FCA Repurchasing Ram Pickups As Part Of Largest Penalty Ever

Looking to sell your 2008-2012 Ram 4×4 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500 or 5500 pickup? We may have found a buyer for you!

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will pay $105 million in fines, the largest civil penalty imposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the way the automaker recalls its vehicles. As part of the agreement, FCA will repurchase thousands of Ram pickup trucks because of defects with the steering systems in select 2008-2012 vehicles.

We all know recalls will happen and sometimes they do not get handled correctly by the manufacture, but with this new penalty being imposed will change the way all manufactures handle their recalls.

Even with FCA stating that 60 percent of the vehicles within that category have already been fixed, they are not completely out of the water because of it. FCA will be required to offer current owners of those qualified pickups a fair market price (spelled out as the total after depreciation is subtracted from the purchase price).

The Ram pickups are not the only vehicles that FCA is in trouble with. Based on the agreement it also includes several Jeep and Dodge SUVs.

NHTSA’s order is the result of an increasingly aggressive stance by regulators to ensure auto companies take all measures necessary to repair vehicle defects. On top of this penalty FCA has been dealing with the breach in their UConnect in car wireless connection, and also problems with the inadvertent deployment of the side curtain airbag and seat belt pretensioner.

The last record penalty given out by the NHTSA was $70 million, which Honda received for delays in reporting pertinent information in a timely fashion. The size and scope of the vehicles that are affected by this program is outrageous. There have been estimates of 300,000 to over 500,000 pickups that could possibly be bought back.

FCA released a statement, stating that they are in consent with the NHTSA and will be complying with everything that is asked. This is surely something that will not get brushed under the rug, and will only be the start of what will happen in regards to this massive penalty.