Don’t be surprised if you come back to your parking spot only to discover that your Ram 1500 is gone. It may have rolled away! Over 1.2 million Ram trucks are being investigated. They might shift out of park, and there have been seven reports of related injuries. 

Over 1.2 million Ram trucks are being investigated due to rollaway risks 

Roughly 1,187,232 Ram trucks could be recalled for a third time due to the same issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially opened an investigation into the matter. 

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is examining two previous recalls related to transmission issues to assess the effectiveness of the remedies. Model year 2013 – 2108 Ram 1500 – 5500 trucks are involved. 

Ram 1500 and heavy-duty models equipped with a column-mounted shifter may have a transmission shift interlock system that can get stuck in the open position. This allows the trucks to be shifted out of park without a key in the ignition or pressure on the brake pedal. 

Shifting out of park without having the brake pedal depressed can result in the vehicle rolling away. The fix included replacing a faulty bracket and solenoid believed to be the cause of the problem. 

But since then, the NHTSA has received 20 complaints and seven injury reports related to trucks that have the same issue after being repaired. It’s unaware of any fatalities. 

The investigation will determine if the repair was adequate or faulty. It will also determine if the repair didn’t address the root cause of the issue. 

Ram thought it was related to a solenoid that would overheat and swell. This prevents a locking pin in the column shifter from properly functioning.