Chrysler recalling 280,000 heavy-duty trucks for fire risks

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chrysler-parent Stellantis is recalling 280,000 Ram heavy-duty diesel trucks worldwide for fire risks, a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a company statement showed on Thursday.

The recall covers 2020-2023 Ram 2500 and 2020-2022 Ram 3500 trucks. A build-up of pressure and heat inside the transmission may result in a transmission fluid leak that could spark a vehicle fire. The company has reports of 16 vehicle fires and one minor injury between March and October that may be related to the recall, but no crashes.

The recall covers trucks with 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines and automatic transmissions and includes 248,000 vehicles in the United States.

Stellantis said the leak may be preceded by a warning light and owners observing a warning light should contact dealers. Stellantis said the recall fix is under development.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Alison Williams and Tomasz Janowski)