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Owner-Reported Problems · NHTSA

2018 Ram 1500 — Problems & Complaints

NHTSA has 662 owner complaints on file for this vehicle. Every report below was filed by a real owner with the US government's road-safety agency.

662
Complaints
filed with NHTSA
25
Involved a Crash
owner-reported
8
Involved Fire
owner-reported
25
Injuries
across all reports
Years to Avoid

Ram 1500 — Complaints by Model Year

Years flagged AVOID have at least twice this model's average complaint count — the strongest public-data signal of a bad year.

689 complaints

697 complaints

1,277 complaints

1,770 complaints

1,453 complaints

1,545 complaints

880 complaints

662 complaints

1,485 complaints

634 complaints

681 complaints

0 complaints

0 complaints

0 complaints

0 complaints

Problem Areas

What Owners Complain About Most

Electrical System 159 reports
Engine 110 reports
Unknown Or Other 92 reports
Steering 86 reports
Fuel/propulsion System 81 reports
Fuel System 59 reports
Power Train 59 reports
Diesel 52 reports
In Their Own Words

Recent Owner Reports

Power Train ODI 11562811 12/31/2023

I purchased a new 2018 Ram Truck with an ECO Diesel engine. The engine has undergone multiple recall repairs including one for the EGR that could cause a potential fire hazard. The truck has been in service for multiple engine related issues since I purchased the vehicle. It has continuously had a rampant smell of antifreeze inside the cab of the vehicle which has made me fe…

Engine ODI 11633278 12/30/2024

Engine started knocking at 65mph. Slowed to find a safe place to pull out of traffic lane. Before pulling over engine stopped but was able to get completely off the road. My safety was not directly at risk but had to wait at the side of the road for 4 hours waiting for tow. The dealer stated they have no idea what failed. The engine has not been inspected. The dealer told me I…

Service Brakes ODI 11562759 12/30/2023

During a road trip we exited the highway and suddenly we have a flat tire on Front right of vehicle. We saw no object in the tire it was just flat. We change the tire with our spare and got back on the road on the way home. After the first flat the Service Antilock Braking System and alternated to Service Electronic Brake System messages aper as well as the cruse control no…

Suspension ODI 11385707 12/30/2020

FOG LIGHT HOUSING BRACKET IS WORN DOWN, CAUSING FOG LIGHT TO MOVE AROUND/BOUNCE LIGHT BEAM WHILE DRIVING. CAUSING DISTRACTION TO OTHER DRIVERS. FRONT SUSPENSION (AIR LEVELING SUSPENSION) BOTTOMS OUT TO BUMP STOPS WHILE DRIVING.

Electrical System ODI 11707400 12/28/2025

ABS light and traction control lights on, on dash. With these lights on, the cruise control and 4x4 do not work. One garage replaced front right axle, wheel bearing, brake rotor, brake pads, and ABS sensor. Lights were then out for a day but then came back. Took to a second garage and they replaced right rear ABS sensor. Lights went out for another day and then came back. They…

Same Vehicle

Recalls & Crash Tests

Complaints are one half of the picture — see the official recalls and NHTSA crash-test stars for the 2018 Ram 1500, or check your exact car by VIN with the free VIN lookup.

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Problems Checker

Any year, make and model: open the Car Problems Checker. Data: NHTSA (US DOT, public domain), cached up to 7 days.

Questions

FAQ

Is the 2018 Ram 1500 reliable?
Owners have filed 662 safety complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Ram 1500, most often about electrical system. Compare the complaint counts across model years above — a year with far more complaints than the model's average is the strongest 'avoid' signal in public data.
Which Ram 1500 years should I avoid?
The rule of thumb used by analysts: a model year whose complaint count is well above the model's own average (we flag 2× or more) usually had a real manufacturing or design problem — not just noisy reporting. Use the year-by-year strip on this page.
Where do these complaints come from?
Directly from NHTSA, the US government road-safety agency. Any owner can file a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire; NHTSA publishes them as public domain data. We cache each lookup for up to 7 days.
Do complaints mean a recall is coming?
Sometimes. NHTSA opens defect investigations when complaint patterns emerge, and investigations can end in recalls. Check the recalls page for this vehicle to see what has already been recalled.