The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has launched an inquiry into more than 1.18 million Ram pickup trucks due to concerns over the effectiveness of past safety recalls. This investigation focuses specifically on potential failures involving the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) system, which is a key safety feature designed to prevent unintended vehicle movement.
The investigation follows the receipt of 14 consumer complaints alleging that previously implemented recall repairs did not effectively address the underlying safety issue. In addition, there have been six reports involving death or injury, resulting in seven known injuries. The trucks in question span a wide range of heavy-duty models, including the Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 series, all from the 2013 through 2018 model years. These specific vehicles are equipped with a column-mounted gear shifter.
According to government sources, these vehicles had previously been recalled under campaigns identified as 17V-821 and 18V-100. The first of these recalls, 17V-821, affected approximately 1.48 million trucks. The issue stemmed from the BTSI system being continuously energized, which could result in the plastic housing heating up, expanding, and eventually degrading the grease inside. Over time, this could cause the BTSI locking pin to stick in the open position. In that state, the vehicle’s transmission could be shifted out of “Park” without pressing the brake pedal—or even without inserting the key into the ignition. This malfunction poses a serious safety hazard, significantly increasing the risk of the truck rolling away unintentionally.
The second recall, 18V-100, involved a smaller pool of around 180,000 vehicles, primarily newer models from 2017 and 2018. This recall addressed the same fundamental flaw in the BTSI system. Despite these prior efforts to correct the issue, the new reports suggest that the solution may not have been comprehensive or durable over the long term.
As a result, the ODI is reopening the matter to scrutinize the effectiveness of the original recall remedies. Investigators are now working to determine why some trucks are still experiencing failures and whether there could be other contributing factors that were not initially considered. The goal of the investigation is not only to re-evaluate the past recalls but also to identify any alternative root causes that might be compromising the performance and reliability of the BTSI system in these Ram trucks.