Chrysler has recalled more than 1.27 million Ram 1500 pickup trucks in the United States because second-row seat belt buckle anchors may not have been properly fastened to the vehicle’s body structure during factory assembly, according to federal safety regulators.
On July 30, 2026, the automaker filed a Part 573 report with NHTSA covering 1,271,294 Ram 1500 pickups in the United States over second-row seat belt buckle anchors that may not have been properly attached to the body structure during assembly. The recall covers 2019 through 2026 model year Ram 1500 trucks.
What the defect involves
NHTSA said the second-row seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed, leaving the vehicles out of compliance with federal safety requirements. Specifically, the condition can lead to reduced occupant restraint performance of the second-row seat belt buckle, potentially resulting in a noncompliance with FMVSS No. 210 , “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages.”
An improperly fastened anchor may reduce a seat belt’s ability to manage force and restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during certain driving conditions or a crash. The filing does not say the problem increases the risk of causing a crash.
Chrysler estimates that about 0.1% of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect, according to NHTSA. The recalled trucks were produced between Feb. 17, 2018, and April 27, 2026. FCA US said in the NHTSA filing that the recall involves an assembly problem rather than a defective component.
How the investigation began
From February 2026 to July 2026, FCA US’s Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance group met with FCA US engineering and manufacturing to review the issue, understand the failure mode, and to determine the suspect population.
The company’s internal safety compliance organization began investigating the issue in February 2026, after receiving a report from Transport Canada of a customer concern that the seat belt buckle anchor may not have been fastened to the body structure of their 2025 Ram 1500.
Beyond the U.S. recall, Stellantis says the issue could also affect 156,138 Ram 1500 trucks in Canada and 15,088 units in Mexico. The global scope of this campaign, 156,138 vehicles in Canada, 15,088 in Mexico, and another 74,000 in other export markets, brings the worldwide total to just over 1.5 million.
The Ram 1500 is one of the country’s best-selling full-size trucks, a market that has seen notable regulatory activity in 2026. Earlier this year, Ford recalled nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks in the United States, covering 2015, 2017 model years equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, over a defect that could cause an unexpected downshift while driving. Rivian Automotive also issued a safety recall for 3,829 electric vehicles across its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck lines due to potential front turn signal failures, expanding upon a previous recall issued for the same component defect. More details on that action are available in a separate GCN report.
What owners should do
Dealers will inspect the second-row center and driver-side seat belt buckle anchors and properly attach them to the body structure if necessary, free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed starting August 18, 2026. Vehicle identification numbers included in the recall are searchable at NHTSA.gov under campaign number 26V495. The recall is filed under NHTSA Recall No. 26V-495 and FCA recall number 67D. The NHTSA recall database lists the campaign under number 26V-495.
Owners may contact Stellantis customer care at 1-800-853-1403. Not every truck in the recall population will necessarily need the fix, some may have been assembled correctly, but all 1.27 million U.S.-market trucks fall within the affected build range and need to be inspected.
Scale and context
By any measure, this is a significant recall for the Ram 1500, one of the best-selling trucks in America across the entire span of affected production.
NHTSA said the recall stems from a vehicle assembly issue rather than a defective component. Because this is a workmanship fix rather than a parts replacement, there is no waiting on a redesigned component or a supplier backorder, the remedy already exists.
NHTSA requires automakers to perform recall repairs at no cost to owners regardless of vehicle age, and dealers are already being notified through Chrysler’s service network. Dealers began receiving notification of the recall on August 6, 2026. Owners who have not received a letter by early September are advised to check their VIN directly on the federal database.
