Following a $105 million total fine involving axle and steering defects on other Ram pickups, the automaker issued two separate recalls for 2012-2015 models. The first recall affects 1.06 million trucks, affecting 1500 through 5500 trim levels from 2012-2014, for a driver’s-side front airbag that can suddenly deploy due to an electrical short. A wiring harness inside the steering wheel can rub against a retainer spring in the airbag module. FCA first investigated the problem in September after receiving parts from three defective vehicles. In total, FCA knows of 55 inadvertent deployments and has bought back two pickups. Dealers will put caps on the springs and tie down the wiring harness so they don’t contact each other. Only vehicles with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option are included.
The second recall involves 667406 Ram pickups from 2013-2015—this time, only 1500 through 3500 models are included—for side and curtain airbags that can deploy when the doors are slammed shut. In addition, the seat-belt pretensioners can activate. FCA said it was aware of 37 owner complaints and two injuries, all of them on four-door cabs. The company opened an investigation in March and found “overly sensitive pressure and acceleration side impact thresholds” due to its supplier, Bosch, not receiving the proper calibration data from FCA for the four door models. The automaker said it had updated the airbag software in September and November 2014 after one of its engineering vehicles exhibited the problem from a door slam. Dealers will update the software again at a later date.
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