Ram 1500 rear driveshaft may crack and break
high How serious is it? About this label
Serious, since a driveshaft can break apart and cost you drive power or drop into the road; the notice does not order owners to park the truck, but this repair should not wait.
What's wrong, in plain English
On some 2018-2019 Ram 1500 pickups, the rear driveshaft — the spinning bar that sends power from the transmission to the rear wheels — may have a bad weld where the tube joins its end piece. That weld can crack, and the driveshaft can break apart. If it breaks, it can drop off the truck and become an obstacle for other drivers, or the truck can simply stop pulling. Dealers will replace the rear driveshaft free of charge.
What you should do
2. Contact your Ram dealer, or FCA US at 1-800-853-1403 (recall V48), to schedule service.
3. Have the rear driveshaft replaced — there is no cost to you.
Affected vehicles (2)
Who to contact
RAM — official RAM recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-853-1403
The bigger picture
- Ram transmission, park and driveline recalls: what owners need to know · all 13 RAM recalls in this area
Official notice
- Component
- POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
- Summary
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ram 1500 pickup trucks. The rear driveshaft may have an incomplete weld fusion between the tube and tube yoke, which may lead to weld cracking or the driveshaft fracturing.
- Safety risk
- A fractured rear driveshaft could detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, or it may result in a loss of drive power, both of which can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. The FCA US recall number is V48.
Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.