The issue affects the 5th-generation Ram 1500.
Ram voluntarily recalled 342,836 model year 2019 and 2020 Ram 1500 trucks worldwide Friday. This latest issue came about from an internal investigation that discovered the restraint control models may not reset properly when the trucks are turned off. As a result, the airbags and seat belt pretensioners may be inadvertently disabled. In the event of a crash, FCA states they may be ‘unavailable’ in a collision.
The lion’s share of the trucks recalled are 2019 Ram 1500 pickups in the United States. Here, FCA recalled 295,891 trucks. However, the recall also affects approximately 38,884 trucks in Canada, 1,817 in Mexico and 6,154 in other markets outside North America. Twenty-six 2020 model trucks are also affected, but they are preproduction units in FCA’s possession.
The company also stated that one-third of the trucks affected by the recall are currently on dealer lots. At this point, FCA is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the restraint module problem.
What to do
Technicians at Ram dealers are aware of the issue, and FCA said they should be able to fix the problem this month. If your Ram 1500 has the defect, you should see a warning light in the instrument cluster. In the event that happens, the technicians will replace the module free of charge. Otherwise, they will update the module’s software to reset properly when the truck is shut off.
If you are concerned that your 2019 Ram 1500 is affected, you can call FCA at 1-(800) 853-1403.
This latest campaign adds to a list of recalls that have struck the new Ram 1500 since its launch last year. Those other recalls include brake pedal issues, steering wheels that may detach from the steering column, driveshafts possibly fracturing, overheating battery terminals, loss of power steering assist, cruise control that cannot be canceled and rear axles that may fail due to insufficient oil.
