The NHTSA received reports of post-recall failures in 2013-2018 Ram trucks.
Recalls are a common — if annoying — fact of life in modern truck ownership, but owners expect that diligently taking their vehicles in for repairs will actually fix whatever problem ails them. Sometimes the initial repairs don’t actually remedy the issue, though, and that is what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Stellantis (or FCA US LLC, more specifically) for as of July 3, 2025. The problem may impact as many as 1,187,232 Ram trucks between model years 2013 and 2018, all of which were subject to previous recalls for their brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI).
Back in 2017, NHTSA recall 17V-821 covered Ram trucks for an issue with a solenoid that could prevent a locking pin in column shifter-equipped trucks from properly engaging. Normally, that pin will prevent the shifter from moving out of the Park position except when the key is in the ignition and the brake is applied. If the BTSI fails to do what it should and the truck shifts out of Park, then you run the risk of a rollaway, with serious safety consequences. Another recall (18V-100) expanded the affected trucks to later model years.
This new investigation from the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) comes after 14 complaints that Ram’s fix at the time did not effectively remedy the problem. The agency is looking into whether the solution to install a bracket and replace an attached solenoid actually addressed the issue, whether the repair process was deficient, and whether there’s another root cause for the BTSI system’s problem performing as intended.
Right now, owners don’t have a recourse to get any new repairs outside the scope of the existing recalls. If the ODI’s investigation reveals this fix is not sufficient, though, Ram may have to go back to the drawing board to come up with a proper long-term fix, and issue a new recall from there.