Fiat-Chrysler is recalling more than 1 million Ram pickups in the U.S. for airbags that can suddenly deploy without warning, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Following a $105 million total fine involving axle and steering defects on other Ram pickups, the automaker issued two separate recalls for 2012-2015 models. The first recall affects 1.06 million trucks, affecting 1500 through 5500 trim levels from 2012-2014, for a driver’s-side front airbag that can suddenly deploy due to an electrical short. A wiring harness inside the steering wheel can rub against a retainer spring in the airbag module. FCA first investigated the problem in September after receiving parts from three defective vehicles. In total, FCA knows of 55 inadvertent deployments and has bought back two pickups. Dealers will put caps on the springs and tie down the wiring harness so they don’t contact each other. Only vehicles with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option are included.
-The second recall involves 667,406 Ram pickups from 2013-2015—this time, only 1500 through 3500 models are included—for side and curtain airbags that can deploy when the doors are slammed shut. In addition, the seat-belt pretensioners can activate. FCA said it was aware of 37 owner complaints and two injuries, all of them on four-door cabs. The company opened an investigation in March and found “overly sensitive pressure and acceleration side impact thresholds” due to its supplier, Bosch, not receiving the proper calibration data from FCA for the four-door models. The automaker said it had updated the airbag software in September and November 2014 after one of its engineering vehicles exhibited the problem from a door slam. Dealers will update the software again at a later date.
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- NHTSA Fines Fiat-Chrysler up to $105 Million, Jeep Owners Get $100 Gift Cards
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- FCA Will Buy Back 578,000 Ram Trucks After Failed Recalls
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- Fiat-Chrysler Recalls 1.4 Million Cars to Prevent Hacking
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Since a sizable portion of the affected Ram vehicles are covered by two recalls, the actual number of vehicles FCA is reporting is not two million, as some outlets are reporting. FCA could not give us an exact number. Many of these late-model Rams are also part of the 1.4 million FCA vehicles subject to a recall to prevent remote hacking. Some 200,000 Rams are subject to buybacks, due to delays in fixing problems with axle pinions and steering tie rods.
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