By David Shepardson
(Reuters) -Chrysler parent Stellantis said Tuesday it is recalling 1.4 million pickup trucks worldwide because tailgates may not latch properly and could open while driving.
The automaker said the recall covers various 2019 through 2022 model year Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks.
The company said it has no reports of crashes or injuries but more than 800 warranty claims and other reports potentially related to the issue. Dealers will inspect the tailgate striker alignment to the box latch and adjust if necessary, the company said.
The recall includes more than 1.23 million vehicles in the United States, 120,000 in Canada, 26,000 in Mexico and about 27,000 outside North America. Owner notification letters will be mailed in late January.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said an unintended tailgate opening while driving could result in a loss of unsecured cargo, potentially creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
The automaker opened an internal investigation into the issue in July 2021 and the company said it “continuously monitored field data for potentially related incidents.”
(Reporting by David Shepardson in North Charleston, South Carolina; editing by Andrew Heavens and Jason Neely)
