2012 Dodge Ram 5500

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.

The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Ram. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph the vehicle started making noise coming from the engine compartment. The smoke originates from the engine compartment and the exhaust pipe in the rear of the vehicle and when the accelerator was depressed the vehicle did not accelerate. Additionally, the check engine safety warning light became illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle veered to the side of the road where the vehicle was turned off but the engine continued to run. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the Engine, Intake system, and Exhaust needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified, The failure mileage was 73,031.

NHTSA ID

11516561

Incident

Mar 21, 2023

Mileage

73,031 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 5500. WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS CRACKED IN THE REAR ON BOTH SIDES NEAR THE REAR WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WICKSTROM CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (LOCATED AT 660 W NORTHWEST HWY, BARRINGTON, IL 60010, (847) 382-5400), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER TOOK PICTURES OF THE FAILURE AND SENT IT TO THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A WELDING SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 58372436. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11220183

Incident

Apr 6, 2019

Mileage

27,000 mi

FRAME ON TRUCK HAS CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES JUST BEFORE THE REAR WHEELS.

NHTSA ID

11204115

Incident

Mar 20, 2019

Mileage

26,850 mi

THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY! THE SWITCH MUST BE MOVED AROUND IN THE SWITCH TO START THE TRUCK. ADDITIONALLY WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK MAY JUST QUITE RUNNING, THIS CAUSES THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES TO BECOME MANUAL. THIS BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS WHEN HAULING LOADS AS STOPPING DISTANCES ARE GREATLY INCREASED, NOT TO MENTION NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. IF YOU ARE GOING AROUND A CORNER WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU MAY NOT MAKE THE CORNER RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH ONCOMING VEHICLES. THIS IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE IS COMMON IN THIS YEAR OF RAM TRUCK IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF YOUR DRIVING OR SETTING AT A LIGHT THE TRUCK QUITS RUNNING AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART WITHOUT REPLACING OR REPAIRING THE SWITCH. SO FAR FIAT CHRYSLER HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE DESIGN, IT APPEARS THEY ARE HAPPY COLLECTING THE $300 + DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH JUST TO HAVE THEM GO OUT AGAIN IN LESS THAN A YEAR. JUST LOOK AT THE INTERNET, MANY ISSUES. THIS IS DEFIANTLY A SAFTY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11163746

Incident

Dec 12, 2018

Mileage

30,000 mi

2012 DODGE RAM 5500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFICIENT WELDS ON THE FRONT DRIVE AXLE RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED AS DIRECTED BY THE NOTICE, BUT DID NOT FULLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE STILL SERIOUS CRACKS IN THE AXLE AND FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10689351

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

2012 DODGE 5500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND CLOCKSPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUES AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WERE INOPERABLE. THIS INCLUDES THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. UPDATED 09/11/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

11021970

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 RAM 5500. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V739000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,025.

NHTSA ID

10984734

Incident

Dec 31, 2016

Mileage

78,025 mi

HAVE PROBLEMS WITH TRUCK WANDERING ALL OVER ROAD AT SPEEDS OVER 40-45-MPH FROM WHEN TRUCK WAS NEW... MANY TIMES I TRIED TO GET TRUCK IN AFTER RECALL NOTICES AND DID NOT HAVE PARTS. NOT RESOLVED TO THIS DATE. NOW NEW PROBLEM I HAVE IS STEERING IS VERY TIGHT AND DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER TURNING AND IS A MAJOR DANGER. TRUCK WAS JUST IN DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM AND FIXED ONE RECALL WHICH WAS TO REPLACE STEERING LINKAGE THAT WAS DONE BUT DID NOTHING NOTHING TO FIX MY HARD STEERING AND NOT RETURNING TO CENTER STEERING PROBLEM .I HAVE BEEN WAITING ALMOST A WEEK FOR A CALL BACK FROM DODGE CUSTOMER CAR NOW. THERE IS STILL A RECALL ON FRONT AXLE WELDS THAT HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE OF LACK OF PARTS THAT I HAVE TRIED TO TAKE CARE OF ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ?

NHTSA ID

10898510

Incident

Aug 25, 2016

Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning

BEARING - CRANKSHAFT THRUST and KIT

BEARING - CRANKSHAFT THRUST and KIT

Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.

LAMP - DOME

LAMP - DOME