2018 Ram 1500 Cruise Control Problems
13 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (13)
while driving the power steering indicator light came on, after 1 mile the power steering stopped working.
The electronic trailer brake system, anti-lock braking system, and electronics traction control system lights activate upon driving the vehicle. The cruise control is disabled when these warning lights come on as well. I've been informed by an ASE certified mechanic that the abs control module needs replacement. I've learned this is a known issue for my and similar Ram trucks and that Stellantis has the part on back order while it is in "engineering review". If my traction control, anti-lock brake system, and electronic trailer braking system is affected by a failed abs control module and it is a known issue across many vehicles and the part is in "engineering review" I belief this should be covered by Ram under a recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle was slow to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
ABS & TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS KEEP COMMING ON, THEN THE CRUISE STOPS WORKING,
The problem is with the whole DEF System in the truck. for the last 6 months I can't go a week or less without getting some kind of code. Every time it effects the electronic throttle control and the truck goes into limp mode, I can be going 70 mph and it drops down to 30-40 mph no matter where I am at. I have almost been rear ended several times. I fix that code and a week later another code pops up and we do it all over again. I think I may have gone 2 weeks without a problem in the last 6 months. This time it is the DPF and DEF system, and here we go back into limp mode. I have had it to the dealer last week for issues which they couldn't figure out but thought that reprogramming would fix. So I leave to go out of state to work and here we go again less than 100 miles from home. Exhaust filter is full with no regen for over 400 miles. Now I'm stuck out of state with this problem. I think this really needs to be addressed because after all of my research this seems to be a normal problem.
Cruise control fails to engage/Disengage
Cruise control on 65mph going down hill. Transmission dropped into a lower gear. Vehicle immediately slowed down immediately by probably 20-30 mph. Everything in vehicle was thrown forward. I struggled to keep control and thought I was going to roll and crash off of roadway, or hit another vehicle. This was not a problem for two years, until June of this year. Driven the same stretch of highway a dozen times without incident. 21,000 on vehicle now. I took the RAM tech for a ride to reproduce the incident. Did it on a small hill at 25-30mph and reproduced the problem several times at the same location of the hill. Transmission drops into lower gear, makes a kind of grinding or similar noise. Then it stays in this lower gear straining until the brake is pushed to turn cruise off. Told him of losing control on big hill and nearly crashing. No warning lights or warning of any kind. Their response that a slight speed change is BS. 65mph to 30 or what it was in a couple seconds is not slight. It also states temporary. Even with the tech seeing it, it is not temporary. You have to push the brake to get it back into the right gear. At 30mph on test runs. Losing control of vehicle and they come up with this. You can inspect my vehicle. No sales rep ever mentioned that you shouldn't use cruise control on a hill. What a scam. Not happy with my RAM purchase now.
I was traveling down a rural road with a 45 MPH speed limit, During acceleration the throttle on my truck stayed open, it accelerated to approximately 60 MPH and would not stop accelerating until I forcibly pressed the brake pedal. The truck was still accelerating even when I pressed the brake pedal. A couple seconds passed and then it finally depressed the accelerator pedal and I was able to slow down. The Throttle error light came on for around 20 seconds and then shut back off and the vehicle returned to normal. I am taking it to a dealership for review and hopeful fix of the issue.
CRUISE ENGAGES INTERMITTENTLY WHEN IN MOTION, ENGAGES PROPERLY 50% OF THE TIME, NOT AT ALL AT OTHER TIMES. PROBLEM WAS FIRST OBSERVED AT 26,000 MILES.
LONG LAG BETWEEN THE TIME YOU STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD RESPOND. CREATED DANGEROUS SITUATION SPECIALLY MERGING WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MOVING FROM STOP SIGNS. VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS DEEMED TO A LEMON AND FCA BOUGHT IT BACK ONLY TO RESELL TO SOMEONE ELSE.
FROM NEW, THE RAM 1500 WITH THE ECO DIESEL ENGINE HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT HESITATION WHEN COLD CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN I LEAVE WORK I NEED TO CROSS A MULTIPLE LANE HIGHWAY HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH. I COULD WALK ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FASTER THEN WHAT THE TRUCK WILL CROSS IT. I HAVE THE LATEST SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR ENGINE CONTROL THAT RAM IS OFFERING. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND CONTACTED RAM CUSTOMER ASSIST ABOUT THE ISSUE. ALL I WAS OFFERED WAS A FEW FREE OIL CHANGES. BOTH SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I DID GET THE CUSTOMER ASSIST CONTACT TO STATE SHE WOULD RELAY THE MESSAGE TO ENGINEERING. I WILL SELECT TODAY'S DATE BELOW AS TO WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED, BUT IT DOES IT EVERY DAY IT IS DRIVEN.
TAKATA RECALL CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WORKS PART OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES WORKS THE FIRST TIME YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN PUSH IT NO MATTER HOW HARD OR SOFT 50 TIMES AND IT WON'T COME ON AT ALL. NO MATTER THE SPEED YOUR DRIVING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING INTO A GARAGE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE CORNER OF THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, BUT WAS NOT TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SIERRA MOTORS CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK GMC (209-984-5272, LOCATED AT 18475 5TH AVE, JAMESTOWN, CA 95327) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REVERSING TOWARDS ANOTHER VEHICLE, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STRUCK AN INDIVIDUAL STANDING IN A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY. THE INDIVIDUAL SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, BUT WAS NOT TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS EVALUATED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE CALLED BACK. THE CONTACT WAS NOT CALLED BACK. THE VEHICLE'S BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,400.