Complaint 2214128

Complaint Summary

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

The vehicle is a 2017 Ram 1500 Big Horn EcoDiesel 4x4 that I bought new in 2018. The backup camera has been a constant intermittent problem since the second year of ownership. It will go dark, have a green screen, or display scrambled lines. The camera has been replaced by the local Ram dealer (Mullahey Jeep/Dodge/Ram in Paso Robles, CA) at least once under warranty, but the problem recurred. It has been there at other times for the issue, but the problem had rectified itself by the time I got it there. After researching this on the internet the problem appears to be in the backup camera wiring harness in the tailgate, possibly in the electrical connectors. Many people complain about the issue on various forums, and there are quite a few videos on You Tube with homegrown fixes which I have tried, but they are a temporary at best. The best temporary remedy I have found is to open and then slam the tailgate shut. The problem appears to be quite common. I informed the dealer about the wiring harness possibly being the source of the problem the last time I brought it in a few years ago, but they seemed to ignore my advice. I know that there have been safety recalls of RAM pickups for backup camera issues from model years 2019 onwards, so why not other affected years? The problem most recently recurred today as I was backing out of my driveway. It has occurred numerous times over the years. RAM appears to have no permanent fix for this safety hazard. Luckily, I have not yet had an accident, but no one should have to wait for an accident, injury, or a fatality to order a recall. I hope my complaint does not fall on deaf ears as it has with RAM. Thank you.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.