2018 RAM 1500 Steering Problems

After driving through a heavy downpour, power steering cut out intermittently. The next day, it became full inoperable. Repair shop initially suggested letting the controls "dry out". When that was unsuccessful, the shop suggested taking it to a dealer, stating that the entire rack and pinion assembly needs to be replaced. I took it to a dealer, and they claimed the assembly failed, need to be replaced, and was on a 45-day minimum back order.

NHTSA ID

11763564

Incident

Aug 27, 2026

At low speeds the Electronic power steering hesitates and i have to force the wheels to turn. Once upto speed of 35mph or higher the power steering works flawless. This is an issue for me as a first responder and is a safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11762279

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

Sudden loss of power steering while driving. National chain won’t fix it either, although they said I could lose steering altogether. This is a huge safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11761062

Incident

Aug 14, 2026

As we were driving along the freeway at highway speeds, the dash lights completely cut out on my ram 1500 2019. At first, this seemed to simply affect the visibility of the central console, speed controls, light indicators, etc. But then as we continued on and proceeded to exit the freeway, the entire vehicle shut down and lost total power steering speed control and power braking. I had to rapidly exit and take at safety on side of the road before completely losing control. Previously we had lost power to the video control display but it had never lost power before. We had also previously experienced where we were on the freeway at freeway speeds and the cruise control just rapidly shut down the same time as the video console shut down and the vehicle proceeded to slow rapidly and unexpectedly. After the incidence of losing cruise control and losing the central display, we took the vehicle multiple times to a ram authorized dealer service center in salt lake City as well as an independent shop. Neither could replicate and the issue as it is severely intermittent. We continued to use the vehicle given their clean bill of health. However, this incident showed a new level of severe risk in driving the vehicle. There were no warning indicators or flashing lights as the console completely failed in the middle of the driver screen. By several mechanical shops unable to replicate the issue. We were able to start recording upon the demonstration of the latest incident and have a video of this happening but too large to upload. Should this have happened while we were still on the freeway and unable to safely navigate to a shoulder on either the left or right of the road, we would have essentially been forced to go from full-freeway speeds in a matter of seconds, creating a significant risk for ourselves and others. You can see in the video the central console goes completely black does not show speed Indicators does not flash any warning signal, intermittent control.

NHTSA ID

11760471

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

Have had repeated intermittent EPS warning light alerts, sometimes followed by complete loss of power steering even at speed. The light and issue go away once I cycle the key off and back on again but eventually come back. Obviously this is a dangerous fault.

NHTSA ID

11759474

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

The vehicle with 85,000 miles has suffered a catastrophic internal component failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, rendering it incredibly dangerous to drive. Because the control module and motor are permanently sealed inside the steering gear assembly, a simple electrical failure forces a complete replacement of the rack. This is a known issue with the Dodge Ram pick ups from the years 2013 through 2019

NHTSA ID

11759291

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

My 2018 Ram 1500 suddenly lost power steering assistance while I was driving, making the steering extremely difficult to turn and creating a significant safety hazard. The power steering stopped working without adequate warning, and I am concerned about the known issues involving the electric power steering system on these vehicles. I am reporting this failure to NHTSA because a sudden loss of steering assistance could increase the risk of a crash.

NHTSA ID

11757204

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while stopped and attempting to turn left, the steering wheel became firm, making it difficult to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was turned off and restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that a chip needed to be reset. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rack and pinion was damaged and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11755515

Incident

Mar 15, 2026

Greetings, I’m writing regarding a recent power steering issue in my 2018 Ram 1500. While driving the other day, I started noticing some stiffness in the steering wheel when going around turns. It wasn’t long after where I made a turn at a traffic light and the steering completely locked up and nearly caused a head-on collision with another vehicle. My wife was in the car and she was genuinely terrified. I am grateful that no accident occurred, but it could’ve been very bad. At this point in the drive the power steering light came on the dash. Issues with the steering continued to persist until the steering completely locked up where you could not turn the wheel whatsoever. Luckily I was in a parking lot when that happened. The vehicle now has no power steering and I am unable to turn the wheels. Not only is this a major inconvenience but most importantly it is very dangerous and could’ve easily caused a fatal accident. After researching this issue online, I’m surprised how the electric power steering system has not been recalled by Ram, given all of the testimonies to this issue including a class action lawsuit. I hope that something will be done about this in the near future to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers of vehicles with this model power steering system. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11745602

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

The electronic power steering went out in the middle of driving. My safety, the safety of my passenger and other drivers were at risk due to my inability to turn the steering wheel. The issue has been confirmed by a Dodge Ram dealership. No. There were no lights indicating an EPS issue until the steering failed.

NHTSA ID

11744227

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

I experienced sudden and intermittent loss of power steering. I nearly crashed going around a corner as the steering suddenly required a hard active return to center. I brought the vehicle to my local independent service center where they test drove it and confirmed/experienced similar sudden loss of power steering. No one else has inspected the vehicle. There were no warning lights. The onboard diagnostic computer shows no error codes. The vehicle is unsafe to drive as is. It is currently in the shop for repair.

NHTSA ID

11740549

Incident

May 20, 2026

The electronic power steering failed. And its $1300-3600 for the new rack and pinion cause the whole rack needs to be replaced when it fails. First my alternator went out then all of sudden my electronic assisted power steering went out

NHTSA ID

11735037

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. While driving through a parking lot and hauling a boat, the steering wheel seized, and there was a screeching sound coming from the steering column. The contact attempted to turn the steering wheel and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence and diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11734236

Incident

Apr 25, 2026

Mileage

150,000 mi

Since 2021, I've replaced both CV Boot Axles twice and I do not go off-roading. Urban and highway mileage.

NHTSA ID

11734176

Incident

Sep 30, 2025

Electric power steering stops working then will work for several days then out of nowhere it will stop working again. This causes unsafe driving as when I was crossing a 4 lane highway the steering pulled out of my hands had cars been coming this could have been very serious. Dealer could not get truck to reproduce the issue and could not find any stored codes. When the steering goes out a service power steering message appears. They just wanted me to replace the electric power steering. It was stated this is a BIG issue with this truck.

NHTSA ID

11733298

Incident

Mar 20, 2026

Steering is intermittently difficult, requires greater effort, steering wheel sometimes makes noise when turning tight at low speeds. Unexpected periods of difficulty in steering make it harder to control the vehicle, affecting safety (personal and others). Independent service center could not find evidence of a problem; they focused on other components. No other agencies have been contacted or have inspected the vehicle. The Service Power Steering message appeared and also the related warning icon while driving on a winding local road. These disappeared the next morning upon starting the vehicle and the message was not saved in Stored Messages by the vehicle. This is why the service center rep said there was no evidence of a problem. The message and warning icon reappeared a week later under similar conditions and this time they were photographed on the dashboard while the vehicle was parked and still running. After arriving at destination, shutting off vehicle, and restarting an hour later, the message and warning icon were again gone. Underlying problem may still be there. Upon researching, there are numerous documented problems with the Ram 1500 electric power steering rack over model years 2013-2024.

NHTSA ID

11731292

Incident

Apr 7, 2026

Power steering stops working causing to the wheel to jerk and almost lock up while driving.

NHTSA ID

11730192

Incident

Apr 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel became very stiff, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with power steering failure. The contact was informed that the EPS and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The contact was then referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

NHTSA ID

11726651

Incident

Mar 22, 2026

Mileage

138,000 mi

The vehicle is experiencing intermittent and severe steering stiffness, making it difficult to control and creating a safety hazard while driving. The issue occurs without warning and significantly impacts safe operation. This does not appear to be an isolated issue. Based on NHTSA data, there are hundreds of complaints and manufacturer communications related to steering system failures in this vehicle model, including similar reports of stiff or failing steering. Despite this, the dealership has advised there are no recalls or bulletins associated with my VIN and has declined assistance with repair costs. A case has been opened with Stellantis (Case #95969046), however the issue remains unresolved. Due to the safety risk and documented pattern of similar failures, I am requesting further investigation into this defect.

NHTSA ID

11726369

Incident

Mar 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel was turned to the left and became difficult to turn back to the center. The vehicle was stopped, and the steering wheel symbol in red was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, but failed to reset the power steering assist. The failure was intermittent but gradually became a recurring failure. The failure became permanent. The contact replaced the battery; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was no longer driven. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11725616

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Mileage

150,000 mi

Electronic power steering has started working intermittently. Very hard to steer truck at times. Very dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11723161

Incident

Mar 6, 2026

Steering completely locks up.

NHTSA ID

11712326

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

Steering rack and pinion locked up while driving, delayed inputs, unsafe at high speed. Service power steering light came on, disappeared shortly after with steering inputs still jumpy and hard to control.

NHTSA ID

11706753

Incident

Dec 15, 2025

I was driving down the road and lost all control in the steering wheel. No power steering at all. A steering wheel with exclamation point light flashing on dash. Dealership quoting $4100 for this repair. I checked to see if there is any recalls and none for mine but many for models 2019 and above. It states "some" 2018 models. I would like to see if my repair qualifys for this recall. A costly repair like this on a 6 year old vehicle is financially straining and based on my research this is a common problem and seems to be a manufacturer defect. Safety concern- complete loss of steering while operating on roadway.

NHTSA ID

11706358

Incident

Nov 29, 2025

I was driving my 2018 ram at approx 35 mph going into a turn my power steering went out and I almost went off the road the service power steering light came on.

NHTSA ID

11705008

Incident

Dec 11, 2025