Washington, D.C. – November 14, 2021 – U.S. government auto safety regulator is investigating Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) over concerns that 604,651of its RAM pickup trucks could stall. These trucks could be subject to a recall in the future.
The investigation involves the following heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel engines:
- 2019 – 2020 RAM 2500
- 2019 – 2020 RAM 3500
- 2019 – 2020 RAM 4500
- 2019 – 2020 RAM 5500
Investigation summary
The regulator – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – opened the investigation on October 14, after receiving 22 complaints and 2 field reports “alleging incidents of stall/loss of motive power as a result of high pressure fuel pump failures,” according to official documents.
The stalls occurred “at speeds above 25 mph” and “resulted in permanent disablement” of the implicated vehicles, meaning that they would not restart after the power loss occurred. At least one of the complaints mentioned that the vehicle caught fire.
The investigation will also look for the root cause of the fuel pump failures. If NHTSA discovers a safety defect, it may order Stellantis to issue a recall.
Risks
Stalls put vehicles at risk of being hit from behind by faster-moving traffic and there has been at least one crash after a truck stalled, according to the related driver complaints NHTSA has gathered.
Vehicle fires are also very dangerous for drivers and people nearby. Read more about vehicle fire safety in this article about a BMW recall.
Recent RAM truck recalls
Fire safety has prompted two RAM recalls in recent months—19,214 new RAM heavy duty trucks were recalled this year over a faulty relay switch that could cause a fire. Over 30,000 2019 – 2020 RAM 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks were recalled in August over an engine oil issue that could cause fuel or oil leaks, which are a fire hazard.
Background of the investigation
It is not clear who the supplier of the pump is but one complaint alleged it was made by Bosch.
As the investigation progresses, additional complaints may surface. – In these investigations, the government will typically ask car companies to turn over warranty claim data so it can get a better sense of how widespread the problem is.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
Over 604,000 vehicles could be recalled as a result of NHTSA’s RAM fuel pump investigation. To do a RAM recall check, bookmark MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool and come back to the site when more details become available.
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