2018 Ram 1500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
659 owner complaints analyzed
15 distinct recall campaigns
33,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 212 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 152 of 659 complaints (23.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 90 | 13.7% |
| Braking behavior | 75 | 11.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 58 | 8.8% |
| Engine operation | 43 | 6.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 41 | 6.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 24 | 3.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 152 |
| Engine | 110 |
| Unknown Or Other | 92 |
| Steering | 83 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 80 |
| Power Train | 58 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 49 |
| Service Brakes | 41 |
Electrical System: 152; Engine: 110; Unknown Or Other: 92; Steering: 83; Fuel/Propulsion System: 80; Power Train: 58; Fuel System, Diesel: 49; Service Brakes: 41
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 88 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 45 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 31 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 24 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 88; 25,000 to 49,999: 45; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 16; 150,000 and above: 8
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (88). 447 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 48 |
| 2020 | 70 |
| 2021 | 76 |
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2023 | 117 |
| 2024 | 108 |
| 2025 | 89 |
| 2026 | 61 |
2018: 25; 2019: 48; 2020: 70; 2021: 76; 2022: 65; 2023: 117; 2024: 108; 2025: 89; 2026: 61
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 90 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 75 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 58 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11076158 · 2018-03-04 (March 4, 2018)
I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY, AND MY VEHICLE WENT INTO PARK BY ITSELF. IT APPEARED A STRANGE MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN SAYING 'CAR NOT IN DRIVE, SHIFT TO PARK'. ALSO MY VEHICLE DISPLAYED AN ALERT MESSAGE SAYING 'ALERT: ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, THE VEHICLE ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM HAS DETECTED A MALFUNCTION'. ALSO ANOTHER ALERT WAS DISPLAYED AS 'ALERT: ENGINE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION'. NOT ONLY DID MY VEHICLE HAVE THESE MALFUNCTIONS BUT MY HEATED STEERING WHEEL AND SEATS WERE BEING USED BY ITSELF. I WAS NOT IN CONTROL OF THESE…
Owner-reported narrative. 420 miles reported. Look up ODI 11076158 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11120753 · 2018-08-17 (August 17, 2018)
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35-45 MPH WAS ATTEMPTING TO MOVE INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND I FELT MY STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP. IT WOULDN'T LET ME TURN MY WHEEL. SO THEN AS I ATTEMPTED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES SO I DID T HIT A TREE THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I SMASHED INTO THE TREE AND THE. I TO THE WOODS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL 911. THE HOLE FRONT OF THE TRUCK IS DESTROYED.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 11120753 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11121988 · 2018-08-23 (August 23, 2018)
WHEN MY TRUCK RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY OFF RAMP WE WERE UNABLE TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED. I HAD AT LEAST FIVE GENTLEMEN OFFER TO HELP ME PUSH IT OUT FROM BLOCKING THE OFF RAMP BUT WE COULD NOT BECAUSE OF THE LOCKED UP BRAKES. I SAT THERE FOR 45 MINUTES BEING CURSED AT AND HONKED AT BECAUSE CHRYSLER STUPIDLY THOUGHT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THE BRAKES LOCK WHENEVER THE ENGINE STALLS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID YES IT DOES THAT ON PURPOSE BUT AGREED IT PROBABLY A BAD FEATURE. THIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11121988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11103753 · 2018-06-25 (June 25, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A FUEL STATION BEING REFUELED, THE FUEL PUMP NOZZLE BECAME STUCK AND WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. THE DEALER (BOB BAKER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM, 5555 CAR COUNTRY DR., CARLSBAD, CA 92008, [phone removed]) INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11103753 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11145384 · 2018-11-05 (November 5, 2018)
AFTER PUTTING THE FUEL NOZZLE IN GAS TANK FILLER PIPE, IT GETS STUCK WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE IT FROM THE FILLER PIPE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THIS MODEL. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT GAS STATION AND OFF WHEN FILLING UP. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN WITH THIS TRUCK AND I HAVE LESS THAN 3500 MILES ON IT.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11145384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11153012 · 2018-11-21 (November 21, 2018)
VEHICLE ONLY HAS 12,800 MILES. 4TH TRIP TO THE LOCAL DEALER. 3 TIMES TOWED DUE TO THE DISABLE. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AND HAS NO POWER. 1ST TIME WAS INFORMED DURING GEN. MAINTENANCE THE COMPUTER HOUSED NO DATA AS THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN PUTTING IT INTO GEAR. THE NEXT 3 TIMES WERE ALL IDENTICAL AS IT IS CLEAR IT IS STARVATION OF FUEL. FUEL PUMP CHANGED AFTER 1ST TOW. SENDING UNIT CHANGED AFTER 2ND TOW. NOT SURE AFTER 3RD TOW YET. IT IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE AS THE LOSS OF POWER TO THE MOTOR CREATES LOSS OF POWER STEERING. NOT TO MENTION B…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11153012 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11122056 · 2018-08-24 (August 24, 2018)
PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT PREMATURELY TURNS OFF. DEALER STATES IT IS TURNING OFF BECAUSE IT IS REACHING MAX TEMPERATURE SO THE SAFETY MECHANISM IS SHUTTING IT DOWN SO IT DOES NOT BURN UP WIRING. ONLY A HANDFUL OF OTHER TRUCKS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. OTHER TRUCK OWNERS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL OF TRUCK DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11122056 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11128162 · 2018-09-07 (September 7, 2018)
SUDDEN, MOMENTARY (1-3 SEC) DECELERATION ACCOMPANIED BY PARTIAL (?) ELECTRICAL POWER LOSS (NOTED DASHBOARD DISPLAY BLANKED OUT DURING LATEST 2 EVENTS). EVENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES FROM FEB 2018 PURCHASE DATE THROUGH AUG 2018. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF BETWEEN 70MPH AND 85 MPH. MORE DETAILS ARE PROVIDED IN THE ATTACHED .PDF FILE (TOO MANY WORDS TO FIT WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THIS DATA ENTRY FIELD).
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128162 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11098704 · 2018-05-29 (May 29, 2018)
AFTER GETTING BACK IN MY VEHICLE PARKED ON A CITY STREET I RESTARTED IT AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE. IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I REVVED THE ENGINE BUT IT STILL DID NOT MOVE. I FINALLY SHIFTED INTO PARK AND BACK INTO DRIVE AGAIN AND THEM IT WORKED. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANLY TIMES BEFORE AND THE SELECTOR SWITCH HAS EVEN JUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE ALMOST AS MANY TIMES AND ON ONE OCCASION IT RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE OF ALMOST $3000. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT BECAUSE OF PROFIT. I DO HAV…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11098704 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11192444 · 2019-03-29 (March 29, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A STRONG EXHAUST ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE BECAME ILL TO THE POINT OF THROWING UP AND ALMOST PASSING OUT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STOCKTON DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 3333 AUTO CENTER CIR, STOCKTON, CA 95212, [phone removed]) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TEST WAS NOT YET COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11192444 at NHTSA ↗