NHTSA Complaint #11387860 — 2016 RAM 1500

ON OCTOBER 24, 2019 NHTSA ISSUED CAMPAIGN NO.19V757000, TO ADDRESS THE RAM 1500 ECODIESEL EGR COOLER MAY CRACK AND CAUSE FIRE. I OWN ONE OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES AND THOUGHT PROMPT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER. I WAS INITIALLY TOLD THERE WAS A DELAY MANUFACTURING AND SHIPPING THE PARTS. I HAD MY NAME ADDED TO A LIST AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR. UPON RECEIVING AN "URGENT SAFETY RECALL" NOTICE FROM FCA THIS WEEK, I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT COULD BE UP TO A YEAR (OCT - NOV 2021 TIMEFRAME) BEFORE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FIX MY VEHICLE. BASED ON ONLINE REPORTS, SOME OWNERS ARE HAVING THEIR VEHICLES FIXED QUICKLY, WHILE OTHER OWNERS, LIKE MYSELF, ARE BEING FORCED TO WAIT A UP TO TWO YEARS TO HAVE THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ADDRESSED. ALLOWING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD TO BE DRIVEN ON PUBLIC ROADS IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD EXPECT THE NHTSA TO CONDONE. THIS RECALL, AND OTHER SAFETY RELATED ISSUES (I.E., CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE) WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE NHTSA MUST CONSIDER TAKING MORE IMMEDIATE AND STRONGER ACTIONS AGAINST FCA TO EITHER CORRECT, IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER, OR BUY BACK THESE VEHICLES AND REMOVE THEM FROM OUR PUBLIC ROADS.