Stellantis is being forced to recall and repair tens of thousands of Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee models in the United States. The reason? These vehicles have been equipped with a 3.0-liter diesel engine that could have a faulty engine reluctor or tone wheel.
A total of 80,629 models are involved in the recall. Ram 1500 models built between the 2014 and 2019 model years are the most widely impacted with some 58,393 involved. These pickups were built from June 12, 2013 to December 13, 2019. The recall also involves a total of 22,236 Jeep Grand Cherokee models from the 2014-2020 model years and built between December 19, 2012 and October 13, 2019.
The automotive conglomerate has revealed that the magnetic signal material on the reluctor wheel could delaminate. If this is to occur then the reluctor wheel’s ability to provide a signal to the crankshaft position sensor will be impacted, meaning the engine will lose its ability to synchronize injector pulses and cam timing. This could cause the engine to stall and may make it difficult to restart.
Stellantis notes that owners will not receive any indication if their vehicle is suffering from the condition. An investigation of stall patterns and vehicle history conducted by the company revealed that impacted vehicles were built with its Gen II 3.0-liter diesel engine and that the tone wheel was the origin of the stalls.
Read: Jeep Is Recalling 330,000 Grand Cherokees Because The Rear Coil Springs Might Fall Off
While Stellantis is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue, it is aware of 10 customer assistance records, 611 warranty claims, and three field reports from September 29, 2015 to May 23, 2023 in all markets.
Dealers will resolve the issue by updating the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal if this signal is ever lost.
