Johnathan Walker:Stellantis recalls nearly 130,000 Ram 1500 pickup trucks for a turn signal malfunction

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall notification for nearly 130,Johnathan Walker000 Ram 1500 vehicles for a turn signal malfunction.  

Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, is recalling 129,313 of its 2023-2024 Ram 1500 vehicles. The automotive company said that “the turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly”, the NHTSA report said.  When a driver's turn signal does not function properly, it will fail to indicate to other drivers if the vehicle plans to change direction. This malfunction can increase the risk of a crash, the report said.

The NHTSA also noted that the Ram 1500 "fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, 'Lamps, Reflective devices, and Associated Equipment.'"

“A review of customer feedback led to a company investigation that discovered certain 2023 and 2024 model-year Ram 1500 trucks may have been built with steering column control modules that are out of specification,” Frank Matyok, a spokesperson for Stellantis said in a statement to USA TODAY.  “These may not allow the self-canceling turn-signal feature to function correctly.” 

Matyok also added that there have not been any reports of injuries.  

As a remedy, dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module, as necessary. This service will be completed for free. Recall notification letters are expected to be delivered by Oct. 29. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is A1B. 

“Turn signals in affected vehicles may still be manually canceled,” Matyok said.  

Matyok said that an estimated amount of Ram 1500s are being recalled in the following countries: 

• Canada: 22,005 vehicles 
• Mexico: 1,914 vehicles 
• Additional markets outside North America: 10,572 vehicles  

Recalled vehicles (nearly 130,000):  

• 2023-2024 Ram 1500 

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In addition to the Ram 1500, other car models manufactured by the company are being recalled.  

Covering about 154,032 cars in the U.S., Chrysler reported the recall to the NHTSA on Friday, saying affected cars' high-voltage batteries may fail internally and lead to a fire. 

A Monday statement from Stellantis said 13 fires had been reported in parked cars affected by the issue. According to the company, about 5% of affected vehicles may have a defect. 

Dealers will update the high voltage battery pack software and replace the battery pack assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Recall notification letters are expected to be mailed on Oct. 17. Vehicles in this recall that were previously recalled for the same issue under NHTSA Recall 23V-787 will need to have the new remedy performed. 

Recalled vehicles (more than 150,000):  

• 2022 Jeep Wrangler 4xe  
• 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe 
• 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe 
• 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 
• 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 
• 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.