Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Ram 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On December 14th, I was driving my 2017 Ram 3500 with 95,000 miles down the road when I encountered a tree completely blocking the roadway. When I applied the brakes I heard a pop and the brake pedal went the the floor. At this point I had no brakes and was forced to hit the tree. Thankfully it was in a rural area and no one was killed because of the failure. My safety was defiantly put at risk because of this failure. Once stopped I was able to look under the hood and found the top bolt that holds the brake master cylinder to the firewall sheared completely off. This caused the brake master cylinder to fall away from the firewall and disabled all braking functions. I had the vehicle towed to a Ram Dealer and then contacted Ram (Stellantis) for a reason and solution to fix the failure. They sent an engineering analysis associate to look at the the truck finally on the January 9th. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the traction control, ABS, and several other warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that a warning chime intermittently sounded while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with a defective HCU (Hydraulic Control Unit), which the contact had repaired by the dealer. The contact stated that approximately 5,000 miles later, the exact failure recurred. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated, and the Service ABS message was displayed on the instrument panel. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the traction control unit and the ABS needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted several times and was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that the messages "Service ABS System" and "Service Traction Control System" were displayed, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated intermittently. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the failure recurred, and the brake pedal was pulsating. The contact stated that it felt like the ABS was engaging and disengaging unintendedly, causing the vehicle to be pulled to one side. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the HCU needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2017 RAM 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000(Service Brake, Hydraulic); however the part to do the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the message "Service Electronic Brake system" was displayed, and the ABS and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon driving over a bumpy road surface, the brake pedal was depressed but stuttered, and the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that while an independent mechanic was in the process of replacing the front driver's side brakes at the residence, the mechanic noticed that the front driver's side brake was grinded. The brake calipers were replaced and the brake line was bled, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was previously illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Register Chevrolet, located at (14181 Cortez Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34613). While at the dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed that the ABS had failed and needed to be replaced. The ABS was replaced with an older model. The Chrysler dealer was contacted about the recall and informed the contact that the manufacturer was only providing one part at a time. The dealer was instructed to repair vehicles without the chassis cab attached first. …
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the ABS and traction control warning lights were flashing and turning on and off. The contact was unable to haul a trailer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, Checkered Flag Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (12629 Jefferson Ave., Newport News, VA 23602), where it was diagnosed that the hydraulic assembly and ABS needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the traction control module and ABS needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the ABS and ESC warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal but was unable to stop the vehicle. The contact had a snowplow attached to the front of the vehicle and lowered the plow to stop the vehicle. The contact was having the vehicle towed to a dealer, but the vehicle was not yet at the dealer. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact was advised by the dealer that the parts to complete the recall repair were not yet available, but would attempt a temporary repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective brake hydraulic control unit. The contact paid out of pocket for the repair of the vehicle. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact submitted paperwork for a reimbursement to the manufacturer and was provided multiple case numbers for the claim. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact had been calling the local dealer and the manufacturer and was informed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that in 2024, the ABS warning light intermittently illuminated, and in October 2025, there was an abnormally loud whirring sound coming from the vehicle while the vehicle was in 4WD. The contact stated that the "Service 4WD" message was displayed, and the vehicle failed to shift into 4WD. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
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.
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.
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Brake Performance
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on November 28, 2022, after receiving 134 reports from consumers alleging an intermittent or permanent loss of braking performance in certain 2017-2018 Ram 2500-3500 pickup trucks manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The alleged failures continued to occur at a steady rate across both models, at all speeds, with limited detectability.
Brake complaints in other 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2017 Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 194 complaints about the brakes of the 2017 Ram 3500, 62% of the model year's 315 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › abs warning light (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ram 3500 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 24V-896 (control unit/module, Nov 27, 2024). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2017 Ram 3500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.