Modern vehicles continue to pack in more digital features than ever before, but the rapid rise in screen-based technology also brings new complications. A fresh example of this trend comes from Ram, which has announced a recall affecting more than 72,000 trucks due to a malfunction involving their digital displays. According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a software-related defect may cause the instrument cluster screen to go completely blank. Because this display is crucial for providing the driver with essential information—such as vehicle speed, warning alerts, and system status—the failure means the trucks don’t meet several federal safety requirements.
This recall applies to a broad range of models, specifically the 2025–2026 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500. These trucks are equipped with 12-inch digital instrument clusters that, due to the suspected glitch, can lose functionality either upon startup or while the vehicle is in motion. While the official recall report offers limited technical detail, Ram began investigating the issue back in September after receiving reports of blank screens. To resolve the problem, dealership technicians will inspect the software governing the instrument cluster and install updated programming. In certain cases, if the software fix does not resolve the fault, the entire instrument cluster assembly may need to be replaced. Notifications to vehicle owners are expected to be mailed early next month. At this stage, only about 1 percent of the recalled trucks are estimated to actually exhibit the defect.
The second recall announced by Ram is significantly more serious, as it concerns a potential safety hazard involving the side curtain airbags. This separate recall affects 1,879 vehicles, including the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic and 3500, as well as 2019–2020 versions of the Ram 2500. The problem lies with the airbag inflators, which were manufactured by Joyson Safety Systems—a component supplier that has been linked to numerous airbag-related recalls in recent years.
These inflators can rupture during deployment, sending dangerous metal fragments toward the occupants, posing a severe injury risk. This issue first attracted major attention in March 2024, when Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans from model years 2018–2021 were recalled after it was discovered that moisture had been introduced during manufacturing. That moisture led to corrosion forming inside the inflators, and over time this corrosion could create stress cracks, eventually resulting in rupture upon airbag deployment.
Ram subsequently issued another recall in September for the 2018 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 due to the same inflator defect. Following that action, the company conducted further analysis to determine whether any 2019 or 2020 models might also contain inflators from the same problematic batch. Their investigation identified a small number of possibly affected vehicles—around 0.1 percent of the recall population, which equates to roughly two trucks. However small the number, the potential danger remains serious. Ram has already documented one customer assistance report related to the defect.
Owners of the affected vehicles will receive notification later this month, and dealers will replace one or both curtain airbags depending on what is required for each truck.