— A Ram power tailgate recall has been issued for the third time since 2018 because the tailgates can suddenly fall open while driving or while the trucks are stationary.
The expanded recall includes more than 690,000 model year 2013-2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks manufactured until March 31, 2018.
The Ram trucks are equipped with power locking tailgates built with tailgate actuator limiter tabs that may break. The limiter tab is inside the power lock actuator control assembly, but once the tab fractures the lock rod control bracket can travel too far and pull the lock rods, releasing the tailgate latch.
The tailgate will fall open and allow anything unrestrained in the bed to fall out of the truck.
The first Ram power tailgate recall was announced in 2018 for about 1.4 million model year 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks equipped with 5-foot 7-inch beds or 6-foot 4-inch beds.
FCA said at the time it had received 163 customer assistance inquiry records (CAIRs) in the U.S., at least 31 vehicle owner's questionnaires (VOQs) and one field report about the power tailgate locks. In addition, more than 5,600 warranty claims and repair orders related to the locks and latches were reported when the 2018 recall was announced.
The automaker continued to monitor possible power locking tailgate problems through April 2019 in non-recalled Ram trucks, and by April 29 at least 127 warranty claims and repair orders were identified. However, no crashes or injuries were reported.
Fiat Chrysler issued a second recall in May 2019 that included 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks equipped with power locking tailgates and 8-foot truck beds. But added to the recall were 2018 Ram trucks built before April 1, 2018.
From May to August 2019, Chrysler monitored non-recalled Ram trucks equipped with power locking tailgates and found more complaints and another 54 warranty claims and repair orders.
Ram dealerships will install tailgate actuator stop blocks that will limit the pivot arms from traveling too far and pulling on the locking/unlocking rods out.
CarComplaints.com has owner-reported complaints about the Ram trucks involved in the recall.