— Ram truck recalls are aplenty today as Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) announced four recalls involving over 1.6 million trucks for various defects.
Ram Trucks (Airbag Problems)
Over 1.2 million Ram trucks are recalled to make sure the driver's side airbags don't deploy without a crash. Fiat Chrysler says the affected trucks include the 2012-2014 Ram 1500, Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 trucks. Additionally, included in the recall are the Ram 3500, Ram 4500 and Ram 5500 Chassis Cabs.
Chrysler says an investigation discovered the trucks might have steering wheel wiring harnesses that degrade because of rubbing against a spring. The wear on the harness can cause a short-circuit and deploy the driver-side airbag when it's not needed.
An event like that can be a surprising and dangerous occurrence, and the automaker says although no accidents have been traced to the defect, two injuries have been reported.
FCA US says the trucks are equipped with an "electronic vehicle information center" and an airbag warning light may activate before the airbag deploys. Chrysler says an analysis of warranty data about steering wheel wiring harnesses determined less than one percent of all such repairs involved inadvertent airbag deployments.
About 1.06 million Ram trucks are located in the U.S. with another 235,925 in Canada, 26,543 in Mexico and 23,635 outside those areas.
Fiat Chrysler is now mailing recall notices about the Ram truck recall. Dealers will inspect the trucks and if needed, secure the wiring harness and install protective caps on the airbag retainer springs.
To learn if your truck is affected, visit http://recalls.mopar.com/ or call 800-853-1403.
Ram Trucks (Steering Problems)
Throw in another 194,000 heavy-duty trucks that might need repairs to bracket welds involved in steering control. The recalled trucks are the 2013 Ram 3500, 2014 Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 pickups and the 2014 Ram 3500 Chassis Cabs. In addition, 13,236 model year 2014 Ram 1500 pickups are recalled in Mexico.
FCA US says an internal investigation determined steering components may have bad welds that won't hold. The separated welds could cause steering problems, although Chrysler says some steering capability will remain.
Apparently the problem is enough to cause an accident because the automaker says it is aware of that occurring at least once, although no injuries have been reported.
Owners should receive recall notices sometime in October 2015, with directions for dealers to inspect the brackets and replace them if needed. A second notice will eventually be mailed to install a reinforcement bracket for anyone who didn't have the brackets replaced.
Ram 1500 Quad Cab (Airbag Problems)
Chrysler says about 188,000 model year 2014-2015 Ram 1500 Quad Cab pickups are recalled due to federal regulation issues with the side-curtain airbags. The automaker hasn't said much about this recall but did mention the airbags needed to be brought into compliance with a federal regulation to reduce the chance of a rear occupant being tossed out during a rollover accident.
Chrysler is also advising owners to always wear their seat belts, but the automaker didn't say when the recall will begin.
Ram 1500 (Wiring Harness)
More wiring harness problems have caused a recall of about 1,747 trucks in the U.S. and Canada, and once again the Ram 1500 is responsible.
Fiat Chrysler says 2014-15 Ram 1500 pickups have wiring harnesses that can short-circuit and possibly cause a fire or a loss of power. Only Ram 1500 trucks equipped with diesel engines and 4x2 drivelines are part of the recall.
The automaker says the battery wiring harness can rub against a bracket due to manufacturing issues and cause a short-circuit. Although it's possible a loss of power or a fire could result from the problem, FCA US says it's unaware of any related injuries, accidents or fires. If the wiring harness does cause a short-circuit, a driver will likely see a dashboard warning light and that means it's time to contact a dealer.
Owners of the recalled Ram 1500 trucks will be notified in October concerning scheduling a service appointment.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hasn't released details about any of these Ram truck recalls, but with questions, contact Fiat Chrysler at 800-853-1403.
