Auburn Hills, MI  – November 14, 2021 – Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), which owns the Dodge brand, is recalling 131,177 of their heavy-duty pickup trucks that may develop an electrical fire inside the engine compartment. This increases the risk of injury.

This recall is an expansion of a previous recall, comes on the back of multiple fires and customer complaints and includes the following vehicles with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine :

• 2021 Ram 2500
• 2022 Ram 2500
• 2021 Ram 3500 
• 2022 Ram 3500
• 2021 Ram 4500 
• 2022 Ram 4500 
• 2021 Ram 5500
• 2022 Ram 5500

Recall summary  

The engines of the vehicles that are part of this Ram truck recall have an electrical heater that warms up the air coming into the engine to help it get to running temperatures faster. The heater is controlled by an electrical relay, or a switch. 

Recalled vehicles’ switches may short circuit and overheat, causing a fire inside the engine compartment. This can happen both while driving as well as when the vehicle is parked and the engine is turned off. 

The component in question is a solid-state intake heater grid relay, with part number 68444169AA.  

Background of the recall

This recall appears to be an expansion of a smaller recall conducted in April. The first recall involved the relay with the same part number and affected about 19,000 of the 2021 RAM trucks, as reported. Both relays were made by German manufacturer Eberspaecher. The manufacturer became aware of at least eight fires leading up to the recall.

Recall risks

The flames and smoke may distract the driver and other motorists, which may lead to a crash. In addition, the driver may fail to stop the vehicle in time for its occupants to leave it in a safe manner. Both increase the risk of an injury or an accident.

Safety tips

Park your vehicle away from buildings and other vehicles until the final repair is completed.

For tips on what to do if your vehicle catches fire, please read this article relating to car fire safety. 

Other Ram recalls

Over 23,000 RAM ProMaster City vans were recalled in late October because of turn signal indicators that may stop working, increasing the risk of an accident.

The 2020 model-years included in this recall are also being investigated by the U.S. auto safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) because they may stall while in motion, as reported.

The repair

Dealers will inspect and replace the relays if necessary. Notifications about the repair will be sent to vehicle owners around December 3, 2021. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

This Ram recall includes more than 130,000 vehicles, including the widely-popular 2021 Ram 2500 Cummins truck. To see if yours is one of them, use  MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Auburn Hills, MI – August 7, 2021 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), the parent company of the Ram brand, has issued a recall for 32,002 Ram trucks over an oil level monitoring issue that could result in an engine fire. The affected models include:

• 2019 – 2020 Ram 3500
• 2019 – 2020 Ram 4500
• 2019 – 2020 Ram 5500

The Chrysler recall affects Ram trucks with a Cummins 6.7L High Output engine with multiple part numbers. 

Recall summary

Because of a software issue, drivers may not be warned of low engine oil levels. This can result in oil levels falling below an acceptable level, “deteriorating” important mechanical parts called bearings and increasing the risk of a punctured engine block or an oil leak, both of which can result in a fire.

Risks

Fires are very dangerous. For more information, please see a recent article on a Kia Optima and Kia Sorento recall caused by fire risk.

Warning signs

The manufacturer says that before the engine catches fire, the driver may hear an unusual noise from the engine. As reported, there are some additional warning signs, including:

• Tire pressure, ABS or the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) warning lights come on
• A burning or melting odor
• Smoke from under the hood

Fire safety tips

If you suspect your engine may be on fire, remain calm and follow these steps:

• Bring your car to a halt
• Do not open the hood –  oxygen will feed the flames 
• Get yourself and others away from the vehicle
• Call the fire department when you are in a secure location

Other Stellantis news

Back in August 2020, the same models were part of a Ram recall over a similar concern, with 32,318 Ram pickups affected.

The company also recently issued a Ram truck recall over a concern that wheels may come off while driving.

The repair

The engine calibration software on the affected vehicles will be updated, free of charge. Owners will be notified by the company by July 30, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 32,000 Ram trucks are part of this recall. As of July 20, 2021, over 6,000 trucks have been repaired. To see if your vehicle still needs to be fixed, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.