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2018 Ram 3500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2018 Ram 3500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 5% of relevant complaints.
Better than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2018 Ram 3500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 40 of 806 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ram 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (5%). For comparison, the 2017 scores 17% and the 2019 scores 42%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2018 compares with other Ram 3500 years
Of the 10 Ram 3500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the best on engine and transmission share (5%). The worst is the 2022 (74%). By volume, the 2018 drew 806 complaints (40 drivetrain), against 312 for the 2017 and 136 for the 2019.
Ram 3500 years to avoid and best years →
2013 3500 problems · 2014 3500 problems · 2015 3500 problems · 2016 3500 problems · 2017 3500 problems · 2018 · 2019 3500 problems · 2020 3500 problems · 2021 3500 problems · 2022 3500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2018 Ram 3500
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2018 Ram 3500 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 40 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2018 Ram 3500 transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2018 Ram 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 11 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 RAM 1500, 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be…
Risk: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will update the Body Control Module software. Dealers will also test the BTSI operation, replacing the solenoid as necessary. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may…
10 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2018 Ram 3500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2018 Ram 3500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 40 of 806 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ram 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (5%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ram 3500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Ram 3500 is service brakes: 666 of 806 complaints (83%) name it, followed by hydraulic (144) and electrical system (137). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 5% of the relevant total.
Is the 2018 Ram 3500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 5% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 10 Ram 3500 years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Ram 3500?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2018 Ram 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 11 in total: 18V100000 (power train: automatic transmission). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Ram 3500 years are better?
The 2018 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Ram 3500 years we track (5%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ram-3500
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.