Class Action Says 2017-2018 Ram 2500, 3500 Equipped with Defective Anti-Lock Braking Systems

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A proposed class action out of California alleges certain model year Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups are unsafe because they’re equipped with defective hydraulic control units (HCUs) and anti-lock braking systems (ABS). 

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The 43-page complaint alleges the HCU and ABS defects plaguing 2017-2018 Ram 2500s and 3500s can cause a vehicle’s anti-lock brake, cruise control and traction control systems to become inoperable. Without these systems, the filing says, braking becomes “much more difficult,” and a Ram pickup becomes tougher to control, especially in dangerous road conditions caused by rain or snow. 

The suit contends that Ram 2500 and 3500 buyers and lessees were injured in that they paid FCA US and parent company Stellantis N.V. for vehicles that were “fundamentally different from what they believed they were purchasing, and less valuable than was represented.” 

Though the automakers are aware of the HCU and ABS defect, they have failed to recall affected vehicles or offer another remedy to drivers, the case claims. 

“This means that Class members with out-of-warranty Vehicles must choose between paying for the expensive replacement of the HCU and ABS modules or driving an unsafe vehicle,” the lawsuit reads.

An ABS prevents a vehicle’s wheels from locking up during emergency braking or low-traction situations and helps the driver keep control of the car, the suit explains. Per the case, this critical safety system utilizes sensors that monitor the deceleration of each wheel, and if deceleration occurs too quickly, the ABS works to control the deceleration so that the wheel keeps from locking up. 

An HCU is tasked with regulating the pressure applied to a vehicle’s brakes with input from the wheel speed sensors. 

According to the complaint, FCA’s knowledge of the ABS and HCU problems is evidenced by its release of a technical service bulletin that identifies the relevant “symptom/vehicle issue” as “C0020-01-ABS Pump Motor Control – General Electrical Failure.” The bulletin advises that a Ram’s HCU and ABS module can be serviced as separate components, whereas an earlier version told dealers to replace the HCU first, test drive the vehicle, and then replace the truck’s electronic control unit if the vehicle still did not have a functioning ABS, the case relays. 

The lawsuit adds that complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the Ram 2500 and 3500 defect date back to at least October 2018. 

The lawsuit looks to cover all individuals who bought or leased a 2017-2018 Ram 2500 or Ram 3500 in the United States or its territories. 

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