2019-2026 Ram 3500 Cummins diesel: stalls, fire recalls (21V-880, 22V-835, 23V-060). Learn your California lemon law rights and get a free case review.
The 2019-2026 Ram 3500 with the 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel is the gold standard for heavy-duty towing: a truck buyers choose precisely because they need reliability they can count on at the work site, on the ranch, or pulling a fifth-wheel across the Mojave. For thousands of 2019-2023 owners, that reliability has been shattered by three overlapping, manufacturer-acknowledged defects that read like a safety crisis: a high-pressure fuel pump that shatters internally and scatters metal debris through the fuel system (causing sudden highway stalls); a transmission that leaks fluid onto hot exhaust and can catch fire while the truck is moving or parked; and a heater relay electrical short that can ignite a fire even when the ignition is off, the kind of defect that earned an official 'park outside and away from structures' advisory from the manufacturer. Each of these problems resulted in a federal recall. Taken together, they represent a pattern of serious, safety-critical failures in a truck that many owners depend on for their livelihood. If your Ram 3500 diesel has been in for any of these issues, especially more than once, California's lemon law may entitle you to a full repurchase or replacement.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Transmission fluid leaking from dipstick tube area; burning smell from engine bay; visible fluid on hot exhaust or transmission tunnel; risk of underhood fire while driving or parked
Engine compartment fire or smoke with ignition on or off; burning smell from engine bay; electrical burning odor; vehicle can catch fire while parked
Engine stalls suddenly without warning, especially at highway speed; MIL/check engine light on; abnormal engine noise; loss of power; fuel system contaminated with metal shavings requiring full system replacement
Check engine / MIL light on; DTC P24A5 EGR Cooler Bypass Bank 1 Control Stuck; rough idle; possible reduced power or limp mode; dealer repair may need repeat visits
Fuel smell from engine compartment; visible fuel leak near injectors; possible fire or smoke; MIL on with fuel system fault codes
Airbag warning light on; driver airbag may fail to deploy in a crash; possible turn signal / high-beam cross-activation (related SCCM malfunction)
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Engine stalls suddenly without warning, especially at highway speed; MIL/check engine light on; abnormal engine noise; loss of power; fuel system contaminated with metal shavings requiring full system replacement
Catastrophic stall risk at highway speed; recall parts shortages caused extended out-of-service periods for many 2019-2020 owners — multiple repair attempts with same root defect support repeat-repair lemon claims
NHTSA recall 21V-880: dealer replaces HPFP (CP4 unit swapped for a more durable CP3-style pump), updates PCM software, and inspects/replaces contaminated fuel system components including injectors and rails
Transmission fluid leaking from dipstick tube area; burning smell from engine bay; visible fluid on hot exhaust or transmission tunnel; risk of underhood fire while driving or parked
Fire risk while vehicle is in use or parked; 48 confirmed fire/complaint reports; substantial safety defect supporting lemon claims for MY 2020-2022 owners
NHTSA recall 22V-835: dealer replaces transmission dipstick and transmission vent hose (~30-min repair)
Engine compartment fire or smoke with ignition on or off; burning smell from engine bay; electrical burning odor; vehicle can catch fire while parked
Fire risk with ignition off — vehicle unusable safely; 'park outside' recall advisory issued. Prior recall 21V-798 (Oct 2021) and 21V-163 (Mar 2021) on same relay were superseded/expanded by 23V-060, suggesting FCA underestimated scope — supports lemon claims where owners experienced fires or unsafe conditions during the gap between early and expanded recall
NHTSA recall 23V-060: dealer replaces the intake air grid heater relay (~30-min repair); interim owner advisory to park outside and away from structures
Check engine / MIL light on; DTC P24A5 EGR Cooler Bypass Bank 1 Control Stuck; rough idle; possible reduced power or limp mode; dealer repair may need repeat visits
Multiple TSBs issued over 2019-2022 for the same DTC indicates a persistent, unresolved defect; recurrence after PCM reprogram supports multiple-repair-attempt lemon claims
TSB 18-076-22 (and prior revisions): PCM reprogramming with latest software; in persistent cases EGR bypass actuator or EGR assembly replacement
Fuel smell from engine compartment; visible fuel leak near injectors; possible fire or smoke; MIL on with fuel system fault codes
Small population (~560 units in narrow May 2019 production window); lemon relevance limited to that exact build date range — confirm VIN production date before citing
NHTSA recall 19V-498: Cummins field inspection of fuel line date codes; replacement of suspect lines
Airbag warning light on; driver airbag may fail to deploy in a crash; possible turn signal / high-beam cross-activation (related SCCM malfunction)
Safety-critical airbag non-deployment defect on new 2023-2024 trucks; small population (~2,600 units) but high severity; supports lemon claims if repair requires extended dealer hold
NHTSA recall 24V-199: dealer inspects and if necessary replaces the SCCM
closed
Steering column control module (SCCM) may have an insufficient weld between the internal flexible flat cable and busbar, preventing driver airbag deployment signal from reaching the airbag module.
closed
An electrical short may occur in the intake air grid heater relay with the ignition on or off, resulting in an engine compartment fire.
closed
Pressure and heat buildup inside 68RFE automatic transmission may force fluid to leak from the dipstick tube onto hot exhaust or other ignition sources.
closed
Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pump may fail prematurely; internally failed components introduce metal debris into the fuel system causing fuel starvation and sudden engine stall.
closed
Fuel injector supply lines with incorrectly formed end fittings may not properly seal to other fuel system components, allowing diesel fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (the 'lemon law') protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles purchased or leased in California. If your Ram 3500 Cummins diesel has been in the dealer for the same defect — CP4 pump stall, transmission fire, heater relay fire, or EGR fault — two or more times for a safety defect, or four or more times for any warranty defect, and the defect substantially impairs the truck's use, value, or safety, you may be entitled to a repurchase (buyback) at the manufacturer's expense or a replacement vehicle. Cumulative out-of-service periods exceeding 30 days within the warranty period can independently trigger lemon-law coverage. Federal safety recalls — such as 21V-880 (CP4 pump), 22V-835 (transmission fire), and 23V-060 (heater relay fire) — are direct evidence that Stellantis confirmed the defects in writing. This is general legal information only; it is not legal advice. Contact a California lemon-law attorney for an evaluation of your specific facts.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
Several Ram 3500 diesel defects are intermittent or worsen gradually — making a 'cannot duplicate' finding at the dealer a real possibility. Here is how to protect your claim:
CP4 Fuel Pump (stall):
1. Write down the exact date, mileage, road conditions, and speed at which the stall occurred. If the MIL came on, photograph the instrument cluster.
2. Do not clear the codes yourself. Ask the dealer to pull stored fault codes before any reset — document the code numbers on the repair order.
3. If the dealer performs a PCM software update as a stand-alone repair and the stall recurs, that is a second repair attempt for the same defect.
Transmission / Heater Relay Fire:
4. If you smell burning transmission fluid or experience any fire/smoke event, photograph the area immediately and do not drive the truck. Report to the dealer in writing that the truck is unsafe to drive.
5. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If you have an open recall (22V-835 or 23V-060) and the dealer has not completed it, document each date you contacted them and were told parts were unavailable. Every day without a remedy is an out-of-service day under California law.
EGR Recurring Fault:
6. If the P24A5 code returns after a PCM reprogram, request in writing that the dealer physically inspect and replace the EGR bypass actuator (not just reflash again). TSB 18-076-22 authorizes this step. A third PCM reflash for the same code is grounds for escalation.
General:
7. Keep every repair order — even 'no fault found' and 'cannot duplicate' visits. California law counts these as repair attempts.
8. Open a Ram Customer Care case after the second visit for any defect. Get the case number in writing.
The 2019–2023 Ram 3500 Cummins diesel carries three separate federal safety recalls covering fire risk from three different systems — the fuel pump, the transmission, and the heater relay. Any one of them would be serious. Together, they paint a picture of a truck that, depending on model year, has had real, documented fire events confirmed by NHTSA before Stellantis acted. The CP4 pump failure is particularly damaging: a highway stall with no warning in a 20,000-pound GVWR truck is a deadly hazard, and the repair — full fuel system replacement — can take weeks and leave commercial operators without their primary work vehicle. If your Ram 3500 diesel has been in for any of these recalls and the repair was delayed, or if the same problem has recurred, that out-of-service time and those repair attempts are exactly what lemon-law cases are built on. Do not wait until the warranty expires to act.
— The Margarian Law team
If your Ram 3500 Cummins diesel has had a sudden stall, a fire or burning smell, or repeated trips to the dealer for the same issue, you may have a lemon-law case in California — even if the truck has now been 'repaired.' Multiple federal recalls confirm Stellantis knew about these defects. Margarian Law handles Ram diesel lemon-law cases throughout California at no upfront cost to you. Use the form below or call us for a free, no-obligation case review.
The Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pump used in 2019–2020 Ram 3500 trucks with the 6.7L Cummins diesel is not tolerant of the lower lubricity of US ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. Internal pump components wear and can shatter catastrophically, scattering metal debris throughout the high-pressure fuel circuit — contaminating fuel injectors, fuel rails, and related components. The result is typically a sudden engine stall without warning, sometimes at highway speed. NHTSA Recall 21V-880 covered ~222,410 trucks (2019–2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500/5500 with 6.7L Cummins). The remedy is replacement of the CP4.2 pump with a more durable CP3-style pump, a PCM software update, and inspection and replacement of contaminated fuel system components. FCA confirmed 6,399 warranty claims and 495 customer assistance records before the recall was issued.
It depends on which recall affects your truck. Three fire-related recalls cover various Ram 3500 Cummins diesel trucks:
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If you have an open recall and the dealer cannot complete the repair promptly, document each day the truck is unusable or restricted. Those days may count toward a California lemon-law out-of-service claim.
It may qualify, depending on your specific repair history. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act applies to new and certified pre-owned vehicles purchased or leased in California. If your Ram 3500 diesel has been in the dealer for the same defect — for example, the CP4 pump stall (Recall 21V-880), the 68RFE transmission fire (Recall 22V-835), or the heater relay fire (Recall 23V-060) — two or more times for a safety issue, or four or more times for any warranty defect that substantially impairs the truck's use, value, or safety, you may be entitled to a buyback or replacement at Stellantis's expense. Extended out-of-service time while waiting for recall parts can also support a lemon-law claim. Three federal safety recalls on the same truck generation are powerful evidence of systemic defects. Consult a California lemon-law attorney for a case-specific evaluation.
NHTSA Recall 22V-835 (FCA campaign ZA3) covers 2020–2022 Ram 3500 pickups equipped with the 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel and 68RFE automatic transmission — roughly 248,000 trucks across the Ram 2500 and 3500 lineup. Pressure and heat buildup inside the 68RFE transmission can force transmission fluid past the dipstick tube seal. The fluid can then contact hot exhaust components, causing a vehicle fire while the truck is in motion or parked. FCA confirmed 48 fires, complaints, and warranty claims related to this defect before the recall was issued in November 2022. The remedy — replacing the transmission dipstick and vent hose — takes about 30 minutes. However, no parts were available at the time of the initial recall notification, leaving some owners waiting weeks for the repair.
DTC P24A5 — EGR Cooler Bypass Bank 1 Control Stuck — is a recurring problem on 2019–2022 Ram 3500 trucks with the 6.7L Cummins diesel. The EGR cooler bypass valve actuator sticks due to carbon buildup and thermal stress, causing the powertrain control module to detect a fault and illuminate the MIL. In some cases this leads to reduced power or limp mode. FCA issued four separate technical service bulletins (TSBs 18-052-19, 18-048-20 Rev. A, 18-003-22, and 18-076-22) addressing the same fault code over a three-year period. The initial fix is a PCM software reprogram; if the code returns, the TSB authorizes physical inspection and replacement of the EGR bypass actuator. If your truck has been back to the dealer more than twice for this same code, that pattern of repeat repairs is relevant to a California lemon-law evaluation.
If your Ram 3500 stalled again after Recall 21V-880 was supposedly completed, you have important next steps. First, request that the dealer confirm in writing which components were replaced under the recall — pump, injectors, fuel rails — and that the PCM was also reprogrammed per the recall remedy. If any contaminated components were left in place, the stall risk may persist. Second, a recurrence of the stall after a recall repair is a second repair attempt for the same defect under California's lemon law — potentially meeting the threshold for a buyback claim. Third, document everything: dates, mileages, dealer repair orders, and any NHTSA complaint you file. NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA23-001 (opened in 2023) was reviewing whether the original recall scope was sufficient, which suggests the defect may be broader than initially addressed. Consulting a California lemon-law attorney is a sensible next step after a post-recall recurrence.
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