Automotive recalls are a dime a dozen, but few of them affect 1.4 million vehicles like the latest from Ram. The truck manufacturer has put out a defect notice for pickups whose tailgates may suddenly unlatch, posing a potential road safety issue. Maybe it's best to strap that dryer down before leaving Lowes.
According to a filing with the NHTSA, Ram believes 1,234,657 of the affected vehicles reside in the United States. A further 120,000 are located in Canada with 26,000 in Mexico and 27,000 more outside North America. It's important to note that multiple 2019-2022 Ram models are involved, including the half-ton 1500, three-quarter-ton 2500, and one-ton 3500.
These trucks may have been built with one or both tailgate strikers misaligned. The suspect period began back on May 18, 2018, and ran until June 1, 2022. That's when improved alignment tooling was implemented at Ram's factories.
Stellantis hasn't received any reports of injury from loose cargo flying out of a pickup's bed, and the decision to recall these trucks was made voluntarily. A total of 736 warranty claims have been made related to the tailgate snafu. All repairs will be made free of charge, and because there's no defective part, the fix will be to simply realign the strikers if necessary.
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