So it's no surprise that a class-action has been filed on behalf of Canadian Ram 1500 owners who didn't get the vehicles they paid for if the suspension is unavailable for half the year.
Ram's parent company, Fiat-Chrysler, has laregely stayed quiet on the issue despite knowing about it since 2013. That's probably because they don't have a fix. One thing they do have though is cash, and I think some of that should go back to the owners that unknowingly overpaid for their trucks.
]]>When that happens you might have situation where the gear shift lever says PARK but the transmission is most definitely still in OMG REVERSE.
The vans all have the 3.6-liter engines. The recall is expected to begin in March 2020.
]]>
I hate to be a drag, but that number is only going to rise if this takes much longer.
]]>It’s almost as if FCA thought the were in control of the situation and then suddenly they weren’t 🤔
]]>A loose connection can lead to an open electrical circuit that can cause power steering to come and go on an inconsistent frequency. A driver won't lose the ability to steer the Ram 1500 but Chrysler says oversteer and understeer conditions may cause problems.
Ram estimates that the battery’s circuit fasteners weren’t properly secured in 182,000 trucks. This can easily restrict electrical current, shutting down electric motors like the one that powers the assisted steering.
The issue affects 182,000 Ram 1500 trucks built after October 25th, 2018.
]]>The settlement is pending preliminary approval from the court.
]]>[S]eparations occurred at the threaded couplers within the linkages that are intended to be used for adjusting the linkage lengths during alignments. In both cases, the drag links and couplers had to be replaced for drivers to steer the trucks.
What a drag.
More details are available on CarComplaints.com.
]]>Sounds smart, except when it’s not working.
Chrysler says the loose seat track position sensors on the manually-adjusted passenger seats can prevent the sensors from detecting if the seats are fully forward.
At least the recall only affects a tiny number of trucks, 23 in total.
]]>According to the lawsuit, the EPA found the “principal effect of one or more of these AECDs was to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative one or more elements of design installed to comply with emissions standards under the Clean Air Act.
So much for that eco part, huh?
If you’re a 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ram 1500 owner, you’re probably not going to be happy if the EPA requires engine modifications to meet federal guidelines.
Just ask these VW owners how those sort of “fixes” work out.
]]>The problem is with the ferrules (metal fasteners) used on the primary and secondary brake hoses located between the brake master cylinders and the hydraulic control units.
Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) tracked the issue to January 15th, 2018 when someone forgot to install the anti-corrosion plating. The recall is scheduled to begin June 20th, 2018.
]]>The recalled trucks were built between February 19, 2016 and March 3, 2016, and all will need both front halfshafts replaced.
"A fractured halfshaft can disconnect from the drive axle and cause all kinds of mayhem on the road, including by leaving parts of the SUV on the roads for other drivers to deal with."
There's no word on when the recall will begin.
]]>the Uconnect system in the Dodge Dart began to freeze and then shut off in April 2016, leaving a blank, black screen that didn't work, so the plaintiffs took their car to a dealership for repairs while the Dart was still under warranty. ... The dealership replaced the Uconnect system on May 14, 2016, but that same day the replacement system began to randomly black out.
The Uconnect's system module was replaced a month later, which caused the screen to flash back-and-forth from white to black.
Considering that's how you control things like the radio, navigation, climate control, etc. that seems less than ideal.
]]>Attorneys for Chrysler told the judge there is no evidence hackers have affected the vehicles since those vehicles were remedied under the recall and none of the owners say they changed their driving habits due to the hacking incident ... The judge dismissed most of the claims, three of those dismissed with prejudice, but ruled the plaintiffs do have standing to pursue damages for loss in value and overpayments for the vehicles.
It's possible those plaintiffs will receive some sort of settlement if they carry on with the case, but it's looking less likely for a nationwide compensation settlement.
]]>The recalled trucks were built between February 19, 2016 and March 3, 2016, and all will need both front halfshafts replaced.
"A fractured halfshaft can disconnect from the drive axle and cause all kinds of mayhem on the road, including by leaving parts of the SUV on the roads for other drivers to deal with."
There's no word on when the recall will begin.
]]>NHTSA concludes Chrysler vehicles that weren't part of the recalls don't have radios with built-in cellular access or short-range wireless features, which allegedly eliminate the hacking threat. In addition, third-party testing showed potential cellular vulnerabilities were fixed by wireless carrier Sprint or repaired through updates to the Uconnect software.
NHTSA wasn't impressed that most of the complaints they received came after researchers purposely took over a Jeep Cherokee. I'm not impressed that a whole new wave of potential hackers now know the vulnerabilties exist. To each their own, I suppose.
]]>The hack was possible because of the Harmon Kardon uConnect infotainment systems installed in the affected Jeeps and other vehicles. The plaintiffs claim the uConnect 3G systems in the vehicles should be physically disconnected from the controller area network bus. The CAN bus links together the electronics of the vehicle, including vital functions such as the braking system and transmission.
A lawsuit says FCA has known about the hacking vulnerabilities for 18 months and the only reason the automaker issued the recall was because they were exposed by a Wired.com article on July 21.
]]>The vehicles are equipped with Uconnect 8.4A (RA3) and 8.4AN (RA4) radios that contain a security vulnerability that allowed the Jeep to be hacked. Chrysler said it remotely closed an open port on July 22, 2015, which was meant to block long-range access through the cellular network ... In addition, the automaker will use a USB drive to upgrade the software in all affected vehicles to prevent future attacks.
It appears the government is focusing on the Uconnect radios. Just add it to the long list of complaints.
]]>The Ram lawsuit alleges Chrysler has known about the "death wobble" for years but did nothing until the automaker started ordering recalls that were ineffective and excluded affected trucks. Furthermore, the lawsuit says Chrysler used defective parts during recalls and in many cases, owners took their trucks to dealerships only to find out parts weren't available.
Many of the trucks mentioned in the lawsuit were recalled to replace their tie rods, but it turns out those replacement tie rods were defective.
]]>_ Lead plaintiff Shaun Sater [said] he tried to schedule appointments after receiving the 2013 recall notice but Chrysler didn't have the required parts. Sater says on March 24, 2014, the left tie-rod ball stud failed and caused the tires to turn in the opposite direction. Sater says he paid $1,000 of his own money to fix the truck that should have been fixed by Chrysler much earlier._
Chrysler wants the case dropped, saying they've already issued a recall to fix the problem and any additional problems related to the tie rods are happening outside of the vehicle's warranty period.
]]>One recall will target 842,400 model-year 2003-2008 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks to find 116,000 trucks that were repaired with tie-rod assemblies that could go out of alignment. The problem is serious enough to cause the tie-rod to break and cause a complete loss of steering control.
Only 13% of the recalled trucks actually have the problem, which means roughly 87% of owners are going to be pretty upset they wasted a day bringing their truck in to the shop.
]]>Two additional recalls will try to find vehicles known to have tie-rod assemblies linked to previous recalls. They include 294,000 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups, chassis cabs and 2008 Ram 1500 4x4 Mega Cabs; plus 43,500 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 4500 and 5500 4x4 chassis cabs.