2012 Ram 1500 2wd Crew Cab 140.5" Laramie Longhorn Edition on 2040-cars

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Ram updates 1500 and Heavy Duty trucks for the new model year

Happy Labor Day weekend, and happy 2020 Ram truck news day. The changes for 2020 aren't huge, mostly limited to aesthetics, starting with a Night Edition package to the Big Horn and Laramie trims. A Black Appearance Package was offered for 2019, but this one is a little different. Those who choose the Night Edition won’t be limited to black paint only, meaning you can get all that black trim along with a contrasting exterior color. ItÂ’ll have a black grille, badging, exhaust tips, headlight/taillight bezels and wheels (20-inch for Big Horn, 22-inch for Laramie). The white Ram 1500 pictured here is equipped with the package. A Black Appearance package is coming to the Rebel trim, too, with 18-inch wheels, a front skid plate, front spoiler, lighting bezels, badging, tow hooks and exhaust, all finished in black. YouÂ’ll also be able to option a driver assistance package on the Rebel for 2020 that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, auto high beams and forward collision mitigation. The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty adds a couple nice tech features. Lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, enhanced connected services and dual auxiliary camera support are all added as options for the new model year. Additionally, there are two new paint options: Olive Green and Hydro Blue. The Power Wagon doesnÂ’t change much, but there will be a new black wheel option for 2020. One final note of change for 2020 is the addition of “eTorque” badging on the hood of so-equipped Ram 1500 trucks. Previously, Ram made 1500 eTorque models indistinguishable from their non-electrified brethren.

NHTSA probing Ram recall pace, communication

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it's looking into Chrysler Group's handling of a pair of recalls affecting roughly one million Ram pickup trucks. Reuters is reporting that the regulatory agency is focusing on the availability (or lack thereof) of parts and "poor communications" from the automaker in its investigation.
"Customers have been advised in accordance with the regulations governing recalls," Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne told Reuters via email. "We are continually replenishing our supply of replacement parts. Chrysler Group regrets any inconvenience our customers may have experienced."
NHTSA disagrees, arguing that the recalls, which affect 972,000 trucks from 2003 to 2012, are being delayed by the lack of parts.

Chrysler recalling 2009-2010 Ram 1500, Dodge Dakota pickups over axle pinion nut

Chrysler is issuing a recall for the 2009 and 2010 Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota pickup trucks due to improper installation of the rear axle pinion nut. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 44,300 trucks are affected by the recall, and there have been 12 confirmed incidents including one crash.
The issue on both trucks is that the pinion nut is loosening on some trucks due to a lack of thread adhesive, and it is causing the rear axle to lock up resulting in loss of vehicle control. NHTSA's recall notice says that eight incidents occurred at speeds over 35 miles per hour and most also exhibited driveshaft failures as well since the loss of the pinion nut would cause the gear to separate from the driveshaft. In one complaint, the driveshaft separated from the rear axle and punctured the gas tank.
Chrysler will begin sending out recall notices to affected owners in November, but scroll down to see the official NHTSA notice.