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Ram 2500 spongy pedal problems

28 of the 5,171 owner complaints about the Ram 2500 describe soft or spongy brake pedal, most of them for the 2018 model year.

owner complaints
28
worst model year
2018
typical mileage
32,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

  • 2026
    2
  • 2025
    2
  • 2024
    4
  • 2022
    1
  • 2021
    1
  • 2020
    1
  • 2019
    1
  • 2018
    12
  • 2017
    4

What owners say

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Brakes · TX

ABS/Forward Collision/Traction Control/4WD/Cruise Control warning lights on. Braking is inconsistent. Sometimes hard to brake, sometimes brake pedal is real spongy and will go almost to floor.

Filed Jul 21, 2026 · Brakes · SC

Brake pedal very soft and sink to the floor you have to pump the brake pedal to get hard pedal

Filed Jul 14, 2026 · Brakes · CA

I was towing my 21-foot boat on a trailer equipped with surge brakes while driving down a slight downhill grade. As I approached a stop sign and applied the brakes, the brake pedal felt extremely spongy. I had to press the pedal all the way to the floor, and the truck still would not stop as expected. After that incident, I noticed the brake pedal remains spongy even when I’m not towing anything. I took my 2026 RAM 2500 to the RAM dealership in [XXX] today (XXX), to have the braking system inspected. The dealership told me they could not find anything wrong with the brakes. Their recommendation was to pump the brake pedal twice to build up brake pressure. My concern is that this is not an acceptable solution. In an emergency braking situation, there may not be enough time to pump the brakes before needing to stop. I need to be able to rely on the brakes to provide full stopping power with a single application of the pedal. This experience has raised serious safety concerns about the braking system on my 2026 RAM 2500. If the dealership is unable to identify or correct the problem, I would appreciate your assistance in investigating this issue and helping me find a proper resolution before it leads to a potentially dangerous situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 26, 2026 · Brakes · CA

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a persistent soft brake pedal condition affecting my truck. Under normal driving conditions and especially during low-speed braking with no trailer or payload attached, the brake pedal feels excessively soft and requires additional pedal travel before adequate braking response occurs. The authorized dealer inspected the vehicle and replaced the brake pads and resurfaced the rotors; however, the soft brake pedal condition continues unchanged. After further evaluation, the dealer stated that their engineer determined the vehicle is operating within factory specifications and declined to pursue any additional diagnosis or repairs. I use this truck for towing an RV, and due to the abnormal brake feel and reduced confidence in braking performance, I do not feel safe towing with this vehicle. As a result, the truck remains parked at my residence because I believe continued operation may present a safety risk. I have driven other trucks of the exact same year and model that exhibited significantly firmer and more responsive brake pedal feel, which leads me to believe my vehicle is not operating normally despite the dealer’s claims. In addition, I have found numerous online reports from other owners describing similar soft brake pedal complaints, including reports of lemon law claims and unresolved brake concerns. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this issue for potential brake system defects or inconsistent braking performance that could affect vehicle safety, particularly during towing or emergency braking situations.

Filed May 6, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · OH

The vehicle experienced repeated electrical and no-start issues believed to be related to the RF/electrical communication system. The truck has been returned to the dealership repeatedly for this issue and recently spent approximately two months at the dealership for diagnosis and repair. After finally being returned, the vehicle was completely dead the very next morning and would not start. The vehicle has also experienced dangerous electrical failures while being driven. During one incident at night, the headlights and interior electrical system became extremely dim and began flickering while an employee was operating the truck. Visibility was significantly reduced to the point the driver could barely see the roadway. During the same event, the brake pedal became abnormally hard to press intermittently, creating a serious safety concern while driving. The failure also occurred on our business lot where the truck was blocking multiple trailers needed for scheduled customer deliveries, creating operational disruption and safety concerns related to moving equipment and trailers around an inoperable heavy-duty truck. The dealership reportedly replaced or repaired an RF-related component/module during the repair process. However, the problem appears unresolved because the truck failed again immediately after being returned from service. Symptoms have included: * Complete battery drain/no-start condition * Flickering and dimming headlights/electrical systems * Intermittent hard brake pedal condition * Repeated electrical-related issues * Extended dealer downtime * Ongoing unresolved repair attempts The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This truck is used daily for commercial/business operations. Reliability concerns are significant because unexpected electrical failure or no-start conditions can leave the vehicle stranded or create hazardous driving conditions. The issue has been reproduced after dealer repair attempts. Based on the symptoms and

Filed Feb 20, 2026 · Brakes · TX

Spongy brakes, constant pumping of brakes to aid in stoping but check this out! In 4x4 mode Low 4x4 brake failure is almost 90%! I must mash the brakes as the brake peddle falls to the floor, then wait, brace and pray truck comes to come to a stop!!!!

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · MT · crash

October 30, at approximately 8:00 AM MDT. While I was heading to work, I was approaching an intersection with a vehicle in front of me making a left turn in the opposite direction was a vehicle also preparing to make a left turn and as I approached the intersection the vehicle turned in front of me. I fully applied the brakes, and the pedal went to the floor, my truck did not stop or slow down. I ended up striking the vehicle turning in front of me, fortunately at a low speed of approximately 11-12 miles per hour. My vehicle coasted to a stop after which I was able to carefully pull off to the side of the road. My truck was deemed drivable at the time after the accident but I noticed that the pedal is spongy and it took pumping the brakes to get them to apply. I almost had another accident around 10:30 AM, when coming to a stop behind several other vehicles. Again I applied the brakes and they went to the floor. The truck very slowly came to a stop, finally stopping 5 feet from the rear of the car in front of me. This was extremely nerve racking because I thought I was about to have another accident. After talking with my insurance company, they deemed the truck unsafe to drive and had it towed to the repair shop. Additionally, back during a trip to California from September 28 to October 15. We were towing our 2024 East to West Alta Travel Trailer. During the trip I noticed very sporadically the trailer brakes would apply to much or more often appear to not apply the trailer brakes at all. Multiple time I had to use the manual brake booter switch in order to stop the truck. I believe that this issue with the brakes was actually beginning during that trip. I also have done some research and there appears to be several other complaints with the same model year 2024 Ram 2500. When I get my truck back from being repaired I am scarred of it not braking and getting involved in another accident. Something needs to be done before any serious injury or death occurs.

Filed Jul 3, 2025 · Brakes · TX

Too much travel in brake pedal. Feels spongy. Weak brakes, hard to stop vehicle. Have to put pedal to the floor. Was told this was OK and normal at the dealership. Has been like this since I bought the vehicle new.

Filed Jun 30, 2025 · Brakes · NJ

Brake pedal became very soft and spongy and excessive travel. Need to pump brake pedal to restore pressure. No warning lamps. Dealer technician verified “low pedal”

Filed Jun 29, 2025 · Brakes · OH

The brake pedal on my truck is very spongy. It goes halfway to the floor if it isn't pumped at least 2 times before braking. I find it very distressing in tight situations where I do not have time to pump before braking. I took it to the dealership and they say there is nothing wrong. This is a brand new truck.

Related recalls

Service brakesReported August 18, 2025 · 2,885 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Ram 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 2500, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The instrument panel may display an incorrect brake system warning light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk
An incorrect warning light can fail to alert the driver to critical safety information, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 9, 2025. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800‑853‑1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 79C.

Recall number 25V530000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/moduleReported November 27, 2024 · 317,630 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The hydraulic control unit (HCU) may fail, which can cause the anti-lock brake (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and traction control systems to fail.
Risk
A loss of anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, or traction control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake HCU, or replace the HCU motor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 9, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA's number for this recall is C4B.

Recall number 24V896000 · Recall details

Service brakes, air: antilock: control unit/moduleReported June 6, 2024 · 211,581 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022 Dodge Durango and Ram 2500 and 3500 vehicles. Due to a software malfunction, the ABS control module may disable the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk
Driving with a disabled electronic stability control system can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the ABS control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 55B.

Recall number 24V415000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliperReported August 29, 2019 · 5,495 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Ram 2500, 3500 and 3500 Cab Chassis trucks. The brake calipers may have been manufactured with an incorrect assembly fluid, which can cause the caliper's rubber seals to swell.
Risk
The swollen seals can cause the brakes to drag, potentially overheating the brakes and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake calipers and brake hoses and bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1‑800‑853‑1403. FCA US' number for this recall is V98.

Recall number 19V635000 · Recall details

Questions about the Ram 2500 spongy pedal

Which Ram 2500 years have soft or spongy brake pedal problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2018 (12 complaints), 2017 (4 complaints) and 2024 (4 complaints).

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