It’s a sad fact that hearing a vehicle catching on fire isn’t that much of a surprise anymore, but that’s what’s happening. Ram is now added to this list, but why is this happening? In the past few years, vehicles such as the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata, and the 2020 Ford F-150 have rocked the auto world when news hit that they were going up in flames, and had to be recalled. Now PickupTrucks.com reports that the 2019-2020 Ram 3500 has explicitly made its way onto this less-than-illustrious list.

Why is your Ram 3500 at risk of catching on fire?

There are lots of causes for why a vehicle can catch on fire. It’s not a one size fits all, unfortunately. In the Ram 3500’s case, PickupTrucks.com reports, “Inadequate warmup protection can cause a lack of oil film on the engine connecting rod bearings while the engine is reaching operating temperature. This can result in engine damage and connecting rod failure, which could potentially puncture the engine block and increase the risk of a fire.”

With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the 2019 Ram 3500 has the worst reliability rating of any pickup truck of 2019. Besides catching on fire, the Ram 3500 also has issues with the suspension, steering, fuel system, and transmission. It’s so bad that Consumer Reports ranks it as the worst vehicle you can buy.

There is also a small problem with the Ram 3500 body frame rusting. Still, when your truck is on fire, a little rust isn’t going to be that big of an issue for you.

This isn’t an issue you can ignore

For some people, it’s no big deal to go a few miles over when you should change the oil, or only get their tires rotated once a year. It’s more than a little risky, but some people still choose to do it anyway. They also choose to ignore recalls. This isn’t one of those situations. You can and should get your truck checked out before it is a smoldering mass of hot metal. 

Yes, there is a chance that your Ram 3500 might never catch on fire, but the odds are not in your favor. So far, there have been approximately 32,300 2019-2020 model years that went up in flames. That’s not exactly a small number that you can easily ignore. 

Thankfully, you don’t have to deal with this on your own. Ram will issue a recall soon, which means that you don’t have to drive around in a dangerous vehicle that could risk the lives of both you and your loved ones.

Ram has issued a recall

Not all 2019-2020 Ram 3500 trucks are at risk of catching on fire. It’s the trucks that are equipped with the 6.7-liter high-output Cummins engines that are at risk. If your truck has this engine, you can take it to your local dealer.

They are aware of the problem and can fix it by flashing the engine calibration software. This should enhance the engine warmup protection. In theory, this will address the issue, although it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep an eye out for more recalls considering the number of Ram 3500 problems lately. The good news is that your dealer can’t charge you to fix the engine, so you aren’t going to walk away with a hefty price tag. It’ll just take a little of your time while you wait to have it fixed. 

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will officially begin notifying owners on Oct. 16. If you think your Ram 3500 might be affected by the recall, or aren’t sure, there are a few options to find out. You can call Fiat Chrysler at 800-853-1403. Another option is to call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or visit its website to check their vehicle identification number for more information.