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Ram recalling 1,747 diesel trucks for short-circuit risk

Diesel-powered Ram owners, it's recall time. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced a voluntary recall of 1,747 Ram 1500 EcoDiesels from model years 2014 and 2015. Why so few? Well, this campaign is limited to just rear-wheel-drive models. The problem, this time around, is with a battery wiring harness that will chafe against a bracket if it wasn't assembled properly. This chaffing can lead to a short, causing a loss of power (the best-case scenario) or even a fire (probably the worst-case scenario). Fortunately, FCA is unaware of any accidents, fires, or other injuries caused by short circuits. The affected vehicles were sold in both the US and Canadian markets, although the vast majority of the trucks, 1,697 to be precise, are here in the land of the free and home of the brave. The remaining 50 vehicles were sold in Canada, and were likely purchased by those crazy enough to drive a high-torque, rear-drive pickup in a country almost perpetually covered in snow and ice. Regardless of whether your truck has an illuminated dashboard warning light or not, FCA is encouraging drivers of the affected vehicles to report to dealers for a free service when they receive a recall notice. Scroll down for the official press release from FCA, as well as the bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Statement: Wiring Harness September 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is recalling an estimated 1,747 trucks in the U.S. and Canada to inspect, reroute and replace – as required – their wire harnesses to prevent a potential short-circuit. An investigation by FCA US discovered a battery wiring harness may chafe against a bracket if assembly protocols were not followed. This condition is limited to vehicles equipped with diesel engines and 4x2 drivelines. Such a condition has the potential to cause a short-circuit, which may lead to power loss or fire. The Company is unaware of any related injuries, accidents or fires. The campaign is limited to certain 2014-15 Ram 1500 pickups. It is estimated there are 1,697 in the U.S. and 50 in Canada. Affected customers will be advised next month when they may schedule service, which will be performed at no cost. While the condition may not be present in every vehicle, FCA US urges customers to note the information on their recall notices and respond accordingly. Illumination of a dashboard warning light is among the indicators that the condition is present.

2017 Ram Power Wagon starts at $53,015

Ram has finally released pricing for the new 2017 2500 Power Wagon, and it won't come cheap, starting at $53,015. The good news is that you still get plenty of hardware and appearance upgrades. The better news is that there's also a way to get the same capability for a discount. Every Power Wagon model still gets a bevy of off-roading features, including Bilstein shocks, 33-inch tires, locking front and rear differentials, electronically disconnecting sway bars, chassis armor, and a 12,000-pound Warn winch. Each one also comes with the Ram 2500's 410-horsepower V8. This year, the standard grade Power Wagon also gets a much more aggressive exterior thanks to the Ram Rebel-style black front grille and trim. The black trim is complemented by a retro Power Wagon stripe just behind the rear doors, as seen on late '70s Power Wagons and the recent Macho Power Wagon SEMA concept. Inside, the Power Wagon also gets seats with embossed tire tread patterns, like the Ram Rebel. Buyers who want to be coddled on the trail can then upgrade their Power Wagons with the Leather and Luxury package for $4,495, which adds satellite radio, UConnect, heated leather seats and steering wheel, and voice control, among other things. With the introduction of the Leather and Luxury package, Ram will also phase out the fancy, $59,465 Laramie Power Wagon trim. However, if you don't need the extra style of the Ram Power Wagon, there's a cheaper way to get the substance. The way to do this is to order a Ram 2500 Tradesman in crew cab, four-wheel-drive configuration, and then choose the $8,450 Power Wagon package. When added to the Tradesman's $39,865 starting price, you'll have a Power Wagon for $46,995 provided you don't add anymore options. That's a substantial savings of just over $6,000. Now you won't get the fancy interior or the Rebel-style exterior appointments, but all of the important mechanical bits are the same. In a way, it's the off-road version of a " sleeper." So whether you want style or savings, there's a Power Wagon for you. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: Chicago 2016 View 18 Photos Image Credit: Ram RAM Truck power wagon ram 2500 power wagon

Toy, hauler | 2017 Ram Power Wagon Video Review

When you're bouncing along in a 2017 Ram 2500 Power wagon over the washboard silt roads of the Valley of Fire, just outside of Las Vegas, it's a bit of a shock to realize how comfortable you are. We'd driven a convoy of brand new Ram Power Wagons out from a city improbably emerging from the scrub into a land of red rocks and sand. Inhospitable territory full of thrill-seekers in Jeeps and four-seat ATVs, flinging sand and bouncing their tall signal flags about. The varied terrain, transitioning from hard-packed silt to rocky paths to deep sand at any point, provided the perfect environment to see if the Power Wagon can live up to its billing – check out the video above to see how it handled the gnarly stuff. Back in 1945, the Power Wagon and comfort were not really thought of together. Like the Jeep, these thoroughly mil-spec trucks were heading home from overseas, where they'd served as weapon carriers and utility rigs. The all-business truck was a bit like a heavy-duty Willys Jeep with a bed, and instead of the convertible military cab, Dodge bolted on a pre-war civilian cab. They had more amenities than a tractor (windows! A roof!), but no one would call 'em coddling. The advertising of the day shows them digging ditches, plowing fields, erecting utility poles. You could use the rear power take-off to run a portable sawmill – pure denim and dust work. The brief has clearly evolved a bit – the PTOs disappeared as the truck evolved from a dedicated platform for serious work to more of a heavy-duty trim on Ram's conventional pickups, and then disappeared for a quarter-century until reemerging in 2005. To put it succinctly, the latest 2500 Power Wagon has off-road chops that pass the laugh test, and real working payload and towing capabilities, all in one package. We didn't tow or haul with the Power Wagon on this trip, but we really didn't have to. The Power Wagon is mostly standard 2500 fare: solid axles front and rear, taking power from the familiar truck-spec 6.4-liter Hemi V8. It'll haul up to 1,510 pounds in the bed, and tow up to 10,030 pounds. We know these trucks; they do this kind of work easily and without complaint. What's surprising is how well it does the work without much compromise. As you can see in the video above, the ride's as stiff as on a normal 2500 pickup, maybe a hair stiffer, but plenty tolerable for a long haul on the interstate.