Ram trucks recalled after reports of faulty side airbags, hurling shrapnel

Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler, said Friday it was recalling more than 266,000 of its pickup trucks in North America and other markets following a probe that found some vehicles may have faulty airbags that, if exploded, could hurl shrapnel toward passengers.

Side-curtain Air Bags
August 13, 2021; Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 212,373 U.S.-market vehicles to replace their side-curtain air bags.

An FCA US investigation discovered certain vehicles may be equipped with air-bag inflators that were contaminated by moisture during the supplier’s manufacturing process. Such inflators may rupture, even without air-bag deployment, possibly sending debris into the cabin.

The vehicle manufacturer said in a statement that the recall includes Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks from the 2015 to 2020 model years. Stellantis said the current-generation Ram 1500 truck is not affected by the recall.

Check to see if your vehicle has a recall:
Mopar(Dodge)
National Highway Traffic Safety(NHTSA)

The recall includes about 212,373 vehicles in the U.S. market, an estimated 42,532 in Canada and 3,802 in Mexico.

Side curtain airbags, also known as head curtain airbags, generally span the length of the cabin and provide head protection for outboard occupants in side-impact collisions. Side curtains also protect occupants in the event of a rollover, by helping to keep passengers inside the vehicle and from violently striking the interior of the vehicle.

Dallas Defective Air Bag Attorneys
Failure to deploy is only one result of a defect in a vehicle's air bag system. Late deployment can exacerbate injuries in a crash. Overly powerful deployment can pose serious risk of face, head and neck injuries, especially in smaller passengers, women and the elderly. In addition, the gases that power air bag deployment may cause serious chemical burns to the face, neck and chest.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributed more than 200 deaths to faulty airbag deployment in low-speed or low-severity auto crashes. Other serious injuries included tooth loss, eye injury, broken noses, whiplash, blindness, quadriplegia and partial decapitation. NHTSA also reports that over half those killed or injured by over-aggressive airbag deployment are children.

If you were severely injured or a loved tragically died in an accident in which the airbag did not deploy, or injured by airbag debris, we invite you to contact our Defective Airbag Attorneys at 214.987.0005 to discuss your rights and legal options with an experienced trial lawyer. Please fill out the contact form on this page to schedule an appointment. We offer free initial consultations to potential clients nationwide. If you are calling from outside the DFW Metroplex, please use our toll-free line at 888.987.0005 to schedule an appointment.