2019 Ram 2500: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Jan 21, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · 110,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, there was blue and white smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact saw a cloud of smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact waited to see where the smoke was coming from and attempted to start however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and filed a complaint. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Filed Sep 14, 2024 · Engine · FL · fire

Initially I witnessed a large volume of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe when pulling up to fuel pump. A passer-by informed me that there were flames underneath the truck on the passenger side. I then got out of truck, stooped down to look underneath, and observed a hose leading from the exhaust system on fire and multiple exhaust components glowing red hot. After getting my passenger out of the truck I got back in, put it in drive and pulled forward away from the fuel pumps and made it about forty feet before truck engine stalled. I then proceeded to get a fire extinguisher from the fuel pump lanes and extinguish the fire and directed the remaining agent at the hotspots to cool them. After the fire department ensured the vehicle was safe to move it was towed to the local RAM dealership where it is now awaiting service technicians to inspect the damage after the weekend.

Filed Apr 5, 2023 · Electrical · IL · fire

Continuation to the federal safety agency ID # 11511305 Adding some more details and photos of the Fire. (2019 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins Diesel engine) This is to describe the time frame from the start of the vehicle to when the fire department put out the fire. I have a store receipt that time stamps my checkout time at 2:11p CT, from the time I left the store, loaded my purchases into the truck, started and drove the car a very short distance, when the smoke started to pour out of the inside ventilation system, I pulled the truck over to the side of the road, got out of the truck and called 911 (time stamped from my phone was 2:29p CT. (18 minutes from checkout to 911 call. I Took a picture of the truck after the fire department put out the fire (time stamped 2:38p CT (9 minutes from the start of the 911 call). Adding some pictures of the burnt-out truck. What shows is that the fender on the driver’s side took the brunt of the heat, where all the electrical systems reside. Telling me that this was the main section that started on fire (possibility that the Heater Grid). This was definitely an electrical fire, given the smell and smoke that poured into the truck. I know there is a current recall by the auto maker. I think they should re-evaluate they years that this recall should affect, since my 2019 has the same parts used as the 2021-2023’s. Given the pictures below and the disaster that this caused, we were pretty lucky that it was just me and my wife in the vehicle. We were able to find a spot to pull over so it wouldn’t affect other traffic. What if we were stuck on a highway, in traffic, pulling a trailer in a rural area, who knows what else could have happened. The stress of this is overwhelming, something that I will relive over and over again. Photos and Fire Report attached.

Filed Mar 11, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · IL · fire

March 10,2023 2019 Ram 2500 Cummins 6.7L Diesel I picked up my truck from the dealership this morning, after they did the outstanding CP4 fuel pump recall. I drove the vehicle home (approx 20) miles. Parked the car in the driveway for about 3 hours. Then took a short trip to the store. After the store, when leaving the parking lot I noticed an electrical/plastic smell. Within in seconds smoke started to come through the air vents. I pulled the truck over, turned off the truck, open the hood when fire exspelled from the engine compartment. Immediately call the fire department. They arrived in minutes to put out the fire, but at that point the whole front end of the truck was on fire and smoking (dense white/gray smoke). Then there was a loud burst of flame that came from the engine compartment. The fire worked its way into the cab compartment, burned it completely. The truck is totaled.

Filed Jan 19, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · IL · fire

Smoke emanated from the engine bay shortly after starting the vehicle first thing in the morning. The temperature outside was less 40*. Shortly after seeing smoke, the engine bay was engulfed in flames, centered on the hood, near the windshield. Newer vehicles have fire risk recalls regarding the intake-grid heater shorting out, but not the 2019 model. The grid heater would have been on due to the temperature. Please see the reports from the Police and Fire Department attached. The truck was totaled.

Filed Mar 3, 2022 · Airbags · TX · crash · fire · 1 injury

I was driving on the highway and was rear ended by another vehicle which lifted the back end of my truck from the ground. Both side air bags deployed. I was wearing a hoodie at the time and the airbag deployment caused my hoodie to catch on fire. There was not an open flame for me to know it was burning. Instead, it smoldered and burnt my hoodie material. I could feel the underside of my arm stinging and the holes in my sleeve, but believed that it was a result of the airbag hitting my arm and causing essentially a bad carpet burn. However, this caused second degree burns to the bottom side of my arm near my arm pit. I discovered after the incident that airbag deployment is assisted by gunpowder. I am not sure if this is what caused my hoodie to catch fire. I also discovered that 2021-2022 Rams recently had a recall on Side Airbags due to improperly compressed air. My truck is a 2019 however, so I'm not sure if that recall should be expanded to include additional years.

Filed Oct 19, 2021 · Engine, Transmission · CA · fire

In August 2020, while I was driving my vehicle at approximately 15 mph, with approximately 13,500 miles on the odometer, I noticed that the vehicle's transmission gauge was about 230-240 degrees. I pulled over and smelled smoke. Luckily, my passengers and I were able to get out of the vehicle. The vehicle was completely destroyed. I have video showing flames coming out of the passenger side engine compartment. I had previously taken my vehicle in for repair for recall W03 to have the transmission valve body replaced so the transmission wouldn't cause an engine fire. FCA had an expert inspect the vehicle and he found that "fire progression appears to be from engine compartment thru entire vehicle terminating at rear truck bed," that "possible source of ignition is hot surface of turbocharger/exhaust components. - Most likely method of ignition is transmission fluid expelled from dipstick tube," "origin appears to be in the engine compartment," and "possible cause appears to be transmission fluid expelled from dipstick tube onto turbocharger/exhaust components. The determination of possible cause is based on: 1. Owner/driver's description of events. 2. Transmission of dipstick is extended ~ 27.0 inch from the fill tube." Despite this, FCA refused to pay me for my destroyed vehicle (or the trailer that it destroyed) because: "After the inspection of your vehicle, the information at hand would not permit us to associate the fire with a manufacturing or assembly error. We are sure you will understand fires of this nature can and do occur for a number of reasons not associated with the manufacturing process. Therefore, we must respectfully decline any assistance associated with this matter. Based on this, we suggest that you refer this matter to your insurance carrier . . ." I already had the transmission fire recall performed and my truck still blew up. Luckily, I was not injured. I am worried that if FCA does not do another recall, other trucks will blow up too.

Filed Mar 12, 2021 · Engine, Fuel system · 21,000 miles · IA · fire

I started my pickup and pulled out of garage put in park to close my garage door and with 2-3 minutes at idle, smoke was coming into the cab, got out of vehicle and opened hood and found flames coming from fuel injection pump area, was able to get fire out before it burnt the truck completely.

Filed Sep 7, 2020 · Electrical · 28,000 miles · OH · fire

Started my truck today and within a minute of driving it out my driveway I smelled something burning and saw smoke. The electrical wiring harness under the front drivers seat was on fire. Had to put the fire out with a bottle of water. Calling my local ram dealership in the morning to have it towed there.*dt