2018 Ram 1500 Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 09/08/2026

83Steering complaints

12.6%Of all 659 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM152 · 23.1%

ENGINE110 · 16.7%

Unspecified / other92 · 14%

STEERING83 · 12.6%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM80 · 12.1%

Share of the 659 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Ram 1500 overview page.

What owners report

“STARTED HAVING TROUBLE IN THE STEERING. TIGHTENING UP AND HARD TO STEER. SOME THING WAS WRONG WITH THE STEERING SHAFT. AND WITH THIS BAD IT…”NHTSA complaint 11337474 — filed 07/04/2020

“DIESEL ECODIESEL ENGINE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREA. LOST ALL POWER IMMEDIATELY AND RESULTED IN INTERFERENCE WITH STEERING, BRAKES, AND NEED TO MOVE…”NHTSA complaint 11321978 — filed 04/23/2020

“POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING LOCKS UP INTERMITTENTLY, MORE SO WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. SERVICE POWER STEERING MESSAGE COMES UP IN DASH AND THEN…”NHTSA complaint 11218588 — filed 06/07/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Ram 1500 have steering problems?

Steering is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2018 Ram 1500: 83 of 659 complaints on file (12.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Ram 1500 have in total?

659 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 09/08/2026. Across all categories, 25 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 25 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 09/08/2026.