Stellantis has launched a recall of more than 246,000 Ram Heavy Duty and Chassis Cab trucks to replace their fuel pumps because of wear that can lead to stalling or keep them from starting.
The 2019 and 2020 model year trucks being recalled are equipped with 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines, according to a Stellantis news release that notes the company, which also owns the Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge brands, is unaware of any related injuries or accidents.
Complaints about fuel pump failures in these trucks and reports of thousands of dollars in repair bills led to an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but the company said that the recall decision was made independently "as the company's defect-determination process was launched before the probe was announced."
"A review of warranty data led to an internal investigation that discovered the components are subject to inadvertent wear that may contaminate their mechanisms with metal shavings. If this occurs, it may cause the vehicles to stall or prevent them from starting," the news release said.
The automaker said it would begin notifying affected customers next month and directed those with questions or concerns to call (800) 853-1403. Recall service will be free.
The Free Press noted in October that the federal probe by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation was focused on 2019-20 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 pickups equipped with the 6.7-liter diesel engines.
A recall report for the 2019-2020 Ram 2500, for instance, posted on the NHTSA website said the "suspect period began on October 11, 2018, when Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel
engines with suspect (high pressure fuel pumps) were introduced into vehicle production, and ended on November 13, 2020, when Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines with suspect (high pressure fuel pumps) were no longer used in vehicle production."
In addition, national class action law firm Hagens Berman and others filed suit in U.S. District Court in Detroit in October alleging that the Bosch-made "CP4" fuel pumps don't work properly with U.S. diesel fuel. In the affected trucks, friction in the pump creates metal shavings that "contaminate the fuel system, eventually leading to catastrophic engine failure," according to the lawsuit.
