— A Ram CP4 lawsuit alleges the fuel pumps are defective in 2018-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks equipped with Cummins 6.7L diesel engines.
The Bosch CP4 high-pressure fuel pumps allegedly have defects that cause metal parts to grind against each other which creates metal shavings that ruin the fuel systems.
The Ram CP4 class action lawsuit alleges the pumps cannot handle U.S. diesel fuel, leading to complete engine failure.
Earlier this month, the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration opened an investigation into nearly 605,000 Ram trucks equipped with Bosch CP4 fuel pumps.
The Ram fuel pump investigation includes 2019-2020 Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 4500 and Ram 5500 heavy-duty trucks equipped with 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines. The government says 22 complaints were filed related to the CP4 fuel pumps.
The Ram CP4 fuel pump lawsuit was filed by Larry Sharp (2018 Ram 3500), Davey Dockens (2019 Ram 3500) and Jason Palmer (2019 Ram 2500). However, the class action doesn't allege their CP4 fuel pumps failed or were repaired.
Ram CP4 Lawsuit: Diesel Fuel as the Lubricant
According to the plaintiffs, the Ram fuel pumps are too fragile to withstand U.S. diesel fuel specifications regarding water content and lubrication.
The CP4 fuel pumps allegedly use a cam and two "pumping cylinders with individual rollers designed to seamlessly roll together without skipping, sliding, sticking, or wearing in order to operate effectively."
"If the fuel used with the CP4 pump is not sufficiently lubricious—which most U.S. diesel is not—the cam and rollers wear against each other and generate tiny metal shavings that disperse throughout the high-pressure fuel injection system." — Ram CP4 lawsuit
The metal shavings allegedly cause the fuel injectors to become blocked which kills the Cummins diesel engine. The plaintiffs allege Ram owners will pay at least $10,000, but any repairs allegedly won't work because replacement parts will once again become damaged by U.S. diesel fuel.
The Ram CP4 lawsuit alleges the first tank of diesel fuel will begin destroying the engine and fuel system as metal shavings travel throughout the engine.
A Ram truck will not only stall but an owner won't be able to restart the engine, leaving occupants stranded on dangerous roadways.
Chrysler never warned Ram customers about the alleged CP4 fuel pump problems and didn't describe the safety risk of driving trucks that may die while in motion. And the plaintiffs claim Chrysler often refuses to pay for repairs under warranty because the CP4 fuel pumps allegedly failed from the use of contaminated gas.
However, the plaintiffs argue the "poor fuel quality" defense employed by FCA won't fly because there is no way for a Ram owner to know if fuel is contaminated when filling up the tank.
"[I]t is basically impossible for customers to determine the quality of their fuel when they fill up at the pump—and one “bad” fueling can lead to catastrophic failure. Consumers have no way to assess the quality of the fuel they purchase or to confirm if a fuel complies with the applicable requirements." — Ram CP4 lawsuit
In addition to Fiat Chrysler, the plaintiffs sued manufacturer Cummins which built the 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel engines.
The Ram CP4 lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Sharp, et al., v. FCA US LLC, et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Miller Law Firm, P.C., Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, and Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP.
