1.2m US trucks feared to be driving with dangerous safety lock issue linked to fatal accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a probe into Stellantis' Ram trucks, including models 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 from model years 2013 to 2018.
NHTSA said it received 14 consumer complaints and six reports of deaths or injuries involving failures of the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) system.
If the BTSI fails, the vehicle could roll away unexpectedly.
The issue is connected to earlier recalls that addressed a problem with the BTSI locking pin.
'Both recalls address a potential condition which can cause the BTSI locking pin to become stuck, allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without depressing the brake pedal and/or without having a key in the ignition,' NHTSA said.
'Shifting the transmission out of Park without pressing the brake pedal can result in a vehicle rollaway.'
NHTSA announced the recall query on Monday for the trucks equipped with a column mounted shift lever.
'The failures of the BTSI described in the VOQs occurred on vehicles that had all previously been repaired under recall 17V-821 or 18V-100,' the agency shared.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has now opened an investigation to 'review the effectiveness of the 17V-821 and 18V-100 recall remedies, understand the root cause of additional vehicle rollaway incidents, and identify any other possible root cause that may affect the performance of the BTSI system,' the alert said.
BTSI is a safety feature in many vehicles designed to prevent the driver from accidentally shifting the transmission out of 'Park' unless the brake pedal is pressed.
This system helps avoid unintended vehicle movement or rollaway accidents.
The BTSI uses a locking pin to hold the gear shift in the Park position.
If this pin becomes stuck or jammed, it may either prevent shifting out of Park or allow shifting out of Park without pressing the brake pedal.
When the locking pin fails, the transmission can be shifted out of Park without pressing the brake pedal or even without the ignition key inserted.
This increases the risk that the vehicle could roll away unexpectedly.
There have been 20 total incidents reported due to issues with the Stellantis trucks, including 12 crashes/fires and 7 injuries.
Ram trucks were previously a part of Dodge, but became a standalone brand in 2009.
It was integrated into Stellantis in 2021 when Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged with Groupe PSA.
Last month, the company announced it would bring back a rumbling, gas-guzzling V-8 engine after phasing out the iconic HEMI V-8 from the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup.
The automaker now says the big-bodied motor will return in 2026.
The brand's top boss apologized for killing the grunting 5.7-liter powerhouse.
'We own it. We got it wrong. And we're fixing it,' Tim Kuniskis, the CEO of the Ram brand, said in an advertisement, showing the executive driving the truck around a racetrack.
Kuniskis spoke over the thunderous growl of the truck's iconic firing cylinders.
'You hear that? That's our HEMI. And it's saying, 'We're back.''
For years, Ram raked in huge profits with the HEMI-powered full-size pickup trucks.
Last year, the company said it would replace the V-8 with a more efficient and powerful V-6, but the swap also stripped away some of the brand's signature brashness. Fans hated the move.
'Ram will lose me as a customer,' a truck-lover said in a Reddit post after Ram announced the HEMI was dead. 'What a sad day.'
Ram posted massive losses after moving on from the aggressive engine. Sales for the brand slumped more than 18 percent in 2024.
Ram's struggles contributed to a sales flop for its parent brand, Stellantis, which reported a 70 percent slash in profits last year.
But the engine's revival has sparked hope for a comeback. Kuniskis recently said he expects the HEMI to represent 25 to 40 percent of Ram 1500 sales in 2026.
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