— A Ram 1500 water leak class action lawsuit alleges defects allow water to enter the cabin which causes mold, mildew, electrical problems and damage to the rear airbags.
Included in the Ram class action lawsuit are 2016-2022 Ram 1500 trucks equipped with rear cabin windows, third brake lights on the roofs and roof-mounted antennas.
According to the owner who filed the lawsuit, those components must be sealed properly to prevent water from leaking through the weather stripping.
But the plaintiff claims the body, frame and chassis of the Ram 1500 must be adequately designed and manufactured, something that allegedly didn't occur with the 2016-2022 Ram 1500 trucks.
The lawsuit alleges the Ram 1500 interiors are damaged and destroyed when water intrudes into the cabs, a problem Fiat Chrysler allegedly knows about.
The water leaks allegedly cause electronics to short-circuit which damages the rear airbags and propellant. And the water leaks cause mold and mildew which sickens occupants and makes the Ram 1500 trucks health hazards.
In addition to the rear airbags, the Ram 1500 water leaks can allegedly cause problems with the "push-to-start ignition system, locks, windows, headlights, taillights, interior lights, windshield wipers, climate control, infotainment system and navigation, and back up camera."
Ram 1500 drivers should allegedly expect failures of the headlights and tail lights, issues with starting the trucks, turn signal and brake light failures, faulty backup cameras and infotainment system problems.
The Ram 1500 water leak lawsuit further claims drivers can lose the windshield wipers and the ability to lock or unlock the trucks.
Fiat Chrysler has allegedly known about the Ram 1500 water leak problem since 2016 but actively concealed the alleged defects.
Ram 1500 Water Leak TSBs
Alabama plaintiff Effie Johnson Norman, who owns a 2019 Ram 1500, alleges she had problems with water leaks and had to pay her own money for repairs. According to the plaintiff, when Chrysler replaces the affected parts it does no good because the replacement components are also defective.
A Ram 1500 water leak recall hasn't been issued and the automaker hasn't extended the warranties or offered customers suitable repairs.
A recall allegedly should have been ordered because Chrysler issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) in February 2021 that said water was leaking into the cabs through the third brake lights. Dealerships were told to add a secondary seal at the top of the brake light.
Then in April 2021, TSB S2023000024 was sent to dealers and titled, “Water Leak Rear Of Cab Rear Seat Or Headliner.”
The bulletin said water leaks could occur from a cracked rear window/frame, incorrect back window seal, the rear brake light or the antenna.
On April 22, 2021, FCA issued TSB 23-016-21 titled, “Water Leaks At Sliding Backlite.” Ram technicians were told to inspect the rear sliding glass assemblies from inside the cabs and look for cracks in the frames. If water leak evidence is seen, dealers are to replace the rear sliding glass assemblies.
The Ram 1500 water leak lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Effie Johnson Norman v. FCA US, LLC.
The plaintiff is represented by the Miller Law Firm, P.C., Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., and DiCello Levitt Gutzler.