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Ram Exterior Lighting Recalls: Turn Signal and Brake Light Problems
Ram exterior lighting problems here involve misleading signals, missing trailer lighting, and brake lights that illuminate without braking. The 2019-2021 ProMaster City recall concerns a turn signal flashing rate that may not change when a signal fails. Three notices concern Whelen brake lights on specialized 2018 emergency vehicles, including a RAM 5500-based Minuteman and a 5500-based fire truck; their wiring can allow illumination without pressing the brake pedal. The 2026 trailer tow module notice covers specified 2025-2026 Ram pickups and cab chassis vehicles and describes both trailer lighting and trailer brake failure. These defects can leave other drivers without accurate information about vehicle movement.
Warning signs to watch for
- ProMaster City turn signal recall Y71: the flashing rate may not change when one or both turn signals fail.
- Trailer tow module recall 03D: trailer lights may fail to illuminate and trailer brakes may fail.
- 2019 Excellance ambulance recall: brake lights may illuminate without the brake pedal being pressed.
- 2019 Blanchat Minuteman recall: brake lights may illuminate without the brake pedal being pressed.
- 2019 Unruh Fire recall: brake lights may illuminate without the brake pedal being pressed.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
None of the five notices gives a stop-driving or park-outside instruction. The ProMaster City Y71 notice does not tell owners to stop driving, and neither does trailer tow module recall 03D. The Excellance ambulance, Blanchat Minuteman, and Unruh Fire brake light notices also do not tell owners to stop driving. Those statements describe the instructions in the notices; they do not establish whether a particular vehicle's turn signals, brake lights, trailer lights, or trailer brakes are functioning.
What the free repair involves
For Y71, dealers update Body Controller Module software free of charge. For 03D, dealers replace the trailer tow module free of charge. Excellance directs owners to Whelen for free brake light replacement; Blanchat replaces the brake lights free of charge. Unruh Fire provides replacement brake lights free of charge.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 2 |
| medium | 3 |
Models affected most
Where owners report exterior lighting problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under exterior lighting for the RAM models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Exterior lighting complaints |
|---|---|
| 2025 RAM 3500 | 4 |
| 2021 RAM Promaster City | 1 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2, 2026 | Jeep And Ram Trailer Tow Module Failure | high |
| Sep 21, 2021 | Ram ProMaster City Turn Signals May Not Warn | high |
| May 13, 2019 | Ram 5500 Fire Truck Brake Lights Turn On Wrongly | medium |
| Mar 28, 2019 | RAM 5500 Minuteman Brake Lights Turn On Wrongly | medium |
| Mar 26, 2019 | Ambulance Brake Lights May Turn On By Mistake | medium |
Common questions
Why might my ProMaster City's turn signals fail without a faster flashing rate?
Recall Y71 covers certain 2019-2021 Ram ProMaster City vehicles whose flashing rate may not change if one or both turn signals fail. The notice specifies a free Body Controller Module software update to address this failure notification problem.
Does the trailer tow module recall affect trailer brakes too?
Recall 03D describes an improperly designed trailer tow module that can cause trailer lights to fail to illuminate and trailer brakes to fail. Its remedy is free module replacement. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.
Why do the emergency vehicle recalls mention brake lights coming on without braking?
The Excellance, Blanchat Minuteman, and Unruh Fire notices describe Whelen brake lights that may illuminate without pedal application, depending on vehicle wiring. Each specifies replacement lights, but the responsible company and replacement arrangements differ by notice.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.