FCA Recalls Ram 1500 Trucks for Software Glitch Disabling Airbags

FCA recently announced a recall of roughly 343,000 Ram pickup trucks worldwide due to a software glitch that could disable airbags and seat belts during a crash.

The recall will affect 295,981 Ram 1500 pickups built from the October 31, 2017 to May 21, 2019 for the 2019 model year, as well as 26 units recently built for the 2020 model year. This includes trucks that were already sent off to dealerships as well as models that are still in the company’s possession.

The problem is in the truck’s occupant restraint controller (ORC), which may not reset properly when the vehicle is turned off. If the error occurs, there might be problems with the deployment of the airbags and seat belt pretensioners, which could increase the risk of injury during a crash.

“An FCA US investigation discovered certain vehicles are equipped with occupant restraint control modules that may not properly reset when their engines are turned off,” the company said in a statement. “This software error may inadvertently disable airbags and seatbelt pretensioners, making these devices unavailable in a collision.”

A seatbelt pretensioner’s function is to tighten the belt in a split second, and hold its occupant in place. This allows the airbag to work as intended and reduces the likelihood of passenger injury. In the event that a truck experiences the problem, an instrument panel warning light will illuminate.

There have been no reports on accidents and injuries related to the software error, but Fiat Chrysler has decided to announce a recall as a cautionary measure.

According to the company, most of the affected vehicles are in North America, one-third of which are still at dealerships.

The repairs for the malfunctioning software are expected to be available this month. FCA dealerships will conduct a reprogramming process on the module or replace it as necessary at no cost to owners.