Ram 2500 ABS and stability control problems: what 1,975 owners reported

Ram 2500 owners have filed 1,975 complaints with NHTSA about ABS, traction control or stability control warnings and faults. That is 36.4% of the 5,431 complaints filed for this truck. The reports are very uneven by model year: the 2018 truck has 1,585 of them and the 2017 truck has 338, together 1,923 reports. Every other model year from 2012 to 2026 has 19 or fewer.

Many owners describe the same pattern: an ABS light, then traction control, cruise control and sometimes four-wheel drive switching off, and in several reports a soft or sinking brake pedal. Owners of 2017 and 2018 trucks name a recall for the ABS hydraulic control unit (HCU). If this is not your case, read the full Ram 2500 problem report.

TL;DR

• 1,975 NHTSA complaints about ABS, traction or stability control on the Ram 2500, 36.4% of all 5,431 complaints for the model.
• The 2018 model year has 1,585 reports (60.8% of its 2,607 complaints) and 2017 has 338 (48.4% of 698).
• 27 reports mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, and the reports list 2 injuries in total.
• The component named most often is Service Brakes (1,931 reports), then Hydraulic (384) and Electrical System (377).
• Owners of 2017 and 2018 trucks cite recall C4B / NHTSA 24V-896 for the ABS HCU and say the dealer had no remedy available when they called.
• Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and if you are not sure the brakes are working normally, do not rely on the truck until it is checked.

Which Ram 2500 years have the most ABS and stability control complaints?

Two model years account for almost all of it. In 2018, three in five complaints for the truck are about these systems, and in 2017 it is about half. The 2016 truck is a distant third with 19 reports, and one owner of that year asks why it is not covered by a recall when 2017 and 2018 are. Complaints for 2019 and later are sparse, with 0 to 8 reports a year. Newer trucks have had less time on the road, so a low count there is not proof that they are free of the problem.

What do Ram 2500 owners describe?

Several systems go off together. The most common description is an ABS warning that takes other driver aids with it. A 2016 owner wrote: "ABS failure, which turns off traction control and cruise control." A 2021 owner listed "ABS/Forward Collision/Traction Control/4WD/Cruise Control warning lights on." A 2017 owner reported that "The ABS warning light is illuminated, traction control is not functioning, cruise control is not functioning, and four-wheel drive is not functioning" (complaint 11766881).

It can start early or low on miles. A 2012 owner wrote of a truck with "just 35972" miles that "this failure causes the cruise control to stop functioning" (11377433). A 2026 owner towing a boat trailer reported the AEB, ESC and ABS lights and several service messages, and wrote: "The dealer diagnosed as a failed ABS/HCU and required replacement. My truck had 1350 miles at time of incident" (11696032).

Some reports describe a bump or intermittent start. A 2014 owner wrote: "I hit a large bump on the highway. The cruise control shut down along with the back up sensor. The ABS and Anti-Skid lights came up on the dash" (11612365). A 2020 owner described messages that began the week of pickup: "Now it happens almost every time I start the truck" (11328098).

Some describe the brake pedal. A 2022 owner wrote: "Vehicle brake pedal slowly sinks to floor" and that the dealer diagnosed the hydraulic control unit "leaking internally on the ABS system" (11756058). A 2021 owner wrote: "Sometimes hard to brake, sometimes brake pedal is real spongy and will go almost to floor" (11766669). A 2024 owner wrote that "During a panic stop and a strong force on the pedal it will travel almost to the floor," and that the dealer said the feel was normal (11711854).

A few describe a loss of control. A 2015 owner wrote that at 65 mph "abs system activated causing right rear brakes to activate causing vehicle to activate steering control making truck head towards on coming traffic" (11676193). A 2018 owner wrote that "3 times now" the truck "has only engaged the rear brakes during a panic stop causing me to almost crash" (11769551). A 2023 owner reported a crash and wrote: "My brakes failed to stop the truck properly" (11587158).

These are owner statements filed with NHTSA. They have not been verified, and the reports do not by themselves show the cause. Besides Service Brakes, owners named the components Hydraulic (384 reports), Electrical System (377), Vehicle Speed Control (272), Forward Collision Avoidance (193) and Air (63).

Is there a recall for ABS and stability control on the Ram 2500?

The recall records matched to these complaints do not list a recall for this problem, so I cannot give you a campaign summary, defect text or official remedy from the recall record itself. Owners, though, write about one. A 2018 owner wrote of a "Safety Recall notice" for "the HCU ABS component on my 2018 Ram 2500 (C4B/NHTSA 24V-896)," and said the dealer's paperwork read: "Advised customer that the HCU is currently on recall, but the recall fix is not available at this time" (11771231). A 2017 owner described "an active safety recall involving the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU), Recall C4B / NHTSA Recall 24V-896" and said the dealer reported "no remedy available" for the vehicle (11766881).

Treat that as what owners say, not as a recall I have confirmed. Recall status depends on your VIN, and a recall can apply to one model year and not another. Look up your own truck at nhtsa.gov/recalls with the VIN. Recalls for other parts may also apply, so check even if you see no ABS item.

What should you do if your Ram 2500 shows ABS or stability control warnings?

• Check open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Do this before you book a dealer visit so you can ask about a specific campaign number.
• Write it down. Note the date, mileage, which warning lights and messages appeared, and the conditions: cold start, a bump, towing, braking or highway speed. Owners' reports are most useful when they include this.
• Ask a dealer to check for open recalls and manufacturer service bulletins for your VIN, and ask for the result in writing.
• Report it at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem if the problem is not already covered.
• Take the brakes seriously. If the pedal sinks, feels soft or the truck stops poorly, I would not keep driving it, and I would call for help instead. If the truck loses power or braking in traffic, stop safely as soon as you can.

I am not a mechanic and this guide does not diagnose your truck. For a possible buyer, I would ask the seller for service records, run the VIN for recalls, and test the brakes and warning lights on a longer drive before paying. See the other Ram 2500 report pages for the year you are looking at.

How this guide was made

The data is NHTSA's public owner complaint database. Complaints for the Ram 2500 were selected where the owner's text matched ABS, traction control or stability control warnings or faults, giving 1,975 reports, compared with all 5,431 complaints for the truck. The data was current in October 2026. Counts are reports, not confirmed defects. Read how the matching works on the methodology page.