Ram just issued a new safety recall, but it’s probably not what you’d expect.
Alongside its everyday offerings, Ram offers up some truly berserk models like the Ram 1500 TRX. With 777 horsepower on tap, you’d think the brand’s super truck would hit speeds in the same sort of ball park as equally powered sports cars. So why can’t they run at 180+ mph like Hellcat-powered cars and even SUVs can? Well, there are a couple reasons, each having to do with pesky physics. Beyond needing to stop something that massive from high speed, the truck’s chunky all-terrain tires are also speed-limited to 118 mph so they don’t, you know, explode. That second issue is what we’re looking at here with Ram’s heavy-duty trucks, as a new recall concerns the trucks being calibrated to go too fast.
Okay, as recalls go, that’s kind of a badass problem to have on its face. That said, it can be a serious safety issue for the reason I mentioned with the TRX: HD truck tires aren’t rated for major speed. They are generally rated for heavy loads, durability and year-round capability. Ram nevertheless told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a new recall report that some 2023 through 2026 model trucks were built with a speed calibration that can exceed the tires’ maximum speed rating.
Specifically, this impacts 12,736 examples of the Ram 2500 (not the 3500 or above), built between June 21, 2022 and April 14, 2026. Some trucks built in that period may not be included in the recall, and that’s either because they shipped with different tires, had the correct vehicle speed calibration, or were built before or after the suspect period. So, you’ll almost certainly need to check your particular truck’s VIN against the NHTSA’s database or Mopar’s recall website.
The fix is exactly what you think it is
As it happens, the automaker plans to notify dealers about the recall on Thursday, May 14. Beyond that, owners will get a notification in the mail on June 4.
Since some 2023-2026 Ram 2500 trucks were shipped out with an improper vehicle speed calibration, the fix is as straightforward as you’d imagine: They’ll get the correct calibration. A Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software update will remedy the situation, though I wonder how many folks out there will actually get this recall repair done.
Apart from inadvertently making the Ram 2500 a bit of an “outlaw” truck by letting it run faster than it should for the tires, this safety concern would only manifest itself for those who would actually drive their trucks near or above the max speed rating. To be clear, that is not a good idea under any circumstance, but at least this is not an issue that is outside a driver’s control as long as they watch their speed.
If you are the type to stay on top of any recall campaign, however, you should be able to address this when the owner notifications go out. For reference, the NHTSA recall number for this campaign is 26V-288, while Ram’s own internal recall code is 43D.
