |
| 2013 2500 | 8 | 4% | 47,000 |
| 2009 2500 | 1 | 20% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The hydraulic control unit (HCU) may fail, which can cause the anti-lock brake (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and traction control systems to fail.
Risk: A loss of anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, or traction control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake HCU, or replace the HCU motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 9, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is C4B.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I received a Safety Recall notice back in XXX for the HCU ABS component on my 2018 Ram 2500 (C4B/NHTSA 24V-896). Subsequently, the ABS component failed shortly after so I took the truck into CardinaleWay Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Santa Rosa and they temporarily repaired the unit, but did not and have…
NHTSA recall number 24V-896 was marked as completed on my vehicle but I'm telling you the work was never done. It was marked as complete on 27 September (that's a Sunday) of this year. I called Stellantis recall department and they just say it's complete but can't tell me who actually did the work…
Vehicle Information: * Year/Make/Model: 2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon * Affected Component: Electronic Stability Control / Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Electrical System * Associated Recall: FCA Recall C4B / NHTSA Campaign 24V-896 Description of the Safety Problem: The vehicle is completely disabled and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 RAM 2500s have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,842 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2018 RAM 2500 (71% of the 2,605 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 2500 service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 33,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2018 RAM 2500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,100 and $1,900), from 67 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2018 RAM 2500?
The most frequent phrase is “traction control”, in 796 of 1,842 complaints, followed by “abs module” (274).
Other 2018 RAM 2500 problems
See all 2018 RAM 2500 problems or service brakes problems across all 2500 years.