7/12/23 - FCA Says Don't Drive 2003 Dodge Ram Pickups

There are an estimated 84,000 trucks that still haven't had the Takata airbag recall performed.

-From its onset in 2013, the Takata airbag recall is the largest of its kind in the history of the automobile.

Over 42 million vehicles in the U.S. are affected, and the financial fallout of over $1 billion in fines and compensation led to Takata's bankruptcy in 2018.

The total number of deaths due to ruptured Takata inflators now stands at 26 here in the United States. According to the NHTSA, the recent airbag-related fatality is the first to be reported from a 2003 Dodge Ram.

Another airbag-related fatality was recently recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), prompting Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to issue a do-not-drive warning for 2003 Ram trucks that haven't had the airbag recall performed.

Specifically, passenger-side airbags across Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 models for 2003 are the concern. The airbag inflators could rupture when deployed, sending dangerous shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

Several automakers now have do-not-drive warnings issued for vehicles at risk. In May 2023, BMW issued warnings for the 2000-2006 3 Series, 2000-2004 X5, and 2000-2003 5 Series, covering 90,000 vehicles. Several Honda and Acura models from 2001-2003 received a warning in February 2003, and FCA issued warnings for 276,000 Dodges and Chryslers from 2005-2010.

Owners of FCA vehicles can check for open recalls at the automaker's website.