Recall 21V798 affects 131,177 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks for relay shorts. Park outside. Free dealer repair once available.
A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury. There is no warning sign before this problem. Park outside, away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. Repair will be free at any franchised Ram dealer once available.
Ram is recalling 131,177 2021-2022 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks and cab chassis vehicles with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines because an electrical short in the relay can start a fire with the ignition on or off. Owners should park outside and away from structures until the free Ram dealer repair is available.
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What's wrong?
The solid state intake heater grid relay on 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks is part of the electrical system for the Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel intake heater. The intake heater helps warm incoming air for diesel starting, and the relay acts like an electrical switch that sends power to that heater when the system calls for it.
In affected trucks, an electrical short inside the relay can start in the engine compartment. The recall investigation traced the fire pattern to trucks equipped with this relay, including vehicles where the ignition was on or off. The filing says the root cause was unknown and the remedy was still under development, so the relay itself is the fire origin named in the recall.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner should not rely on a light, sound, smell, or drivability change to know the relay is failing.
Who's affected?
Covers four Ram truck classes from the 2021 and 2022 model years, all using the same solid state intake heater grid relay.
| 2022 Ram 2500 | wiring |
|---|---|
| 2022 Ram 4500 | wiring |
| 2021 Ram 4500 | wiring |
| 2021 Ram 3500 | wiring |
| 2022 Ram 5500 | wiring |
| 2021 Ram 5500 | wiring |
| 2021 Ram 2500 | wiring |
| 2022 Ram 3500 | wiring |
| Units affected | 131,177 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific pickup truck is included.
What's the safety risk?
A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury. There is no warning sign before this problem. Park outside, away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. Repair will be free at any franchised Ram dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, or 5500 is included in this recall.
- Park outside and away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles until the relay issue is repaired.
- Contact your nearest franchised Ram dealer and ask for the current repair path because recall 21V798 was superseded by 23V060.
- Schedule the intake-heater-grid-relay inspection and repair that fixes the electrical short risk behind the fire concern.
- Bring the recall notice if Ram mailed one, and reference recall number 21V798 when you call.
What happens at the repair
Until the dealer remedy tied to your VIN is complete, park the truck outside, away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles. Once the final repair is available, a Ram technician will inspect the Solid State Intake Heater Grid Relay and replace it when the inspection shows replacement is needed. If recall Y08 is still open on the same vehicle, the technician also applies insulating material to the relay after inspection. Parts and labor are covered under the recall. FCA US offers reimbursement for owners who already paid for the same repair. Send the original receipt or other proof of payment to FCA US for expense confirmation under the owner letter instructions.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| October 14, 2021 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| November 10, 2021 | Owner notification mailed |
| December 3, 2021 | Dealer notification began |
| December 3, 2021 | Dealer notification ended |
| December 3, 2021 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| December 3, 2021 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 21V798?
Recall 21V798 covers 131,177 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 vehicles with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines. An electrical short in the solid state intake heater grid relay can cause a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off. Ram's filing says this recall was superseded by 23V060.
What should I do if my 2021-2022 Ram 2500, 4500, 3500, or 5500 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific truck is included in recall 21V798. If it is, park outside, away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles until the repair is complete. Call a franchised Ram dealer and reference recall 21V798 or Ram recall Y76.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall repair to be performed at no cost. Ram dealers will inspect the solid state intake heater grid relay and replace it when required. If related recall Y08 remains open, the dealer will apply insulating material after the inspection.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is vehicle fire. The relay short can start a fire with the ignition on or off, which increases the risk of injury. Until the dealer completes the recall repair, keep the truck parked outside and away from buildings, structures, and other vehicles.
When were owners notified about recall 21V798?
Ram mailed owner notification letters on November 10, 2021. If you bought the truck used or never received a letter, the VIN still decides whether the recall applies. Check your VIN, then call a franchised Ram dealer with recall 21V798 or Ram recall Y76.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/21V798000 |
|---|---|
| Ram customer service | 1-800-853-1403 |
| NHTSA recall # | 21V798 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 21V798000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 20, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →