2018 Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
17/100
#11 most-complained of 13 1500 years
The 2018 Ram 1500 ranks 11th out of 13 model years, with a Complaint Index of 17 and a "Best" verdict relative to other 1500 years. NHTSA lists 661 complaints and 15 recalls, led by engine problems (179 complaints, 27% share).
- Complaints
- 661
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes / fires
- 25 / 8
- Injuries / deaths
- 25 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 16 city / 23 hwy
Top 2018 Ram 1500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine179 (27%)
- Electrical System165 (25%)
- Fuel System139 (21%)
- Other98 (15%)
- Steering86 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain59 (9%)
- Brakes50 (8%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires30 (5%)
- Structure & Body26 (4%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras24 (4%)
What owners report
- Owners report brakes going to the floor with no pressure while attempting to stop, in some cases leading to a crash.
- Some trucks reportedly rolled away or shifted into reverse on their own while parked or after the driver exited, resulting in the vehicle striking a house or a person.
- Owners describe airbags failing to deploy during collisions, including hydroplaning crashes, deer strikes, and a head-on guard rail impact.
- Electrical system failures were linked to fires, including a case attributed to a block heater malfunction that spread to the vehicle's interior.
- Engine-related fires were also reported in connection with block heater use during cold weather.
2018 Ram 1500 recalls
15 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V592000Sep 11, 2025Airbags1,761 vehicles
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 25V010000Jan 16, 2025Airbags6,066 vehicles
Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 23V411000Jun 8, 2023Engine80,629 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3, 2023. Some owner notification letters were mailed October 31, 2023. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated July 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 66A. This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-475.
2018 Ram 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,300
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Midgrade
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Ram 1500 reliable compared to other Ram 1500 years?
- Relative to other 1500 model years, the 2018 has a "Best" verdict, ranking 11th out of 13 years with a Complaint Index of 17, one of the lowest among all years covered.
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ram 1500?
- NHTSA complaints show the top problem area is the engine, with 179 complaints (27% share), followed by the electrical system at 165 complaints (25% share) and the fuel system at 139 complaints (21% share).
- Does the 2018 Ram 1500 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 15 recalls for the 2018 Ram 1500, covering components including airbags, the engine, the fuel system, and structure/body issues like the tailgate latch.
- At what mileage do 2018 Ram 1500 problems typically occur?
- The median mileage at failure across reported issues is 33,000 miles, though brake complaints had a lower median of 20,060 miles and steering complaints a higher median of 74,912.5 miles.
- How does the 2018 Ram 1500 compare to the worst Ram 1500 years?
- The 2018 model's Complaint Index of 17 is far below years like 2019 (100), 2014 (92), and 2016 (83), which carry "Avoid" verdicts.