The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into previous recall remedies for nearly 1.2 million Ram trucks, reports the Detroit Free Press.
NHTSA announced a recall query would be opened into reports of failing brake transmission shift interlocks, centered on Rams 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 from model years 2013–2018, containing a column shifter.
Model years 2009–2017 of the same batch of Ram trucks were already recalled in 2017, when it was found trucks could be shifted out of park and into gear without the brake being pressed or key in the ignition. Then, in 2018, 180,000 more trucks were recalled for the same issue.
NHTSA has now received 14 vehicle owner complaints and six death and injury reports related to a similar transmission interlock failure—all on vehicles that had been repaired under the 2017 and 2018 recalls.
As a result, the agency will be evaluating how effective the automaker’s recall fixes were, and if any further action will be needed.
“We’re cooperating with NHTSA’s investigation,” said Frank Matyok, a Stellantis spokesperson, in an email to the Detroit Free Press.
