The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. While driving through a parking lot and hauling a boat, the steering wheel seized, and there was a screeching sound coming from the steering column. The contact attempted to turn the steering wheel and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence and diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
2018 Ram 1500: engine failure
20 of the 667 complaints about the 2018 Ram 1500 describe engine failure.
- owner complaints
- 20
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 113,000
- recalls
- 3
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls and 71 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Engine failure by model year
What owners say
Took excellent care of my truck, doing all recommended maintenance and replacing parts as they wear out. I had catastrophic engine failure at 86k miles. Was getting off a highway on an off ramp and got a low oil pressure warning and lose of power/no throttle response from the truck. Pulled over and oil was spewing out. Had it towed to a shop and they said the engine was seized up and there was metal in the oil, recommended full engine replacement.
While driving heard Clicking/Knocking noise then low oil pressure light came on we pulled over and turned truck off then truck would not restart. truck was towed to Dealer which has check truck and decided it was a complete engine failure main bearing. Truck only had 45,000 mile on Engine
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH up a hill, there was an abnormal banging sound come from the vehicle, and the vehicle experienced engine failure. The contact stated there was oil leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was determined that there was a large oil leak on the passenger’s side of the engine. The contact stated that there was a hole on the upper part of the engine and the vehicle was diagnosed with catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
Subject: Formal Complaint – 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Engine Failure at 11,900 Miles To Whom It May Concern at the federal safety agency, I am filing a formal complaint regarding a major mechanical failure in my 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Despite all scheduled maintenance being performed and documented, the engine failed at just 11,900 miles — a clear indication of a serious defect or flaw in manufacturing. Vehicle Information: - Year/Make/Model: 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel - VIN: [XXX] - Dealer: Elk Grove Dodge - Mileage at Failure: 11,900 miles I have researched and documented similar cases involving this engine model, pointing to a larger, systemic issue that warrants investigation. This premature engine failure poses a significant safety risk, especially if it were to occur while driving at highway speeds or in traffic. I am requesting a formal safety defect investigation and consideration for recall. What I Am Requesting: - Investigation into systemic engine issues affecting 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel vehicles - Manufacturer accountability for premature failures under warranty - Consumer assistance in repair, buyback, or replacement under applicable laws or enforcement programs I am providing this documentation in the interest of resolving this matter through the proper regulatory channels. I respectfully request follow-up contact regarding next steps or findings. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine failed at 142,000 miles. No prior indications or warning lights. Cam roller failed on cylinder #7 intake causing rod to throw through head cover, and valve to drop into cylinder #7 piston which damaged piston and disable engine. I have been advised that this was caused by the Variable Displacement mode the engine goes into when not under load, for better fuel economy. I have also been advised that this issue is not uncommon for these 5.7 Hemi engines which are advertised to last 200,000 to 300,000 miles. I had to replace engine and loss of use for 4 weeks. Not happy with Chrysler/Ram/Stellantis. I feel mislead/cheated.
Abs control pump stop working due to seized electric motor brushes on carriers. No incidents happened but it is a common fail on this year model trucks that can lead to an accident. At the beginning start doing it intermittenly while driving it to the point where it compltely stop working at all. Disabling ABS, traction control and trailer brake system.
The engine seized up at 52,517 miles on February 28, 2025. It was making loud noises on the freeway and was losing significant power. We exited the freeway trying to get to a safe location and the engine froze. I had the engine replaced and the check engine light came on after 40 miles!
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, which caused engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 186,000.
I was driving this [XXX] ecodiesel truck and it threw a rod on a sketchy windy road on a mountain pass. I was told 65 mile tow one way, 90 the other; I chose the former (Liberty Mutual said they’d reimburse $20 of my over $250 tow) thanks again! Not.)). Brought it to Ram in Show Low Arizona, Eric McGraw the service manager was terrific and communicated with me as much as he could. Unfortunately, they said the engine was out of power train warranty (I was at 99,840 miles at time of engine failure), “by time not miles.” I had to call FCA directly and get a [XXX] case manager, Josh who was also stellar in my opinion. 9 weeks; 9 weeks without my truck. That’s 7 total payments for it to what? Sit unfixed while FCA struggled with their top leadership? I bought this [XXX] ecodiesel engine because it was a diesel and diesels are notorious for having higher mileage capability; AND THEN to have everyone at Ram to FCA point fingers, shrug shoulders, and keep me waiting at my own expense; was simply intolerable to me. Luckily, FCA told me Ram would cover %65 of the repair (which is generous, but a slap in the face when I bought a supposed long life diesel from one of the top diesel companies in this country, and then to not cover the whole thing? BEFORE 100k miles?! So I paid $7000 out of pocket for this new engine. There was a lawsuit earlier which details how FCA settled in court over this same model “only 2014-2016 models” supposedly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed in rainy weather, the brake pedal was firmly depressed to stop at a traffic light, but the rear brakes seized, causing the vehicle to hydroplane into the middle of an intersection. The contact made a U-turn and continued driving. The ABS, traction control, and brake system warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the ABS module needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V653000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the ABS warning light along with several other unknown warning lights. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and seized. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the front wheel hubs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,000.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- 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.
Recall number 23V411000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ram 1500 and 2014-2016 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
- FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft position signal is lost, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1‑800‑853‑2002. FCA US's number for this recall is W58.
Recall number 20V475000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (EGR valve)
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 1500 Classic Pickup trucks equipped with 3.0L Eco Diesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold.
- Risk
- Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. The recall began April 16, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB1.
Recall number 19V757000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2018 Ram 1500 engine failure
Is engine failure a common problem on the 2018 Ram 1500?
20 of 667 owner complaints about the 2018 Ram 1500 (3%) mention engine failure. The model year with the most reports is 2015.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Ram 1500?
There are 3 recalls and 71 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2018 Ram 1500
Backup camera 60ABS 38Loss of power 36Fuel pump 35Stalling 34Power steering loss 32Check engine light 30Adaptive cruise 20Knocking 16No deployment 12Fire or smoke 11Wipers 11Overheating 10Screen failure 8Won't start 8Headlights 7Jerking 7Hesitation 6Won't shift 6Seat belt 5
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