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 5500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. 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 the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and traction control systems' warning lights illuminated. Due to the failure, the cruise control became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was related to the recall, and confirmed that parts were not yet available. A second dealer, S & L Motors (2298 WI-32, Pulaski, WI 54162); was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, traction control, speed control, and engine brake became inoperable. There was an abnormal ding sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact called another local dealer, Deland Chrysler (2173 S Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32720), but 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. 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 at various speeds, the vehicle failed to decelerate as intended and the brake pedal felt firm while being depressed. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. Additionally, the contact stated that the ABS system was previously repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. 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 while the vehicle was being driven at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated while driving over speed bumps or uneven pavement. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the manufacturer was not providing parts for the 5500 series vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not available for the 5500 series vehicles. The failure mileage was approximately 91,741.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving 60 MPH with the cruise control activated, the ABS warning light and the Traction Control Service message was displayed with an audible pinging sound intermittently. Additionally, after the message and audible ping, the cruise control message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ABS/HCU module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,870. The contact stated the dashboard alarm (ping) alerting the driver of loss of traction control on the dashboard pinged no less than 300 times in the 1168 mile trip.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS and Traction Control Service warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the cruise control failed to operate once the warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a defective ABS module. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The mechanic called an unstated dealer and was informed that parts for the repair were unavailable and that there was no ETA on when parts would be available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the hydraulic brake warning light, ABS warning light, and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the stopping distance increased. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall, but the failure recurred. The contact stated an alternate replacement part was used during the recall repair, causing premature failure. The dealer was notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. 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 attempting to come to a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond while the brake pedal was depressed. The ABS and the Traction Control warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. 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 intermittently illuminated. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The part was available for other year, make, and models. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure, and the ABS and traction control warning lights were illuminated with an audible alarm while driving. The failure mileage was 8,000.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 RAM 4500 and 5500 cab chassis trucks. The primary and secondary brake hoses located between the brake master cylinder and the hydraulic control unit may have been manufactured without anti-corrosion plating on the ferrules, which can allow the ferrules to corrode.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 19, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Brake complaints in other 5500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2018 Ram 5500?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the brakes of the 2018 Ram 5500, 67% of the model year's 39 complaints. The component named most often is power assist › electric › control module (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Ram 5500 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 24V-896 (control unit/module, Nov 27, 2024); NHTSA recall 18V-277 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, May 1, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Ram 5500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
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.