Chrysler’s Ram and Jeep brands are facing a fresh safety crisis, as a federal filing reveals a defect affecting every vehicle covered by a major new recall. The document describes a problem with trailer lighting and braking that can turn heavy-duty trucks into what critics describe as rolling time bombs whenever a trailer is hitched, and it fits into a wider pattern of serious safety warnings tied to the same manufacturer’s vehicles.
Federal records show that Chrysler, operating as FCA US, LLC under Stellantis, has formally acknowledged the defect in a Part 573 report, the same type of filing that has previously preceded “do not drive” and “park outside” alerts on other models. Together, these actions highlight how much current safety protections still depend on owners reading recall notices, understanding the risk, and acting quickly, even when the vehicles may seem to drive normally until something goes wrong.
Inside Recall 26V059: what the filing says
The trailer-brake case is laid out in the Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V059, a federal filing submitted under 49 CFR § 573 by Chrysler (FCA US, LLC). In that document, the company reports that about 456,000 Ram and Jeep trucks built over several model years are being recalled in North America, and it states an estimated defect rate of 100% for the vehicles in the recall group, meaning the company believes every covered truck may have the trailer wiring problem described in the report.filing
According to the report, a fault in the trailer tow electrical system can leave trailer lighting inoperative and trailer brakes unable to function when a truck is towing, which raises the risk of a crash. Because this is a Part 573 filing, it also lists the official recall population, gives a written defect description, includes a safety risk statement, sets out the 100% defect estimate, and provides a step-by-step chronology of how the problem was identified, along with a proposed remedy and a schedule for notifying owners and dealers.
Why trailer lighting and brake failure are so dangerous
Trailer lighting and braking are not extra features; they are core safety systems. If a Ram or Jeep truck is towing a loaded trailer and the trailer lights fail, drivers behind may have no warning that the rig is slowing or turning. If the trailer brakes fail at the same time, the entire weight of the trailer can push the truck forward, increasing stopping distance and making it harder to keep control in an emergency, especially at highway speeds or on steep grades.
The safety risk statement in the Part 573 report links inoperative trailer lighting and trailer brake failure directly to a higher chance of a crash. The defect only shows itself when owners are towing, which is often the main reason they bought these trucks. A driver commuting with an empty Ram 1500 or Jeep Gladiator might never notice a problem, while the same truck pulling a camper down a mountain pass could be at serious risk if the trailer brakes and lights fail without warning. The chronology section shows that Chrysler reviewed field reports and internal testing data before deciding that a safety recall was required.
From “do not drive” to “park outside”: a pattern of extreme warnings
The trailer recall arrives alongside some of the strongest language regulators and manufacturers can use: “do not drive” and “park outside.” In a consumer alert dated February 11, 2026, NHTSA and FCA US issued a do-not-drive warning for certain Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles with open Takata airbag recalls, explaining that unrepaired inflators can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, and noting that hundreds of thousands of vehicles remain unrepaired despite years of outreach.airbag alert
NHTSA has also published a consumer alert covering an expanded “park outside” recall for Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid models tied to Stellantis, warning that an electrical fault can cause a fire even when the vehicle is off and parked. That notice lists detailed affected-unit totals for the Stellantis recall, including specific production ranges that together add up to more than 698 plug-in hybrid SUVs in one group and at least 974 vehicles in another, underscoring that the fire risk is tied to defined batches rather than isolated incidents.fire-risk notice
How Stellantis is trying to contain the fallout
In the trailer recall Part 573 report, Chrysler outlines a remedy plan that includes both a technical fix and communication steps. Dealers will be instructed to inspect the trailer tow electrical system, replace or repair faulty components, and confirm that trailer lighting and brakes work correctly before returning vehicles to customers. The same report sets out a notification schedule, with dates for when owner letters will be mailed and when dealer instructions take effect, so regulators can track whether the company is meeting its obligations.
From a consumer perspective, this string of recalls raises questions about trust and follow-through. The Takata airbag warning shows that even when free repairs are available, many owners do not bring their vehicles in, which is why FCA US and NHTSA escalated to a do-not-drive message for some models. The park-outside guidance for Jeep plug-in hybrids shows that Stellantis is willing to tell owners to change how they store their vehicles while waiting for a fix. The trailer-brake recall now asks Ram and Jeep truck owners to accept that a core towing function may be compromised until their trucks are inspected and repaired, even though the Part 573 language stops short of a formal do-not-tow order.
Why this recall should change how owners think about risk
Many truck buyers assume that a recall is a narrow, one-off problem that can wait until the next oil change. The recent record around Chrysler and Jeep products tells a different story. When a single manufacturer is connected to a trailer-brake recall with a stated 100% defect rate, a Takata do-not-drive warning with a large unrepaired population, and a Stellantis Jeep park-outside alert with clear affected-unit counts, owners cannot treat safety notices as background noise. Each new recall letter or email is a time-sensitive warning about a specific hazard that may already be present in their driveway.
Coverage of these issues often focuses on dramatic phrases without explaining the dry, technical filings that define the risk. Yet the Part 573 report on trailer lighting and brakes, the Takata do-not-drive alert, and the park-outside notice for Jeep plug-in hybrids are public documents that spell out the safety stakes in direct language. When owners treat those filings as primary evidence instead of routine paperwork, it becomes easier to justify the hassle of scheduling a repair, parking a vehicle outside, or leaving a truck parked until a trailer-brake fix is complete. That shift in how drivers respond to recalls may be just as important for safety as any single part that gets replaced.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
