Fiat Chrysler Recalls 1.2 Million Ram Pickup Trucks3 hours 2 minutes ago - DJNFBy Chester DawsonDETROIT- -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Friday issued a recall for an estimated 1.2 million Ram pickup trucks in North America to fix a glitch in safety system sensors, linking the problem to one death and two injuries.The recall impacts certain 2013-2016 model year Ram light-duty 1500, medium-duty 2500 and heavy-duty 3500 trucks, about one million of which are in the U.S., with another 216,007 in Canada and 21,668 in Mexico, the company said.FCA said it "is aware of one fatality, two injuries and two accidents that may be related." It didn't provide further details on those incidents.The faulty sensors could temporarily disable deployment of side air-bags and seat-belt tightening mechanisms in the event of a vehicle rollover after "a significant underbody impact," it said.The recall is the largest issued by FCA since May last year when it recalled about 4.3 million 2004-2012 model year vehicles to replace their front-passenger air bag inflaters following the recommendation of supplier Takata Corp., whose air bags have been implicated in multiple deaths and injuries in the U.S. FCA said then it wasn't aware of any accidents of injuries involving its vehicles.Write to Chester Dawson at chester.dawson@wsj.com(END) Dow Jones NewswiresMay 12, 2017 07:30 ET (11:30 GMT)Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Is this for the backup sensors?

I love the word "temporarily" in the description. It only fails during the accident but then may work later. Isn't that the same as failing period?

wnjj wrote:I love the word "temporarily" in the description. It only fails during the accident but then may work later. Isn't that the same as failing period?Based on this statement (after "a significant underbody impact,") it sounds like a very specific scenario. Not sure all the specifics of crash testing but if they only test side impacts by running an object into it, they could conceivably miss the dynamics of running off the road and hitting a ditch, etc.I have no knowledge of crash testing and certification so I am just guessing based on the press release.

mich800 wrote:wnjj wrote:I love the word "temporarily" in the description. It only fails during the accident but then may work later. Isn't that the same as failing period?Based on this statement (after "a significant underbody impact,") it sounds like a very specific scenario. Not sure all the specifics of crash testing but if they only test side impacts by running an object into it, they could conceivably miss the dynamics of running off the road and hitting a ditch, etc.I have no knowledge of crash testing and certification so I am just guessing based on the press release.I understand it's a rare situation (under body hit) but it's funny to call it "temporarily disabled". If it's disabled when needed, temporarily is irrelevant.

Report Receipt Date: MAY 09, 2017 NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V302000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC)SUMMARY:Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 vehicles. Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). If this fault occurs, the rollover side curtain air bag and the seat belt pretensioner will be disabled from deploying.CONSEQUENCE:If the rollover side curtain air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash that necessitates activation of these safety systems.REMEDY:Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 23, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T25.NOTES:Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Another Recall | Good Sam Community

Lantley
Nomad
May 13, 2017
blofgren wrote:
It sounds like a bit of a rare situation but good on them for issuing the recall. I'll wait for my notice in the mail! :)

It's not that rare if people have died and the side airbag did not activate
Ron3rd
Explorer III
May 13, 2017
larry barnhart wrote:
Always happy to have a recall. Had 3 of them on our GMC. GMC is gone now and will miss it very much.

chevman

Had a couple on my Tundra and about 3 or 5 on the Chevy Traverse. I've had recalls on every car/truck I've ever owned.

Looks like I'm gonna be getting a letter on the new Cummins!
blofgren
Explorer
May 13, 2017
It sounds like a bit of a rare situation but good on them for issuing the recall. I'll wait for my notice in the mail! :)
bob_nestor
Explorer III
May 13, 2017
dodge guy wrote:
So the system didn't work in some type of underbody impact it wasn't tested for? Real world testing is the best way to find problems with a vehicle. Give it to a human and they will find the fault in it some where, where it was never conceivably thought to have. It's a good thing they aren't putting breathalyzers in vehicles. Someone would say "well it didn't keep the car from starting when I was drunk, so it let me drive!"

As we used to say when I worked as an engineer, "if you design something to be idiot proof, some idiot will come along and prove you wrong."
dodge_guy
Explorer II
May 13, 2017
So the system didn't work in some type of underbody impact it wasn't tested for? Real world testing is the best way to find problems with a vehicle. Give it to a human and they will find the fault in it some where, where it was never conceivably thought to have. It's a good thing they aren't putting breathalyzers in vehicles. Someone would say "well it didn't keep the car from starting when I was drunk, so it let me drive!"
mowermech
Explorer
May 12, 2017
mich800 wrote:
mowermech wrote:
Ah. 2013-2016 Ram trucks.
Mt 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 is good to go.
There ARE times when a nearly 20 year old rig is a wonderful thing...

But I think in a roll over your '99 would exhibit what Fiat would call a permanent failure of the side curtain airbags. :B

Did they even have seatbelts in the '99's. :)

No, the side curtain airbags would not fail. They can't fail, there are none. For which I am quite grateful! (That doesn't look right, but spellcheck says it is, so I will leave it)
Yes, there are seatbelts in the 1999 trucks.
I am very careful to avoid a rollover. Since 1958, I have not had one.
mich800
Explorer
May 12, 2017
mowermech wrote:
Ah. 2013-2016 Ram trucks.
Mt 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 is good to go.
There ARE times when a nearly 20 year old rig is a wonderful thing...

But I think in a roll over your '99 would exhibit what Fiat would call a permanent failure of the side curtain airbags. :B

Did they even have seatbelts in the '99's. :)
mowermech
Explorer
May 12, 2017
Ah. 2013-2016 Ram trucks.
Mt 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 is good to go.
There ARE times when a nearly 20 year old rig is a wonderful thing...
larry_barnhart
Explorer
May 12, 2017
Always happy to have a recall. Had 3 of them on our GMC. GMC is gone now and will miss it very much.

chevman
HouseApe
Explorer
May 12, 2017
Report Receipt Date: MAY 09, 2017
NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V302000
Component(s): AIR BAGS

Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC)
SUMMARY:
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 vehicles. Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). If this fault occurs, the rollover side curtain air bag and the seat belt pretensioner will be disabled from deploying.
CONSEQUENCE:
If the rollover side curtain air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash that necessitates activation of these safety systems.
REMEDY:
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 23, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T25.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

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