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 2018 Ram 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact received a 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 at 30 MPH while approaching a stop on a wet road, a nearby vehicle had merged into their lane; however, the vehicle failed to come to a stop while the brake pedal was depressed. The service brake and ABS warning lights illuminated. In addition, the vehicle had impacted the rear end of a nearby vehicle. No police report was filed. No injuries or medical attention were sought. The local dealer was contacted; however, parts were not available. The contact was concerned that the recall had no parts for approximately 3 years, and the recall was expanded to include his vehicle's VIN however, still no parts were made available for the recall remedy. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss in automotive power and failed to respond as intended to the brake pedal being depressed. The ABS and Traction Control warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the failure caused the contact to lose control and crash into a ditch. No air bags were deployed. Medical attention was not sought and no injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle failed to restart as intended and was towed to a local dealer. The local dealer replaced the PCM however, the parts to repair the ABS and HECU were not available. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the remedy was not available. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal however, the brakes failed to engage. As a result, the front center of the vehicle crashed into a tree. There was severe cosmetic damage. The Service Anti-Lock Brake System" message was displayed prior to the crash. No injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. A dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the parts were once again, not yet available for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to the place of residence. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, a vehicle abruptly merged in front of him causing him to crash into the rear of that vehicle. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and became aware that the brake pedal was difficult to depress. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired; however, the dealer was contacted by phone. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was a freeze on the repair due to parts not being available. The failure mileage was 9,800.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. 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 while at a complete stop at a stop sign, the front brakes seized. The ABS warning light was illuminated, and a message to service the ABS was displayed. The contact noticed smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle and pulled into the parking lot of Les Schwab Tire Center, where the vehicle was test-driven, and the contact was informed that the front brakes had seized and were overheating. The mechanic determined that the front rotors, calipers, and brake lines needed to be replaced due to the excessive heat damage. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred while driving. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake, cruise control, and ABS warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the cruise control and ABS failed to function as intended. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. In addition, the contact stated that a beeping sound was persistent. The contact was annoyed by the persistent beeping while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. In addition, the contact was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the ABS warning light and the traction control warning light illuminated. Additionally, the message "ABS Disabled" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who retrieved DTC: C0020-01; and the mechanic determined that the ABS hydraulic pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and several unknown dealers were contacted and advised the contact that they could not accommodate the vehicle due to the size, and that the vehicle could not be serviced because it was not purchased at their location. Additionally, the contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V398000 (Wheels); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure disabled the cruise control feature. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with ABS failure. The contact was informed that the ABS needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were not available. The vehicle was taken to an alternate dealer, where it was diagnosed with ABS failure. The contact was informed that the ABS needed to be replaced and that parts were available. After informing the dealer that the repair was covered under a recall, the contact was informed that the parts were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a message indicating a brake failure was displayed, and that the vehicle needed to be serviced was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the HCU had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense; however, the failure persisted. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which the contact related to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH and towing material with a weight capacity of 16,000 lbs., the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact engaged the trailer brake and parking brake to attempt to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the "Service ABS System", "Service Electronic Braking System" and "Traction Control" warning lights were illuminated. Despite the failure, the contact was able to resume normal operation; however, the braking capacity was reduced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer after it was discovered that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer confirmed the recall 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. …
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 2018 Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 667 complaints about the brakes of the 2018 Ram 3500, 83% of the model year's 807 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › abs warning light (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 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 2018 Ram 3500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 1 fire and 2 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.