Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has recalled 693,000 Ram pickups to fix tailgates that can open while the trucks are operating. It is the latest in a series of recalls totaling more than 1.1 million vehicles.
The automaker expanded the recall Aug. 29 to include the additional 693,128 2013-14 model Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks after receiving 127 warranty claims or repair orders potentially related to the problem, a NHTSA document said.
"FCA US is unaware of any related injuries or accidents associated with either vehicle population," a spokesman for FCA told Automotive News in an emailed statement. "The expansion is a response to an FCA review of customer data, which is consistent with the company's continuous monitoring of vehicles in the field."
The recall, which began May 23, originally covered some 2015-17 model Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups with eight-foot beds and power locking tailgates, and all 2013-14 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks built before April, 1 2018.
More than a third of the initially recalled vehicles have been serviced, the FCA spokesman said.
"FCA US reminds that all loose cargo should be secured while driving, as stated in the operating manuals of the affected vehicles," the spokesman continued. "Further, FCA US pickups offer alternate features to accommodate load security, such as tie-down rings, cleats, high-friction bed-liners, bulkhead dividers, and bed-extenders."
The 2019 Ram 1500 is unaffected by the recall, he added. FCA will begin notifying customers next month.
