YearToAvoid

2018 Ram Promaster City Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

43/100

#5 most-complained of 8 Promaster City years

The 2018 Ram Promaster City has 16 NHTSA complaints, 2 recalls, and a Complaint Index of 43, ranking 5th worst out of 8 model years. It's rated Good relative to other Promaster City years, with Engine issues as the top problem area (50% of complaints).

Complaints
16
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
0 / 1
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 28 hwy

Top 2018 Ram Promaster City problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine8 (50%)
  2. Electrical System4 (25%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain2 (13%)
  4. Brakes1 (6%)
  5. Fuel System1 (6%)
  6. Seat Belts1 (6%)
  7. Steering1 (6%)

What owners report

  • Engine loses coolant within weeks of a top-off, followed by a knocking noise from the engine at various speeds.
  • Engine stalls or shuts off unexpectedly while driving, sometimes with no warning lights and low oil levels.
  • Electrical gauges act erratic before the motor turns off while driving on the highway, causing loss of vehicle control.
  • Vehicle stalls suddenly while descending a hill, losing acceleration, braking, and steering ability at the same time.
  • Front passenger seat belt fails to extend, leaving the seating position unusable.
  • Engine seizes and the steering wheel locks up while the accelerator pedal is depressed but the vehicle fails to move.
2018 Ram Promaster City complaints: complaints filed per month2Aug 2019Oct 2020Feb 2021Sep 2021Apr 2022Sep 2023Jul 2024May 2025
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2019 to May 2025; peak Sep 2021 (2).

2018 Ram Promaster City recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V149000Mar 6, 2018Steering225 vehicles

    Steering:rack and pinion

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 RAM ProMaster City vehicles. The gears within the hydraulic rack and pinion steering system may have a casting defect that can cause a crack and a loss of hydraulic steering fluid.

    Risk: A hydraulic steering fluid leak may require additional sudden steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear housing, replacing any affected rack-and-pinion assembly, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U23.

  2. NHTSA 18V129000Feb 22, 2018Other3,460 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 RAM ProMaster City vehicles. The Tire Placards on these vehicles may indicate the incorrect total number of occupants allowed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: If the tire placard indicates an incorrect seating capacity, the operator may overload the vehicle, which can cause tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire placard, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U17.

2018 Ram Promaster City fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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 Promaster City years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020152016201720182019202020212022
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid8625324
2017Caution5719324
2018Good4316224
2019Caution715124
2020No verdict01224

All Ram Promaster City years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Ram Promaster City reliable?
NHTSA lists 16 complaints and 2 recalls for the 2018 Promaster City, giving it a Complaint Index of 43. Compared with other Promaster City years, this ranks it Good, with fewer reported problems than most other model years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2018 Ram Promaster City?
Engine issues are the top problem area, making up 50% of complaints (8 of 16), with a median failure mileage of 40,000 miles across sample reports.
Does the 2018 Ram Promaster City have any recalls?
Yes, two recalls: one for a steering rack-and-pinion casting defect that can cause loss of hydraulic steering assist, and one for an incorrect tire placard listing the wrong occupant capacity.
How does the 2018 model compare to other Promaster City years?
The 2018 ranks 5th worst of 8 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 43, better than 2015 (100), 2016 (86), and 2017 (57), but worse than 2021 (14), which is rated Best.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.