Nearly half a million Ram and Jeep drivers are being told, in plain terms, to park the trailer for now. A massive safety recall tied to a faulty towing module has swept up 456,287 trucks and SUVs, hitting exactly the owners who count on these vehicles for hauling work, campers, and toys. The warning is simple but serious: until the fix is done, towing could be a lot riskier than anyone signed up for.
The recall centers on a small electronic box that plays a big role in keeping trailers visible and under control. When that box fails, brake lights can disappear and trailer brakes can drop out, turning a routine tow into a white‑knuckle emergency. For a brand family that sells itself on capability, the message to skip towing cuts right to the core of how these vehicles are used.
What Went Wrong With The Tow Hardware
The heart of the problem is an improperly designed trailer tow module that sits between the truck or SUV and whatever it is pulling. In the affected vehicles, that module can cut power to trailer lighting and trailer brakes without warning, which is why Stellantis, listed as Stellantis, FCA, LLC, has moved to recall approximately 456,287 vehicles. That figure, 456,287, is not an estimate pulled out of thin air, it is the official count of trucks and SUVs that left the factory with the suspect hardware. Owners are being told that if they rely on their rigs for towing, they should treat that module as a potential single point of failure.
When the module misbehaves, the problems stack up quickly. Trailer brake lights can fail to illuminate or stay on, and in some cases the trailer brakes can stop working altogether, which cuts visibility and stopping power at the exact moment drivers need both. Reports tied to the recall describe how the loss of trailer brakes can reduce stopping capability and increase the risk of an accident, with these failures happening without prior warning, a risk spelled out in detail under the word Additionally. It is the kind of defect that might never show up on a solo commute, then suddenly appears the first time a driver hooks up a heavy trailer and heads down a crowded highway.
Which Ram And Jeep Models Are Affected
The recall is not limited to one niche trim, it sweeps across some of the newest and most high‑profile Ram and Jeep products. Official documents describe 456,000-Plus Ram Trucks, Jeep SUVs Recalled for Trailer Lights, Trailer Brakes, with the parent company identified as Jeep and Ram parent automaker Stellantis. The list includes the 2026 Ram 1500 Limited Crew Cab 4×4, referenced directly as Ram 1500 Limited Crew Cab, along with heavy‑duty Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 models that are built with towing in mind. On the Jeep side, the all‑new Jeep Cherokee and the electric Wagoneer S, also called Jeep Wag in some materials, are part of the campaign, as laid out in a technical note on the Jeep Cherokee and Wagoneer lineup.
More broadly, the recall covers model‑year 2024–2026 Jeep Wagoneer S and 2026 Cherokee SUVs, plus model‑year 2025–2026 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks, all grouped under the label Affected vehicles. Another summary notes that Over 456K Ram, Jeep vehicles recalled for trailer light, brake issues, with Chrysler singled out as the brand issuing a safety notice for Ram and Jeep owners, including 2025–2026 Ram 5500 models, in a report that highlights Over 456K vehicles. Put together, the scope explains why nearly Half, Million Rams and Jeep Owners Might Want, Skip Towing for Now, a phrase echoed in a consumer alert that warns Ram and Jeep drivers that their rigs are part of a Nearly Half million vehicle pool.
Why The Tow Warning Matters And What Owners Should Do
The reason the advice to pause towing is so blunt is that the failure mode hits exactly where towing safety lives. The trailer tow module in the affected vehicles may have been improperly designed, causing the trailer lights and trailer brakes to fail and increase the risk of a crash, a risk spelled out in a technical bulletin on trailer lights. Another safety notice explains that the modules affected by the recall may result in the brake lights on attached trailers failing to illuminate or may cause trailer lights to stay on altogether, cutting visibility and increasing crash risk, a scenario laid out under the description of how The modules behave. For drivers hauling horses, construction gear, or family campers, that is not a theoretical problem, it is a direct hit on their margin for error.
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