2018 Ram 1500 steering problems

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Steering · OK

1. The electronic power steering system on my 2018 Dodge Ram began malfunctioning intermittently, with the power steering going in and out, before eventually failing completely. I was informed that due to the design of the system, the entire rack-and-pinion assembly must be replaced because of the design. 2. The intermittent steering failure progressed to a complete loss of power steering assistance, creating a serious safety concern. Difficulty steering can affect the driver's ability to maneuver, respond quickly to traffic, and maintain control in emergency situations. Driving under these conditions puts me and other motorists at risk. I depend on this vehicle to get to work, but I cannot safely drive it with the steering system malfunctioning. Being unable to use my vehicle also creates a significant hardship because I must maintain my employment and daily responsibilities. 3. The problem has been identified as a failure of the electronic power steering system. I have been informed that the entire rack-and-pinion assembly must be replaced because of the way the system is designed. I have also been told that the required replacement part is on national backorder and is unavailable in Oklahoma with no delivery date in sight. The vehicle was inspected by Kasterke of Shawnee, OK and Kevin's Automotive. 4. To my knowledge, the manufacturer, police, and insurance representatives have not independently inspected the vehicle. 5. Before the complete failure, the electronic power steering system began working intermittently, repeatedly going in and out. The problem continued until the power steering failed completely. There was no warning. The vehicle just became unable to steer and handle. Once the system failed, the message "Power Steering Unavailable" appeared.

Filed Oct 17, 2026 · Steering · NY

I have a 2018 ram 1500 express my electricinic power steering is binding and causing my truck to jerk when I correct it while driving. I have noticed that there are recalls for the same issue on previous years(2015-2017) and on years after (2019-2021) models. Please investigate why 2018 isnt showing an open or active recall.

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Brakes, Steering · TX

San Antonio Tx was driving this morning in a light mist had my son in the truck the vehicle ahead of me came to an abrupt stop and I had to hit my brakes pretty hard and without the abs working properly I am impacted by the ABS controller failure However, I was surprise at how few have files formal NTHSA complaints on a serious issue that appears to impact thousands of trucks prior to 2019. The only way to move this ball forward and get injunctive relief is to inform NTHSA. To Whom It May Concern at the federal safety agency, I am filing this safety complaint regarding a defective ABS Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) on my 2018 Ram 1500 TRADESMAN CREW CAB 4x4 5.7L Hemi with approximately 200,000 miles. DEFECT DESCRIPTION: The ABS HCU has failed, resulting in complete loss of anti-lock braking, traction control, electronic stability control, 4WD and cruise control. This is an identical failure mode to the defect addressed under the federal safety agency Recall 24V‑896, which covered 2017-2018 Ram 2500-5500 trucks. My 2017 Ram 1500 uses the same or substantially similar HCU component and is experiencing the identical failure. SAFETY RISK: The loss of ABS, ESC, 4WD and traction control significantly increases the risk of a crash, particularly in adverse weather conditions. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a serious safety hazard that FCA/Stellantishas already acknowledged in heavier-duty Ram platforms. MANUFACTURER KNOWLEDGE: FCA was aware of this defect as early as 2016 based on warranty claims and customer complaints. Despite issuing Recall 24V‑896 for heavier Ram trucks with the same HCU failure, FCA has failed to extend recall coverage to the 2018 Ram 1500, leaving thousands of owners without remedy. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Repair estimates range from $1,200 to $2,000. The part remains on backorder or engineering hold, making timely repair impossible through normal channels. REQUESTED ACTION: I respectfully request that the federal safety agency: 1. Open a formal investigation into the 2017 Ram 1500 ABS H

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Steering · FL

The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) assembly on my 2018 Ram 1500 Classic Sport suffered a sudden and complete internal electrical failure (Diagnostic Trouble Code C2217). I was out of town in [XXX], and the morning I was checking out of my hotel, the steering completely locked up and would not operate at all upon startup. Because the failure occurred inside a tight parking garage, it was a severe logistical hazard and the truck had to be towed. This stranded me out of town, forcing me to pay for an extra hotel night, a rental car to return to [XXX], and a second rental car two weeks later to travel back to [XXX] to retrieve the truck once repaired. The dealership diagnosed a complete internal failure of the EPS module/steering rack assembly. The original quote was $4,450. I formally requested Goodwill Assistance from Stellantis corporate and opened a customer care case with Ram. Both corporate entities denied me any financial assistance with Stellantis stating their support policies for any Goodwill Assistance is strictly covered for 2019-to-present models. Ram Customer Care deflected all pricing responsibility to the dealer. While I negotiated the bill down from the initial quote, I was still forced to pay $3,880 out of pocket for a known engineering flaw. This identical EPS failure mechanism is the subject of class-action litigation and a massive safety recall on other Ram vehicles (Campaign 92D). Stellantis is using arbitrary model-year cutoffs to avoid financial accountability for a critical safety component. the federal safety agency must expand its active investigation to include 2018 models to protect these dangerous, costly internal steering failures. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · DE

After driving through a heavy downpour, power steering cut out intermittently. The next day, it became full inoperable. Repair shop initially suggested letting the controls "dry out". When that was unsuccessful, the shop suggested taking it to a dealer, stating that the entire rack and pinion assembly needs to be replaced. I took it to a dealer, and they claimed the assembly failed, need to be replaced, and was on a 45-day minimum back order.

Filed Sep 4, 2026 · Steering · NY

At low speeds the Electronic power steering hesitates and i have to force the wheels to turn. Once upto speed of 35mph or higher the power steering works flawless. This is an issue for me as a first responder and is a safety concern.

Filed Aug 31, 2026 · Steering · MI

Sudden loss of power steering while driving. National chain won’t fix it either, although they said I could lose steering altogether. This is a huge safety issue.

Filed Aug 28, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · UT

As we were driving along the freeway at highway speeds, the dash lights completely cut out on my ram 1500 2019. At first, this seemed to simply affect the visibility of the central console, speed controls, light indicators, etc. But then as we continued on and proceeded to exit the freeway, the entire vehicle shut down and lost total power steering speed control and power braking. I had to rapidly exit and take at safety on side of the road before completely losing control. Previously we had lost power to the video control display but it had never lost power before. We had also previously experienced where we were on the freeway at freeway speeds and the cruise control just rapidly shut down the same time as the video console shut down and the vehicle proceeded to slow rapidly and unexpectedly. After the incidence of losing cruise control and losing the central display, we took the vehicle multiple times to a ram authorized dealer service center in salt lake City as well as an independent shop. Neither could replicate and the issue as it is severely intermittent. We continued to use the vehicle given their clean bill of health. However, this incident showed a new level of severe risk in driving the vehicle. There were no warning indicators or flashing lights as the console completely failed in the middle of the driver screen. By several mechanical shops unable to replicate the issue. We were able to start recording upon the demonstration of the latest incident and have a video of this happening but too large to upload. Should this have happened while we were still on the freeway and unable to safely navigate to a shoulder on either the left or right of the road, we would have essentially been forced to go from full-freeway speeds in a matter of seconds, creating a significant risk for ourselves and others. You can see in the video the central console goes completely black does not show speed Indicators does not flash any warning signal, intermittent control.

Filed Aug 25, 2026 · Steering · FL

Have had repeated intermittent EPS warning light alerts, sometimes followed by complete loss of power steering even at speed. The light and issue go away once I cycle the key off and back on again but eventually come back. Obviously this is a dangerous fault.

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Steering · MI

The vehicle with 85,000 miles has suffered a catastrophic internal component failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, rendering it incredibly dangerous to drive. Because the control module and motor are permanently sealed inside the steering gear assembly, a simple electrical failure forces a complete replacement of the rack. This is a known issue with the Dodge Ram pick ups from the years 2013 through 2019