- Ram owners filed a class action lawsuit against the brand in 2023 over faulty hydraulic control units.
- Now, the two sides have come to a settlement involving millions of dollars and Ram issued a recall.
- The eight plaintiffs will receive $3,000 each, while their lawyers get a whooping $2 million.
Automakers face lawsuits all the time, and after a recent settlement, Stellantis has one less headache to worry about. The class action involved plaintiffs who accused Ram of selling trucks with a faulty component. To settle the case, Ram is recalling some 317,000 trucks and compensating the affected owners. However, those owners are walking away with pocket change compared to what their lawyers are getting.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s lay out what this case covers. Several Ram truck owners complained about their hydraulic control units (HCUs) believing that they were defective. This actually started back in 2023. Owners with faulty HCUs would lose anti-lock braking, cruise control, and traction control.
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According to the lawsuit, one owner went as far as to stop driving his truck altogether when the issue popped up. No doubt, estimates between $1,200 and $1,700 to fix the issue might’ve had something to do with it too. The case continued in court and mediation throughout 2024.
In November of that year, Ram issued the recall affecting 317,000+ trucks, including those represented in the class action. Those in the class, which are just eight people, will now receive $3,000 each. Their lawyers, on the other hand, will pocket a cool $ 2 million.
The automaker says that most of the benefits of the settlement are already ones everyday owners will get via the recall. That includes reimbursements for owners who paid out of pocket for the fix, a warranty extension, and rental vehicle reimbursements. That extended warranty covers an recalled truck for eight years from its in-service date.
Which Models Are Affected?
Speaking of those models, the list includes Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups from 2017 and 2018 as well as Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 chassis cab from the same years. According to Stellantis, all of the affected trucks will get a new HCU under the recall so hopefully, that warranty won’t come into play again. The automaker also told owners that the replacement takes less than two hours and that they could get alternative transportation from their dealer should they need it.
It’s not every day you see a $2 million payday—for the lawyers, at least. The truck owners? Well, they get to enjoy their $3,000 checks and hopefully a safer ride.
