2021 Ram 1500 pickup recalled for engine stall issue

The 2021 Ram 1500 pickup truck equipped with certain engines has been recalled because it can stall while being driven, the NHTSA disclosed Monday. The recall represents an escalation from a technical service bulletin that had been issued earlier.

Trucks equipped with Ram’s 5.7-liter eTorque engine, which is a V-8 supplemented with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, can stall due to an “over rich fuel condition” caused by a programming error in the power control unit. If the engine stalls or shuts down while driving, it poses an additional crash risk to operators and other road users.

The Ram 1500 can be optioned with a V-6 eTorque engine as well, but that is not part of the current recall. 

The recall encompasses 131,700 trucks but is limited to the Ram 1500 equipped with a mild-hybrid 5.7-liter V-8 built from June 3, 2020 to Sept. 12, 2021. Ram said it was aware of one crash and no injuries related to the recall, though there were 636 warranty claims and 53 field reports. 

Dealers will update the control module to recalibrate the software. Reimbursement will be provided for owners who have already paid for repairs, with proof of receipt or “other adequate proof of payment.” Owners can expect notification by mail as early as June 2. For more information, contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or visit Ram’s recall page.