A number of Ram pickup trucks must be taken back to the dealers to fix an issue concerning their transmission.
In the initial information released by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ram’s parent company, it’s said that, in certain vehicles, occupants can inadvertently shift the gear selector out of ‘park’.
This can happen without stepping on the brake pedal, as it should, nd in some cases, there even’t doesn’t have to be a key in the ignition to do so, thus increasing the risk of a rollaway if the parking brake hasn’t been fully engaged.
“An FCA US investigation discovered the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) may overheat on certain vehicles equipped with steering column gear-shifters. This condition has been linked to protracted brake-pedal application while vehicles idle in ‘park'”, said FCA.
An estimated 180,975 trucks are included in this safety campaign in the United States alone. Additionally, another 42,045 units are found in Canada, 4,066 in Mexico, and 1,422 outside the NAFTA region.
The list is quite long, and includes certain 2017-2018 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups, 2017-2018 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs, 2016-2017 3500 chassis cabs with gross weight of less than 10,000lbs (4,536kg), and 2017-2018 1500.
The automotive giant advises owners “to follow the recommended operating instructions in their owners’ manuals”, or in plain English, always make sure they have engaged the parking brake before leaving their vehicle.
FCA will start notifying owners of the affected trucks in the near future, advising them when they may bring their trucks in for repairs.
