More than 600,000 heavy-duty pickups built by Ram during the 2019 and 2020 model years are the target of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation due to a faulty fuel pump. Only trucks powered by the 6.7-liter turbodiesel engine are affected.

Documents posted on NHTSA’s website explain that the agency’s Office of Defects Investigation has received 22 complaints and two field reports claiming that the 6.7-liter turbodiesel straight-six either lost power or stalled completely while driving. The issue potentially affects 604,651 trucks, including the 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 variants of Ram’s popular pickup. The 1500 model is not included.

The agency notes that the high-pressure fuel pump is to blame; stalling occurs when the part fails. It adds that the issue mostly happens above 25 mph, and that the engine can’t be started again after it turns off. Interestingly, while the investigation was announced in October 2021, Ram has been looking into it since November 2019. It asked dealers to “collect, monitor, and correct quality issues” on some trucks powered by the 6.7-liter Cummins. It has collected and inspected several pumps as a result of this campaign, according to NHTSA.

As of writing, there have been no crashes, fires, injuries, or fatalities linked to the alleged defect. NHTSA officials explained they’re looking into “the scope, frequency, root cause, and potential safety-related consequences” of the problem. If the issue is deemed a safety hazard, the agency could ask Ram to recall affected trucks and fix them. Ram said it’s complying with investigators but provided no further details.

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Source: www.autoblog.com