2018 RAM vent

[Code54]

One simple way to get the OP's pickup back to normal would be to buy the part, then install it (or have somebody do it), and apply for reimbursement from Ram.

That's what others have done, successfully. Not sure why this relatively simple to fix issue has to be so complicated.

Actually the dealer wanted to do just that but there is no aftermarket replacement that they can find that works. The used ones are the old design so failure is expected. I alos have issue with installing a part with 100K on a truck with 14K.

The dealer has also been great, and they really do want to help. RAM is the one that says I MUST have the truck at the dealership, the dealer agrees that is silly.

They are forbiden to install any old version of the unit (it is recalled by the feds) so I can understand that.

I fully admit I am **** about our vehicles, everyone is perfect, if anything fails on my cars the part is replaced and even tires are changed when they start getting low on tread. If my wife is in it, I want it 110% prefect and safe for her. The RAM is the oldest vehicle I have had since collage, and even our new cars always carry extended warrantys (as does the RAM) so they will be repaired at the dealership with factory parts. I would love to ditch the RAM but dont want to take the value hit due to RAMS inabilty to repair the truck. I rarely use the truck, but when I do it is to tow, and haul, so that is why we even have it. My other vehicle can only tow 6000lbs so I have to have a HD truck around or I would have a Tundra. My over all thought was I would keep this truck until the warranty drops the end of 2026 and buy a new one but would love for it to working. LOL.

Someone asked, no, it is not financed but of course it has full coverage insurance on it. Yes, my concern is liability and safety for our family and of course others on the road.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Actually the dealer wanted to do just that but there is no aftermarket replacement that they can find that works. The used ones are the old design so failure is expected. I alos have issue with installing a part with 100K on a truck with 14K.

My over all thought was I would keep this truck until the warranty drops the end of 2026 and buy a new one but would love for it to working. LOL.

Again, the parts are apparently out there, but that doesn't mean your dealer is willing or able to find them. You should give it a try.

I have already posted about replacing the only motor a couple of times. Have you researched that option?

Also, the '14 through '18 ones are considered the most reliable, so I'd hang on to what you have.

 

[WinterDeere]

GM’s lines were infamous for rusting through.

My Silverado 1500 lost both front and rear brakes, but thankfully not at the same time, due to lines rusting thru. I still remember when and where I was, when the front lines went out, as it made for a pretty scary and squirrely stop, coming onto a busy highway. I'd have been T-boned in the driver's door, if I hadn't managed to stop short of the roadway.

 

[zzvyb6]

Now back to our story :

Pull the fuse/relay on the ABS/traction control module. Your foundation brake system MUST be able to safely stop the truck, by law. Electric trailer brakes will be inop, but at least you can make a grocery run with it.

 

[mllud]

Is it a part you could get from NAPA, O’Reilly, etc.?

I read the recall online yesterday. A replacement part or fix has not been designed. They expect to have a fix by the end of 2025 first quarter. They are saying current design is unsafe on 317,000 trucks.

Edit; This was last year. Parts may be out there?

Auto recall with no parts to fix it: What owners can do while you wait

Hundreds of Ram pickup owners are waiting months for a fix for a brake system recall. What car and truck owners can do if your recall has no parts yet.

www.wcpo.com

Link to recall

Ram Recalls 317,630 HD Trucks Over Potential Brake System Failure

Ram is recalling 317,00 trucks over a problem with the ABS system.

gearjunkie.com

 

[Hay Dude]

Well, despite the 2019 Ram brake module problems the OP is having, I am just about ready to make the decision to buy a 2027 Ram 5500 crew cab 4x4.
I like most of what I am reading, except the more stringent EPA standards…..
My 2020 Ram has been outstanding. Can’t imagine it with a 25% bump up in torque to the Cummins and even heavier towing specs.

 

[mllud]

I just bought a new 2024 5500 6.4 ant am impressed with it.

 

[Midniteoyl]

That’s a great question and one I cannot get an answer to. Even the dealer has no idea why the fix for all the other HD trucks cannot be used. Literally all the others have a fix; it is just the 2018 2500 that RAM claims has no fix.

The dealer said he believes it is the same controller on a 3500, but also said since RAM claims that is not a proper fix, they could not repair it with that part. They, of course, mentioned it would void the current bumper-to-bumper warranty as well as the liability issues.

Haven't read the entire thread yet, but.. Have you tried other dealers, maybe one up to 2hrs or so away, to see if they could get the part and fix? I have had local dealers tell me "No Parts Available" for warranty work before only to have a larger dealer an hour away get me in the following week, no problems.

 

[YanmarFever]

Heres where we stand with the recall on our truck, they have known about it for over 2 years!!

The recall status is (not available) Its been over 2 yrs and they still dont have the parts?

Shame on RAM.... This happened at 19,000 miles on a $75k truck


12/05/2024

2017-2018 Ram D2 DD DF DJ DP Hydraulic Control Uni​

The loss of ABS/ESC/Traction control may cause a vehicle crash without prior warning.

NHTSA Number​

24V-896

Recall Number​

C4B

Recall Status​

Not Yet Available

Show Less

Description​

FCA US will conduct a voluntary safety recall to replace the Brake HCU.

Remedy​

FCA US will conduct a voluntary safety recall to replace the Brake HCU.

 

[WinterDeere]

…they have known about it for over 2 years!!

Shame on RAM.... This happened at 19,000 miles on a $75k truck

I was chuckling at some of the posts saying that the OP’s gripe is unreasonable, for a 7 year old truck. Hey guys… the truck wasn’t 7 years old, when this problem was found!

Most buy their trucks with an expectation of it retaining some resale value at the end of their ownership period, whether that be 6 or 12 years. I think that if anyone here were told that their vehicle will be “not driveable” after 5 years, they’d be shopping other options, from the start.

I love my Ram trucks. After owning all three American brands, I really don’t even want to think about going back to Chevy or Ford. But Stellantis’s response on this is so unforgivable, that I’m having second thoughts about buying another. I don’t care that there are recalls, defects, or failures… all brands have that. But to leave owners high and dry for any amount of time, while still able to manufacture parts for new sales, is not an acceptable response.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I was chuckling at some of the posts saying that the OP’s gripe is unreasonable, for a 7 year old truck. Hey guys… the truck wasn’t 7 years old, when this problem was found!

Ya, from reading about it, it seems the problem was known about in 2022 but wasn't escalated for recall until 2024, then sometime in early 2025 the 'Do Not Drive' notice went out..

 

[Hay Dude]

I was chuckling at some of the posts saying that the OP’s gripe is unreasonable, for a 7 year old truck. Hey guys… the truck wasn’t 7 years old, when this problem was found!

Most buy their trucks with an expectation of it retaining some resale value at the end of their ownership period, whether that be 6 or 12 years. I think that if anyone here were told that their vehicle will be “not driveable” after 5 years, they’d be shopping other options, from the start.

I love my Ram trucks. After owning all three American brands, I really don’t even want to think about going back to Chevy or Ford. But Stellantis’s response on this is so unforgivable, that I’m having second thoughts about buying another. I don’t care that there are recalls, defects, or failures… all brands have that. But to leave owners high and dry for any amount of time, while still able to manufacture parts for new sales, is not an acceptable response.

The grass isn’t always greener……

Look at Ford & GM. They have IMO, much worse offenses.

1. Ford 10 speed transmissions have a littany of problems and TSBs. Also, Ford let CP4 pumps fail before they’d replace them in their powerstrokes.
2. GM and their V-8’s where they claim a 0W oil change would fix their oil consumption on thousands of engines with underpolished cranks and internals. Also GM’s Fake “Allison” transmissions, which for 5 years were just rebadged GM transmissions. How many undereducated buyers thought they got a real Allison?

I trust Ram much more than Ford or GM right now.

That could change of course, but IMO, GM & Ford’s forced errors are way worse.

 

[DarkBlack]

Just read the NHSTA report.
I didn’t see any any alarming “Do not drive “ wording.
What it does state, that doesn’t surprise me, is that as of the date a year ago, there are zero reported injuries, and zero reported accidents related to this issue.

There’s mention of swelling motor rotor bushings, and a change of motor brush material to be used in the controller motor

 

[Hay Dude]

I’d just drive the truck.

 

[DarkBlack]

I’d just drive the truck.

How did we ever survive all those years of driving without ABS, “hill climb assist”, parking assist, cruise control, stability control, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, automatic wipers, rear window defrost, automatic AWD , heated seats, heated steering wheels, heated mirrors, AC, collision control, front and side air bags, and backup cameras?
I remember when a working lap belt and a good functioning automatic choke with good working drum brakes was premium

And I bet just about every accident these days, involves cars and trucks with working ABS systems

 

[ultrarunner]

How did we ever survive all those years of driving without ABS, “hill climb assist”, parking assist, cruise control, stability control, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, automatic wipers, rear window defrost, automatic AWD , heated seats, heated steering wheels, heated mirrors, AC, collision control, front and side air bags, and backup cameras?
I remember when a working lap belt and a good functioning automatic choke with good working drum brakes was premium

And I bet just about every accident these days, involves cars and trucks with working ABS systems

I don’t know… I’m still driving my 1930 Model A

I confess at times I have thought having a windshield defroster would be nice…

Then I remember I have cars with no windshield and think never mind…

 

[Code54]

I was chuckling at some of the posts saying that the OP’s gripe is unreasonable, for a 7 year old truck. Hey guys… the truck wasn’t 7 years old, when this problem was found!

Most buy their trucks with an expectation of it retaining some resale value at the end of their ownership period, whether that be 6 or 12 years. I think that if anyone here were told that their vehicle will be “not driveable” after 5 years, they’d be shopping other options, from the start.

I love my Ram trucks. After owning all three American brands, I really don’t even want to think about going back to Chevy or Ford. But Stellantis’s response on this is so unforgivable, that I’m having second thoughts about buying another. I don’t care that there are recalls, defects, or failures… all brands have that. But to leave owners high and dry for any amount of time, while still able to manufacture parts for new sales, is not an acceptable response.

Yep, you hit the nail right on the head. If it had full value, I would trade it tomorrow, it is a tool to me, not something I am attached to.

My problem is the solution or way to repair it has not been "found" by RAM. I am sure I could rig up several “solutions," but none of which are correct, and none of which would restore it to factory condition. Since the aftermarket has no solutions and neither does RAM, it is an issue, and yes, I checked.

All the parts out there are duplicates of the part that needs to be repaired, as there is no "new" one made yet.

The point of all of this is to state the disappointment in RAM and let others know of their shortcomings.

 

[Hay Dude]

I drove my 2020 Ram with an alleged defective CP-4 pump while towing up to 49,000lbs. GCWR.
Loss of power from pump failure while heavily loaded would have been “uncomfortable”, but when I saw the odds were under 1%, I went with the 99% odds and just drove it for 10,000 miles.
I still have 10 fingers & 10 toes.

 

[ultrarunner]

Twice I know where trucks were out of service waiting for a warranty solution or repair… the dealer gave good trade in towards new because the dealer said the warranty means they get paid…

Just something to consider if thinking of replacing…

 

[DarkBlack]

Op: How many other issues have you had with this 8 year old vehicle?
Has it been one problem after another through the years?
Every single vehicle manufacturer has issues from small to large.

I think we have a GM truck engine thread going recently where they used defective cranks and rods.
Customers bring in their truck. If it’s junk now, you’re on a list to get a new engine. If it’s just part way to becoming s junk engine, they give you an oil change and a sticker to start using a thicker oil to mask the issue and prolong the inevitable.
Grass is greener there?