FCA’s Ram Trucks Can’t Even Make A Tailgate That Works Properly
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Despite GM trucks gaining 3 percent in retail market share during the second quarter of 2019, the clamoring from the FCA camp about the Ram Pickup outselling the Chevrolet Silverado seems to have no bounds. However, it appears that the increase in Ram Trucks sales volume, itself a thing of smoke and mirrors, is built on a shaky foundation as quality-related issues are continuing to surface.
In August of last year, FCA recalled 1.4 million Ram 1500, Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 pickup trucks due to registered customer complaints about tailgate failures. Initially, the brand claimed that trucks from the 2015-2017 model years were the only ones affected. But now, one year later, the recall has been expanded to cover trucks from 2013-2018, which includes another 690,000 vehicles. Tally all that up, and FCA is looking at a grand total of over 2 million Ram Pickups impacted by the action.
The issue arises from the power tailgate – an oft-advertised feature of Ram Trucks. As it stands, the power lock actuator control assembly, which acts similarly to a power window regulator, has a physical “limiter tab” installed within it that controls how far the tailgate is allowed to lower.
Over time, these tabs will fracture, due in part to the weight and leverage of the tailgate, and ultimately fail. When the assembly fails, the tailgate no longer latches securely and will fall, often while driving – not a desired or safe condition.
2019 GMC Sierra 1500 with MultiPro Tailgate
In fact, a falling tailgate could result in catastrophic damage, especially to other vehicles in traffic, if the Ram pickup in question is transporting anything in the bed and the tailgate failure occurred. For the time being, FCA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) say that no crashes or injuries have been reported as a result of this condition.
2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
For prospective buyers and current owners of Ram trucks, there is an easy solution should one not wish to deal with the inconvenience or potential safety hazards associated with the recall. That solution is called the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Both GM trucks feature a traditional tailgate, while the Sierra offers the optional MultiPro tailgate that features six positions for various use-cases.
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Source: CarComplaints.com
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And I find it just hilarious, outright hilarious !!
All the ” brand people ” say their brand is the best !!!
When they all just point out each others recalls and faults !!!
Like I have been saying here on this site for a while now.
I have driven GM for 39 years and the last three GM vehicles have been horrible vehicles !!!
And the horrible GM customer support well its horrible, actually there is no GM customer support !!!
So buy what you like to drive, from someone who will take care of you, GM has sunk to the lowest point in my ownership of 39 years !!
So far my 2020 HD is great, but that’s a week and 1000 miles so ——
But all this ” faulty parts ” talk, can’t anyone engineer anything correctly these days !!!
Any way who ever takes better care of the customer will win this battle not the number of faulty parts.
And in my opinion GM is horribly behind on customer satisfaction or customer support !!
I am driving two GM vehicles with ” known faulty parts ” on them as we speak,
How do I know they are ” known faulty parts “, you ask ?
Because I have the letters, get that letters, more than one per two vehicles, from GM !!!
And they do nothing but push it out of the warranty period on to the next owner to deal with the junk !
What has happened to GM !!!
This is on the previous gen RAM 1500. Why is this even newsworthy and spun as if it’s a 19?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the same mechanism is used on the 2019’s. They just didn’t recall them yet since there might not be enough evidence for the feds to push for a recall. Much like Ford didn’t recall 2015+ F-150’s that ised the identical master cylinder known to have a high rate of sudden failure on pre-2015 F-150’s.
The multi use tailgate isn’t even the one being recalled.
“For prospective buyers and current owners of Ram trucks, there is an easy solution should one not wish to deal with the inconvenience or potential safety hazards associated with the recall. That solution is called the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Both GM trucks feature a traditional tailgate”
Really? Please just stick to reporting the facts and leave the bashing for the comments. The facts are that Ram does offer a traditional tailgates, which the majority of their trucks are equipped with. And to be fair, If I’m not mistaken they were the first ones to offer an electric tailgate, so it should be expected that there would be some issues.
Lets hope GM’s new electric tailgates are flawless, or else this article will come back to bite you guys. And lets not forget GM is pretty notorious for having poorly built tailgate mechanisms.
I would rather a tailgate malfunction than the reported power assist brake failures being reported by new 2019 Sierra and Silverado owners on the GM Trucks Forum! Failing Brakes?!?!?! That’s not even funny!! Come on GM!?!?!
Ridiculous how so many “writers” and “automotive journalists” dont know a thing! You people are whats wrong with society today, half told facts, your opinions and personal biases. Do some fact checking, over 60% of the GM and Ram trucks have shared components from same suppliers. So, its a SUPPLIER problem, not a GM or Ram one. Not a single truck is BUILT by anymore, the stcker says ASSEMBLED IN….so stop attacking this company or that one…though funny how Tesla is GOD but kills and causes fires…..one little plastic part breaks on a Ram tailgate and FCA is crucified…hmmmm
Ram makes a good truck.
Let’s not pretend that Ford and General Motors don’t have the occasional quality problem with their cash cows.
Ford’s 10 speed auto is an absolute disaster. Their buyers are pissed.
Well said !!
I approve, and agree !
I have a 2016 RAM on the 12 recall. Issue after issue. The worst is the DragLink problem.the want to weld my front end parts. Once done
alignment can no longer be done. I have waited over 10 months for a permanent fix.
I would NOT buy another RAM.
Ram can’t put a tailgate and recalls 2 million.
GM says, “hold my beer because I can’t do breaks” and recalls over 3 million (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/11/gm-recalls-over-3point4-million-pickups-and-suvs-to-fix-brake-issues.html).
At the end of the day, it’s a wash.
For prospective buyers and current owners of GM trucks, there is an easy solution should one not wish to deal with the inconvenience or potential safety hazards associated with the recall. That solution is called RAM. Fixed it for ya.
Now that’s funny !!!!!!!!
Well at least it’s not 3.4 million trucks with brakes that won’t stop you so good.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/wtop.com/recalls/2019/09/gm-recalls-over-3-4m-pickups-suvs-to-fix-brake-issues/amp/
Isn’t the title a bit of a low blow? I know this is a GM forum, but that doesn’t mean the moderators have to put down others. Every manufacture has their highs and their lows. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and can spend their money on whatever truck they want, but it seems like everyone is just too quick to put GM on a pedestal. Sometimes its warranted, sometimes it’s not. I’m pretty sure as I write this, I got a notification to my phone about a brake recall to K2 based GM vehicles.
Personally, I want Ram and Ford to build the best truck possible because that also forces GM to step up their game and follow suit. Competition helps the consumer.
Just disappointing that the title gives off so much arrogance as if their incompetent when it just as easily could have been any manufacture. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
And GM can’t make a Yukon Denali sunroof that doesn’t fail to close. They still cannot figure out why it will not close when it is hot outside. Also, the trim on the passenger door next to the window has flown off the truck twice and the service department can’t figure out why. Every truck had problems, but at least my Ram comes with a lifetime, unlimited mileage warranty. GM should put their money where their mouth is and up their warranty, otherwise this article is just blowing smoke.
WOW! Salty Much? I understand the website name I’m reading but recalls hit everyone. Just as I’m reading this….GM Recalls 3.4MILLION vehicles for brakes! BRAKES! YES BRAKES!!!!!! http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/us-and-world-news/gm-recalls-over-34m-pickups-suvs-to-fix-brake-issues-1?fbclid=IwAR0-dtVTUYuWyHWCjr-gnk3MzD1qL28bByCa8_-MrMSWR1cDllD4brwQla0
Kids that’s all they are my dad’s better then your dad blah blah, all the cars and trucks now are crap not designed to last doesn’t matter who made them. The auto companies dont care as long as we keep keep buying them that’s all they care about.
Yep !!!
The trouble is, its a necessity, not a want.
Vehicles have become a need not a want, like electricity.
Nobody is sitting around ” remember when we didn’t have electricity ” because if we didn’t have it, the US would stop. So electricity is regulated by public utilities for that reason.
Like public transportation, regulated.
Yet the auto industry is still left to ” screw ” the customer relatively un regulated, but in most of the US needed just as much as electricity or public transportation !!
Sure we will hear WHAT the auto industry is heavily regulated, is it ?
Sure for emissions and safety, of safety, but not for selling, price gouging, ” known faulty parts “, or junk.
Maybe the auto manufactures should start over, and make what the know how to make, when that isn’t junk, add to it, with more options, not junk, and in the end we might be able to purchase a vehicle that all works, and not half junk !!!
And look at the big picture !!!
What are the recalls over ! a tail gate !!! we have been making tailgates that worked for over 100 years, now we cant make a tailgate !
Brakes we have been making brakes for well, well over 100 years, now we cant make brakes !!!!!
Automatic transmissions, we have been making automatic transmissions well over 50 years, 50 years, now we cant make an automatic transmission !!!
The Chinese, Japanese, and Germans are laughing uncontrollably about now !!!
In my opinion !
Agree with those who think this is just fanboy finger-pointing. The often mentioned brake recall for GM shows how silly this is. It’s become a sad trend in politically focused stories that now seems to permeate many other things we read online: Some writer tries to pretend that a competitor is flawed but their “brand” is not. The reaction to this article brings comfort as it shows people still recognize something that is nothing more than personal bias. Sorry GMA, most people aren’t fooled by your silly GM ad. Try not being such a tool.
This is nothing more than a promo piece for GM.
Note to self, ignore links to GM Authority, it’s just another ad.
GM Can’t Even Make A Seatbelt That works properly. Or fix them properly in a recall.
Those 1.4 million vehicles that were repaired under the seatbelt recall are still prone to seatbelt failure. Seems like even GM is making junk these days.
Source: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/05/gm-seatbelt-recall-from-2014-may-not-have-remedied-problem/amp/
I’d rather have a tailgate that doesn’t work than brakes that don’t work. I love the timing of this story and the recall on 3.5M GM trucks for braking issues, amazing!
FCA can’t do tailgates, GM can’t do brakes… blah blah blah…
http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/us-and-world-news/gm-recalls-over-34m-pickups-suvs-to-fix-brake-issues-1
This article is poorly timed and clearly written as a show piece for GM, boo! Both brands have had their fair share of recalls and GM has undoubtedly had more over it’s combined brands…some that led to loss of life.
Now let me say I’ve got one of each truck in my driveway. RAM 3500 and GM 1500 with both having some issues.
RAM- Two recalls over the years. Steering link and tailgate stop tab. Both fixed and no other issues. Zero warranty work.
GM-Two recalls and now a third on the way. Warranty work: replaced entire exhaust, re-program ecm and trans due to poor shifting and heavy pinging under light load, some what fixed the noisey and leaking wind shield, fixed drivers side power window and unresolved was the front end sqeek. Truck still shifts rough under some conditions and pings when cylinder de-activation is operating.
Neither has left me stranded or in need of a tow. But it’s clear to me the GM might be more needy as it ages.