Recall wrap: Tailgate dramas for more than 3000 RAM trucks

More than 3000 RAM pick-up trucks have been recalled in Australia this week due to concerns the tailgate on several models might not be properly secured.

Trading as RAM Trucks Australia, American Special Vehicles – the company that imports, converts and sells RAMs Down Under – is calling back a total of 3014 vehicles, including all variations of the RAM 1500, 2500 and 3500 built between 2019-2022.

According to RAM, a manufacturing defect could mean that one or both of the tailgate strikers – or latching mechanisms – may have been misaligned during assembly, which could result in “an unintended tailgate opening while the vehicle is in motion or stationary”.

“If the tailgate opens while the vehicle is in motion, unsecured cargo may fall onto the road and into traffic,” said RAM in its safety notice.

Also this week, Mercedes-Benz is recalling a total of 6698 examples of its Sprinter van, with two separate recalls for the same potential transmission issue.

According to the safety notices – which cover Sprinter vans built between 2018-2020 (VS30) and 2018-2022 – a manufacturing fault could cause the Park function in affected models to malfunction.

Mercedes-Benz says the manufacturing defect relates to the park pawl system that locks the transmission when the shift lever is in park, so it may not operate as intended.

“This could result in the vehicle moving or rolling away whilst engaged in park position,” says Mercedes-Benz, which is asking affected owners to contact their most convenient dealership to organise rectification of the problem, free of charge.

Meanwhile, just four examples of the Porsche Taycan electric sports sedan are being called back to the workshop, including vehicles built in both 2021 and 2022 (Y1A and Y1B model codes).

The German performance car maker says the air-sprung strut on the left and right of the front axle might not meet manufacturing specifications.

Porsche says this could cause the front strut to become dislodged and release air from the air spring, resulting in a loss of vehicle control and subsequently increasing the risk of an accident that could result in the injury or death of vehicle occupants and/or other road users.