More than 1.2 Million RAM Trucks Recalled Over Anti-Lock Brake System Failures

Federal highway safety officials have announced a recall impacting more than 1 million newer model year Ram trucks, which could be at an increased risk of a crash due to defective braking components.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Ram 1500 recall on September 6, warning that certain pickup trucks from model years 2019 through 2024 contain a faulty anti-lock brake system (ABS) control module, which may disable the electronic stability control system.

The ABS system is a safety feature that automatically pumps the brakes to prevent them from locking up during a sudden stop. The malfunction may disable the electronic stability control (ESC) system, which helps stabilize the car during momentary loss of control, such as skidding or loss of traction. This could increase the risk that a driver loses control and ends up in a pickup truck accident.

While Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is unaware of any injuries or incidents related to the malfunction, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, “Electronic Stability Control Systems.”

Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company, first became aware of the issue on February 15, 2024, when the FCA US, LLC Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (TSRC) organization was notified of a potential issue related to a software condition within the ABS software of newer model year RAM 1500 vehicles.

From March to April 2024, analyses were conducted on the ABS control module warranty data, field records and customer assistance records. In June 2024, FCA recognized a vehicle build issue existed on certain vehicles related to the ABS system that could lead to the ESC being disabled. On August 30, 2024, FCA US determined that a safety defect existed and initiated a voluntary safety recall.

The recall impacts 1,227,808 model year 2019 Ram 1500 trucks, and 2021 through 2024 Ram 1500 trucks, which were distributed for sale to licensed dealers across the U.S.

Owners are being instructed to watch for ABS, ESC, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) indicator lights that may illuminate at vehicle start up, indicating the systems are not available.

Customers will begin receiving notification letters on October 3, 2024, with instructions on how to schedule a free repair at their local dealers, which will update the ABS control software on vehicles that fail to meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration (FMVSS) 126 S5.1.2 standard.

Any vehicle owners who have already had this remedy performed at their own expense prior to receiving the Ram 1500 recall notification may be eligible for reimbursement, in accordance with the FCA US reimbursement plan.

FCA US, LLC’s number for this recall is 85B. Customers may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or contact Chrysler’s contact for this recall, Emily C. Smith, who may be reached by email at emily.c.smith@dot.gov. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.