Chrysler Recalls 343,000 Ram 1500 Trucks

Nearly 343,000 model year 2019-2020 Ram 1500s need repairs to prevent airbag failures.

Chrysler Recalls 343,000 Ram 1500 Trucks

Posted in Recalls

— A Ram 1500 recall has been ordered for nearly 343,000 trucks that need repairs to prevent the airbags and seat belt pretensioners from failing.

The 2019-2020 Ram 1500s have software problems related to the occupant restraint controllers which can disable the airbags.

Nearly 296,000 of the recalled trucks are in the U.S., 38,884 Ram 1500s are recalled in Canada, another 1,817 will be repaired in Mexico and 6,154 trucks are recalled outside North America.

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) says the 2019-2020 trucks have software with vulnerabilities "during power-down memory clean-up events which can corrupt flash memory."

According to Chrysler, once the truck ignition is turned off the occupant restraint controller begins under its own power, but data corruption is possible if the controller powers down and interrupts a memory erase process. However, the process doesn't occur every time the ignition is turned off.

If the problem does occur, a driver will see an illuminated airbag warning light, and the truck will result in fault codes internally. But the real issue is the deactivation of the seat belt pretensioners and airbags.

The model year 2019 trucks were built from October 31, 2017, to April 29, 2019, and 2020 model trucks were manufactured between April 8, 2019, to May 21, 2019.

FCA says the recall is expected to begin July 20, 2019, when dealers will reprogram the occupant restraint controllers or replace them.

Ram 1500 owners with questions should call 800-853-1403. Chrsyler's numbers for this recall are V61 and V71.