NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
283 reports15,000 miles · Dec 2, 2015
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION NODE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAI…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION NODE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10808015
70,000 miles · Nov 30, 2015
Steering
THIS TRUCK HAS HAD ISSUES WITH STEERING SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS STEERING RELATED RECALL (13V529000) FIXED YET THE STEERING STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I HAD BROUGHT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST SUNDAY I TURNED ON TO A TWO LANE …
Read full complaint
THIS TRUCK HAS HAD ISSUES WITH STEERING SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS STEERING RELATED RECALL (13V529000) FIXED YET THE STEERING STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I HAD BROUGHT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST SUNDAY I TURNED ON TO A TWO LANE ROAD AND AT A CRUISING SPEED OF ABOUT 35 MPH MY STABILITY CONTROL STARTED GOING CRAZY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, A LOUD POP. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT REACTING TO MY TURNING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS ON A SLIGHT RIGHT CURVE AND VEERING INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE WITHOUT STEERING AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES JUST BEFORE HITTING A PARKED VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I AVOIDED A HEAD-ON COLLISION ONLY BY CHANCE THAT THERE WASN'T A VEHICLE COMING THE OTHER DIRECTION. WITH THE KNOWN STEERING ISSUES OF THE TRUCK I AM NERVOUS THE EXISTING RECALL DIDN'T PROPERLY FIX THE TRUCK'S STEERING PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE STEERING RECALLS. I HAD A BROKEN DRAG LINK TERMINAL AND PITTMAN ARM (NEITHER UNDER WARRANTY). MY TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON-ROAD ONLY AND UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT CONDITIONS FOR ALL THE MILES. IN MY OPINION THESE CRITICAL COMPONENTS SHOULD NEVER BREAK ESPECIALLY AT ONLY 70K MILES ON A SUPPOSEDLY HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, THIS EVENT COULD HAVE ENDED MUCH MUCH WORSE. WE ARE THANKFUL.
NHTSA ODI #10807581
Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 2015
SteeringSuspension
MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE RAM TRUCK REPURCHASE UNDER RECALL N49. FCA US SENT ME AN OFFER FOR MY TRUCK THAT I RECEIVED OCTOBER 26. I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK AND E-MAILED IT TO THE LISTED ADDRESS. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY, OCTOBER 27 AND FCA US VERIFIED THEY HAD RECIEVED MY DOCUMENTATION. THEY SAID A CHECK FOR THE REPURCHASE HAD BE…
Read full complaint
MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE RAM TRUCK REPURCHASE UNDER RECALL N49. FCA US SENT ME AN OFFER FOR MY TRUCK THAT I RECEIVED OCTOBER 26. I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK AND E-MAILED IT TO THE LISTED ADDRESS. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY, OCTOBER 27 AND FCA US VERIFIED THEY HAD RECIEVED MY DOCUMENTATION. THEY SAID A CHECK FOR THE REPURCHASE HAD BEEN REQUESTED. I WAS INFORMED THIS WOULD ONLY TAKE 2-3 DAYS TO ISSUE A CHECK. I CALLED BACK ON NOVEMBER 17 BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM FCA US FOR THREE WEEKS. AT THIS POINT FCA US CLAIMED THEY WERE WAITING ON MY DOCUMENTS. I TOLD THEM THEY HAD ALREADY VERIFIED RECEIPT OF SAID DOCUMENTATION ON OCTOBER 27. THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID " LET ME LOOK" AND AFTER LOOKING VERIFIED FCA US DID HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION AND STATED THEY WOULD REQUEST A CHECK FOR THE REPURCHASE. I ASKED HOW LONG UNTIL I COULD EXPECT TO HERE FROM THEM AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ARE NOT GIVING TIMES. I QUESTIONED THE FACT THAT THEY TOLD ME 2-3 DAYS 3 WEEKS AGO AND WAS TOLD "THAT'S NOT TRUE, WE ARE NOT GIVING TIMES". IS FCA US GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE ANY INTENT IN PAYING ME OR MY FAMILY FOR OUR UNSAFE VEHICLE. THIS RAM 2500 IS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE AND I CANNOT REPLACE IT UNTIL FCA US PAYS US WHAT IS OWED AND THIS BEING OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE WITH FAULTY STEERING THAT COULD BREAK AND CAUSE US TO CRASH.
NHTSA ODI #10794536
15,000 miles · Nov 17, 2015
SteeringSuspension
I HAVE A 2012 RAM 2500 WITH 20,000 MILES. WHENEVER YOU GO OVER A BUMP OR RAILROAD TRACK THE TRUCK STARTS TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY TRAVELING AT 70 AND HIT A BUMP AND COULDN'T EVEN SEE STRAIGHT IT WAS WOBBLING SO BAD. HAVE BROUGHT TO DEALER WH…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2012 RAM 2500 WITH 20,000 MILES. WHENEVER YOU GO OVER A BUMP OR RAILROAD TRACK THE TRUCK STARTS TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ON THE NEW YORK THRUWAY TRAVELING AT 70 AND HIT A BUMP AND COULDN'T EVEN SEE STRAIGHT IT WAS WOBBLING SO BAD. HAVE BROUGHT TO DEALER WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD STEERING DAMPENER WAS REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MY WIFE WILL NOT USE THE TRUCK BECAUSE IS TERRIFIED OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED MANY RAM TRUCKS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER COULD RESULT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
NHTSA ODI #10794524
260 miles · Nov 16, 2015
EngineStructureUnknown Or Other
EXHAUST SMALL IN CAB WIN USING THE ENGINE BRAKE.
NHTSA ODI #10790636
33,000 miles · Nov 3, 2015
Suspension
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE U-JOINT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WA…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE U-JOINT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
NHTSA ODI #10787998
44,000 miles · Nov 2, 2015
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A TIRE ROTATION, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V529000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A TIRE ROTATION, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V529000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
NHTSA ODI #10787666
45,000 miles · Oct 29, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService BrakesFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE EXHAUST FRACTURED CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WIRING AND THE ABS WIRING TO MELT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPES ,THE ABS, AND THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE EXHAUST FRACTURED CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WIRING AND THE ABS WIRING TO MELT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPES ,THE ABS, AND THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000.
NHTSA ODI #10786982
7,771 miles · Oct 29, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE, THE FILLER NECK REJECTED FUEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PUMP TO REFUEL AND WOULD RESPOND AS IF THERE WERE A FULL TANK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOW ON FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE, THE FILLER NECK REJECTED FUEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PUMP TO REFUEL AND WOULD RESPOND AS IF THERE WERE A FULL TANK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOW ON FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,771. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10786930
30,000 miles · Oct 27, 2015
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
PRIOR TO EPA EMISSIONS RECALL I WOULD ACHIEVE DIESEL FUEL EFFICIENCIES AS HIGH AS 21 MPG HIGHWAY, PULLING A 18 FOOT TRAILER AT A 1 HOUR DURATION. THE CITY MPG AVERAGED TO 13-15 MPG, SINCE THE EMISSIONS RECALL UPDATE MADE ON THIS VEHICLE, MPG HAS AVERAGED BETWEEN 10-13 MPG ON HIGHWAY WITH NO LOAD/NO TRAILER AND AVERAGES BETWEEN …
Read full complaint
PRIOR TO EPA EMISSIONS RECALL I WOULD ACHIEVE DIESEL FUEL EFFICIENCIES AS HIGH AS 21 MPG HIGHWAY, PULLING A 18 FOOT TRAILER AT A 1 HOUR DURATION. THE CITY MPG AVERAGED TO 13-15 MPG, SINCE THE EMISSIONS RECALL UPDATE MADE ON THIS VEHICLE, MPG HAS AVERAGED BETWEEN 10-13 MPG ON HIGHWAY WITH NO LOAD/NO TRAILER AND AVERAGES BETWEEN 9-11 MPG IN CITY. THESE BENCHMARKS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY COMPARED AND ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN SAME. TO ADD TO THIS ISSUE, THERE HAS BEEN A LOSS OF POWER THAT HAS CAUSED UNEXPECTED HESITATION IN A NUMBER OF INSTANCES. SEVERAL TIMES I WAS PUT IN HARMS WAY AS CROSSING CITY DIVIDED HIGHWAY, CROSSING STREETS AND/OR DIVIDING HIGHWAYS WHERE THAT MULTI-DIRECTIONAL TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE NOT ALWAYS PRESENT. TO FURTHER EXPLAIN, REALIZING THE POWER PICKUP WAS NOT PRESENT AND TURBO DID NOT SEEM TO BE 'SPUN UP' EVEN THOUGH ACCELERATION WAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. NOTE, TO HELP TO POSSIBLY REMEDIATE THESE POTENTIAL ACCIDENT OCCURRENCES, I MUST POWER BRAKE AND INCREASE ENGINE RPM'S TO HELP BRING THE VEHICLE TO A POWER LEVEL TO REDUCE THE RISK OF POWER LATENCY. THIS SOMETIMES HELPS BUT NOT ALWAYS BECAUSE POWER IMPOTENCY SEEMS TO BE UNPREDICTABLE AT TIMES.
NHTSA ODI #10786215
Official recalls
4Dec 20, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
Jul 22, 2015
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option. The affected vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub against the driver air bag module retainer spring.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: This abrasion may result in an electrical short that could cause driver's frontal air bag to unexpectedly deploy. Inadvertent deployment of the air bag may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on September 18, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R36.
Oct 8, 2014
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Fuel System, Diesel
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured March 27, 2009, to September 5, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the electrical connectors of the diesel fuel heater may overheat.
Consequence: If the connectors overheat, the fuel heater may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the harness side connector with a silver plated beryllium copper terminal service kit, and inspect the fuel heater for leaks, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Chrysler issued interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014. The recall began on April 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P65.
Nov 6, 2013
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 2500 4X4 and 3500 4X4 trucks, 2008-2012 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis, and model year 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4. The left tie rod assembly may break.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler notified owners on January 16, 2014 that dealers would inspect vehicles and replace the steering linkage assembly, if necessary. On or about February 27, 2014, Chrysler ceased its recall remedy program due to parts quality concerns, and then re-initiated it on or about April 14, 2014. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N49.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA19001 · Electrical Overstress
Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications. The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU. In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment. FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle. Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW. These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes. An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time. In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU. This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners. Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW. The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation. The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage. There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation. The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU. If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC. Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC. All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled. In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024. With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
Illustration