A new safety recall of the 2026 Ram 1500 covers 16,385 pickups built between July 1, 2025 and March 17, 2026. FCA US says the trucks’ tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors may not detect low tire pressure or turn on the dashboard warning light. Dealers will inspect the sensors and replace them as needed at no cost to owners, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NHTSA lists the action as campaign 26V623, received from the automaker on Sept. 29, 2026. The agency’s record files it under tire pressure monitoring and regulating systems and says the affected trucks do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 138, the federal rule that requires a low-pressure warning system on passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles, trucks and buses rated at 10,000 pounds or less, with some exceptions.
The automaker’s own filing, the Part 573 safety recall report dated Sept. 29, 2026, states the problem plainly: “The tire pressure system in the suspect vehicles may not accurately report tire pressure.” It counts 16,385 potentially involved vehicles and puts the estimated percentage with the defect at 100%.
Why the warning matters
NHTSA’s campaign record spells out the risk in one line: “A TPMS warning light that fails to notify the driver of low tire pressure increases the risk of a crash.”
The standard behind the recall is specific. Per the federal text of FMVSS 138 in the Code of Federal Regulations, the low-pressure telltale must come on when a tire is 25 percent or more below the manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure, or at a set minimum activation pressure for that tire type, whichever is higher. It must light “not more than 20 minutes after” the pressure reaches that level.
A process change on the assembly line
The Part 573 report traces the trucks to a change in how tires and wheels were put together. “The suspect period began July 1, 2025, when a process change was made in the tire and wheel assembly,” it says, adding that the period “was determined using supplier and vehicle production records.” The sensor supplier named in the report is Sensata Technologies of Attleboro, Massachusetts.
The report’s chronology shows how the recall came together:
- March 17, 2026: FCA US’s TSRC organization opened an investigation into inoperative tire pressure monitoring systems.
- Sept. 16, 2026: the same organization “recognized that a vehicle build issue existed” in some 2026 Ram 1500 trucks.
- Sept. 22, 2026: FCA US determined, through its Vehicle Regulations Committee, that a noncompliance with FMVSS 138 exists.
What owners can expect
The fix is a dealer visit. “FCA US will conduct a voluntary safety recall to inspect, and if necessary, replace the TPMS sensors,” the Part 573 report says. NHTSA’s campaign record adds that the work will be done free of charge.
The paperwork timeline is set. The Part 573 report put dealer notification on Oct. 6, 2026, and NHTSA’s acknowledgment letter to FCA US, dated Oct. 7, 2026, titles the campaign “Tire Pressure Monitor System May Fail/FMVSS 138” and says “Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 27, 2026.” The same letter requires the automaker to file eight consecutive quarterly status reports on the campaign, followed by three annual reports.
FCA US’s own recall number for the campaign is 51D, according to NHTSA’s record, and owners can reach FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. NHTSA says the affected vehicle identification numbers became searchable on NHTSA.gov on Oct. 6, 2026, so owners do not have to wait for the letter: the agency’s recall lookup page searches by VIN and shows whether a specific truck has an unrepaired recall.
The next dated step in campaign 26V623 is the Oct. 27, 2026 owner mailing.
Top image: A 2025 Ram 1500 photographed in Ontario. The recall covers 2026 models of the same generation. Image Credit: Ontariocarguy07 — CC0 / Wikimedia Commons
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Combat Rated editors prior to publication.