Cummins to Recall RAM Pickup Trucks

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- Engine manufacturer Commins Inc. will be conducting a nationwide recall of hundreds of thousands of RAM 2500 and RAM 3500 pickups as part of a $2 billion settlement on claims the company violated the Clean Air Act by installing emissions defeat devices.

As part of a settlement originally announced at the end of December, Cummins must repair and replace the engine control software in hundreds of thousands of pickup trucks equipped with the company's diesel engines, according to an announcement by the EPA on Wednesday.

The DOJ alleges that defeat devices on some Cummins engines have caused them to produce thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides.

In addition, Cummins will extend the warranty period for certain parts in the repaired vehicles, fund and perform projects to mitigate excess ozone-creating nitrogen oxides emitted from the trucks and employ new internal procedures designed to prevent future emissions cheating.

The Clean Air Act requires vehicle and engine manufacturers to ensure their products comply with applicable emission limits.

Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emissions controls such as emission sensors and onboard computers.

According to a previous report by DTN, Cummins allegedly installed defeat devices on 630,000 model-year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines, https://www.dtnpf.com/….

The company also allegedly installed undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model-year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines, the Justice Department said in a news release last month.

In a related set of complaints filed on Wednesday, the DOJ and the state of California allege that nearly 1 million model-year 2013 to 2023 RAM 2500 and RAM 3500 pickup trucks with Cummins diesel engines utilized undisclosed engine control software features, according to the EPA.

More than 630,000 of those trucks made in model years 2013 to 2019 had illegal emissions control software defeat device features.

EPA said those software defeat devices helped the trucks pass standard EPA emissions tests, but they "artificially reduced" the effectiveness of the emission controls -- and increased NOx emissions -- during normal driving outside of the standard test conditions.

"The types of devices we allege that Cummins installed in its engines to cheat federal environmental laws have a significant and harmful impact on people's health and safety," U.S. Attorney General. Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.

"This historic agreement makes clear that the Justice Department will be aggressive in its efforts to hold accountable those who seek to profit at the expense of people's health and safety."

The settlement requires Cummins to work with Fiat Chrysler and its dealers on a vehicle recall and repair program that will remove all defeat devices from the affected 2013 to 2019 RAM trucks free of charge, according to EPA.

The repair involves software updates, and Cummins already started the recall and repair program required by the settlement, according to EPA.

"Cummins sought all EPA and CARB (California Air Resources Board) emission certifications for the RAM trucks equipped with its engines, even though the trucks were sold by the RAM truck division of Fiat Chrysler and its dealers," EPA said on Wednesday.

Cummins is required to repair at least 85% of the 2013 to 2019 RAM trucks equipped with defeat devices within three years.

EPA said the company must offer a special extended warranty covering emission control system parts on 2013 to 2019 RAM trucks that receive the replacement software.

Cummins also must test some of the repaired trucks over several years to ensure that the trucks continue to meet emissions standards.

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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