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Who drives Ram trucks? People who need a heavy-duty and reliable truck to get the job done. Unfortunately, Ram has had their share of pesky recalls. It’s common for vehicles to be recalled at least once (sometimes more) during their lifetime.
The latest Ram recall is due to a fire hazard in over 131,000 heavy-duty trucks. They haven’t yet pinpointed the cause, so there are no dealer repairs yet. But if you own an affected Ram truck, you’ll be receiving a letter by mail in early December.
Let’s take a closer look at this recall and what you need to do to stay safe.
Ram Recalls over 131k Heavy Duty Trucks for Fire Hazard
The recall affects Ram heavy-duty trucks equipped with Cummins 6.7-liter turbo diesel engines. If you own one of these vehicles, that doesn’t mean your truck is under recall, though. We’ll look at the specific trucks that are affected below.
While these fires are under further investigation, it appears that intake heater relays could spontaneously catch fire even when the engine is off.
Recalled Trucks “Can Catch Fire Even When the Engine Is Off”
Ram urges owners of affected models to take them seriously. The biggest concern is that the affected trucks can catch fire even when the engine is turned off. They believe it could happen either while you’re driving or while parked, so benching your truck away from other vehicles, for the time being, is probably best.
Ram Says: “Park Outside”
For now, Ram’s best safety solution is to tell their customers to “Park outside.” They also suggest parking away from structures and other vehicles.
In other words, don’t park your Ram truck in the garage right now. If you have a model that may be affected, find a safe place to park your truck so that if a fire does occur, it won’t affect neighboring structures.
About the Fire Hazard
So what is happening to make the engine catch fire?
Somehow the intake heater relay in the 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine can experience a short and catch fire even when the engine is off. As mentioned before, the company is unsure of how this is happening and is working diligently to discover the root cause so owners can get their Ram trucks repaired.
At first, Ram believed the problem was limited to trucks with unprotected relays. But later, the manufacturer discovered the issue was also present in trucks with protected relays.
Have Any Ram Trucks Actually Caught Fire?
Ram stated that they’re aware of 10 fires. Each seems to have the same root cause, and they’re using these vehicles to spearhead their investigation as to the issue.
Although 10 trucks out of 131,000 isn’t a high number, it’s enough that we urge you to take it seriously. Each of those 10 fires is evidence that a fire could happen at any time in certain models, and you’ll want to take every precaution.
What Trucks Are Affected?
The recall is limited to newer models. If you have a 2014 Ram 2500, you’re safe. Ram has also identified specific build dates to narrow down the affected trucks even more.
As a result, some owners of Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy-duty trucks will receive a letter informing them of the recall and steps to get the problem repaired.
What Model Years Are Affected?
Because the fire hazard problem only affects newer models–2021 and 2022 models specifically–most Ram owners can rest easy. However, because Ram is still identifying the root cause and narrowing the specific number of trucks affected, the company has issued a warning to all 2021 and 2022 heavy-duty Ram owners.
The specific models Ram is investigating include:
- 2021-2022 Ram 2500s built between August 3, 2020 and October 8, 2021
- 2021-2022 Ram 3500s built between August 5, 2020 and October 8, 2021
- 2021-2022 Ram 3500 Chassis Cabs built between August 12, 2020 and October 7, 2021
- 2021-2022 Ram 4500/5500 Chassis Cabs built between November 13, 2020 and October 8, 2021
This equals approximately 131,000 Ram heavy-duty trucks.
Pro Tip: If you have any questions about whether or not your vehicle is affected, visit the NHTSA website and put in your VIN to look up recalls and safety issues.
What to Do If Your Truck Is Affected
There isn’t anything you can do right now if you own a Ram truck model built during those dates. Until you receive a letter in the mail giving you clear instructions about what to do, just park your truck in a safe location.
It doesn’t hurt to give your dealer a call, but it may be in vain given the current situation. Dealers don’t yet know how to fix the problem since the cause is still undetermined.
The best thing you can do now is to make sure your correct address is on file so Ram can contact you in early December.
Check the Ram Recall Website for More Information
Again, if you have questions about the Ram recall, visit the NHTSA website and input your VIN. If your truck has any other safety issues, you can read about those as well.
Right now, it’s a waiting game. Until Ram can pinpoint the cause, the company can’t issue repair instructions to dealers.
But you can rest a bit easier knowing that although some fires have occurred, they haven’t been serious or deadly. Take care of your family and those who live around you by parking your truck away from buildings. Avoid parking in places like parking garages or near other vehicles.
Hopefully, in early December, we’ll all have the answers we need to resolve this problem. While you’re waiting, check the NHTSA website.
Is your truck listed for a recall?
Buy a Ford!!!!