2018 RAM 3500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 3500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 10 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 805 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 RAM 3500. That is the most of any 3500 model year in the database (20 years). The most reported problem area is service brakes (501 complaints, 62%), typically at around 17,000 miles. Complaints mention 16 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries. There are 10 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 805owner complaints
- 10safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 16complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 RAM 3500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems | 501 | 62% | 17,000 | “abs traction” (29%) | $1,300 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 144 | 18% | 59,000 | “traction control” (38%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 136 | 17% | 44,000 | “abs traction” (32%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 108 | 13% | 40,000 | “cruise control” (66%) | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance problems | 60 | 7% | 161,000 | “cruise control” (32%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 37 | 5% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 34 | 4% | 16,820 | — | — |
| Wheels | 24 | 3% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 3% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 22 | 3% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 2% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 11 | 1% | 14,918 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 1% | 27,362 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 1% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 0% | 92,735 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 0% | 179,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 0% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 0% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 0% | 500 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 0% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 RAM 3500 recalls (10)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and Ram 3500 vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's numbers for this recall are 83C, 91C, and 92C. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 18, 2025.
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ram 3500, Ram 1500, 2016-2020 Ram 2500, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's numbers for this recall are 05C, 09C, and 10C.
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.
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. Incorrect information in the Service and Owner's Manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.
Risk: Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y36 owner notification letters were mailed on November 30, 2021. Campaign Y26 owner notification letters were mailed on December 1, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.
Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with an 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. Chrysler is also recalling all 2013-2014 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks built before April 1, 2018 with a 6 or 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. On August 29, 2019 Chrysler expanded the recall to include an additional 693,128 model year 2013-2014 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate actuator limiter tab may fracture and cause the tailgate to unlatch and open while driving.
Risk: If the tailgate opens while the vehicle is being driven, cargo may fall out the vehicle and create a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the tailgate latch, free of charge. The recall began May 23, 2019. Chrysler is expected to notify owners of the expanded population on October 18, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's number for this recall is V44. Note: 2015-2017 MY Ram 1500 pickup trucks with truck beds other than 8 foot, are currently covered under NHTSA recall 18V-486 for this issue.
Steering:linkages:drag:link:connection
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Ram 3500 and 2014-2018 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab and Ram 2500 vehicles. The outboard steering linkage jam nut may loosen, allowing one end of the drag link to separate.
Risk: A drag link separation can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will check the steering linkage jam nut tightness, replacing the drag link assembly or welding the nut to the adjuster sleeve, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V06.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Dodge Journey and RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The backup camera may experience a loss of image display while backing up. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk: A loss of image in the rearview camera while backing up can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview mirror, free of charge. The recall began August 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U56.
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.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 RAM 1500, 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Risk: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will update the Body Control Module software. Dealers will also test the BTSI operation, replacing the solenoid as necessary. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U11.
Equipment
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Risk: If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure (RQ25003) — opened Jul 3, 2025, still open.
- Loss of Brake Performance (PE22012) — opened Nov 28, 2022, closed Mar 3, 2025.
- Steering loss due to linkage separation (EA19004) — opened Dec 1, 2019, closed Nov 20, 2025.
- Steering loss due to linkage separation (PE18016) — opened Dec 17, 2018, closed Dec 12, 2019, led to recall 19V021000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have replaced my rear hubs on my Dodge 2018 Dodge ram Dooley Numerous times (and have multiple documents so far over 9K) because my brakes on the driver side rear tires, always grind even though Iâve replaced everything. I even got in an accident because the break went out! It keeps happening…
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that the ABS warning light intermittently flashed on the instrument panel while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that an audible chime was sounded with the warning light illuminated and the ABS, traction control, and cruise control…
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The…
Manufacturer Safety recall issued NHTSA #24V-896 Recall #C4B 2017-2018 RAM D2 DD DF DJ DP HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNI This has still not been remedied. We are having issues and can not get this fixed due to the fact the dealership does not have a solution to the problem.
Other RAM 3500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 3500 | 27 | 4 |
| 2025 3500 | 43 | 5 |
| 2024 3500 | 45 | 2 |
| 2023 3500 | 17 | 5 |
| 2022 3500 | 190 | 12 |
| 2021 3500 | 62 | 9 |
| 2020 3500 | 116 | 11 |
| 2019 3500 | 137 | 14 |
| 2018 | 805 | 10 |
| 2017 3500 | 313 | 12 |
| 2016 3500 | 134 | 14 |
| 2015 3500 | 137 | 14 |
| 2014 3500 | 202 | 15 |
| 2013 3500 | 115 | 16 |
| 2012 3500 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 3500 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 3500 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 3500 | 3 | 2 |
| 2008 3500 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007 3500 | 6 | 1 |
See all RAM 3500 problems by year, every RAM model, or the RAM VIN decoder.
Similar RAM models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 RAM 3500?
Owners most often report service brakes, service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 501 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 RAM 3500?
Yes, 10 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 RAM 3500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 3500 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.