“Hey, that thing got a Hemi?” has devolved into “Hey, that thing got brakes?” For owners of Ram HD trucks, the unfortunate answer is no. More than 300,000 vehicles are being recalled due to a brake hydraulic control unit (HCU) issue that can cause the system to fail. What percentage of the recall population might actually have the defective braking system? All of them.
According to the NHTSA recall report, the affected vehicles are 2017 and 2018 Ram 2500 and 3500 as well as chassis-cab variants of the 3500, 4500, and 5500. The total number of trucks being recalled is 317,630. However, Carscoops reports that Mopar is recalling an additional 84,923 units that were installed as replacement parts on trucks from model years 2012 to 2018. That’s…a lot.
The Ram recall states the faulty HCUs are “susceptible to failure or malfunction, which may result in a reduction or change of Anti-Lock Brake System (“ABS”)/Electronic Stability Control (“ESC”)/Traction Control performance.”
Although a warning light will illuminate should there be a brake issue, the failure can occur anytime. The automaker sent a notice to dealers this week stating that the HCU failure is initially intermittent but eventually will progress to “permanent loss” of the ABS and TCS. Lack of ABS, ESC, or TCS not only minimizes the driver’s vehicle control but “may cause a vehicle crash without prior warning.” The fact that HD trucks are generally used as work vehicles to haul heavy loads makes this recall all the more concerning.
The suspected Ram production period is from April 1, 2017, to December 29, 2018. However, then parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) received complaints as early as 2016. From November 1, 2016, through March 5, 2024, the automaker logged 4,622 customer assistance records, 53,448 warranty claims, and 1,460 field reports “potentially relating” to the defective HCUs. Yet, the NHTSA investigation didn’t formally begin until November 28, 2022.
Despite the number of complaints, Stellantis says it is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to the HCU recall. Owner notifications will be mailed next month, and dealerships will replace the HCUs free of charge.