The Uconnect infotainment system is the main problem area. Multiple owners report Error Code 20 failures within the first 1,100 miles that knock out the backup camera, navigation, radio, emergency features, and climate control entirely. The system goes dark and unresponsive; one owner spent over a month getting it fixed while dealers waited for parts on back-order. Touchscreen freezing is another pattern—the system locks up during or after phone calls and gets hot to the touch, forcing owners to pull the radio fuse from the trunk to reset it.
Instrument panel failures create serious safety issues. One owner's dashboard glitched while driving at night on the freeway, leading to an accident and higher insurance rates. Another found the entire display dark after the car sat for eight hours, unable to see speed or gauges while driving home.
Electrical gremlins show up elsewhere: one owner lost all power at 84,000 miles and had to be towed; another's headlights failed multiple times within the first year, with the dealer charging $90 per fuse replacement. A few owners report intermittent false door-open warnings, horn honking by itself, and an odd issue where turning on the radio disables the headlights.
Dealers often cannot diagnose these problems because failures are intermittent or don't happen during appointments. Chrysler acknowledges some issues but may not cover them under the specific VIN if a recall exists for the same malfunction.
Failure modes owners describe
Uconnect Error Code 20 - System Update Failure
Uconnect infotainment system encounters Error Code 20 during updates, rendering the system inoperable. Affected vehicles lose access to backup camera, navigation, radio, emergency functions, climate controls, and all on-screen menus. System goes completely dark with no operational displays.
When: Within first 1,100 miles; one owner reported under 1 month of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: No backup camera display; No radio or navigation; No emergency functions; Climate control unavailable or locked to full on/off; No on-screen menus; Rearview mirror dimmer unavailable; Completely dead touchscreen
Codes mentioned: Uconnect Error Code 20
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported replacement part was defective (wrong device delivered in open box after multiple service visits). Dealer attempted fixes including battery replacement and radio fuse removal, but parts on back-order for extended periods.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler and Ram Uconnect customer care involved; parts expedited from supplier with ETA of 8-22-2021 in one case. Manufacturer case management contacted owner.
Touchscreen Freezing - Uconnect System
Infotainment touchscreen freezes and becomes unresponsive during or after phone call termination. Screen remains hot to touch and all buttons become non-functional. Requires power-cycling via radio fuse removal to restore operation.
When: Started late November 2020 for one owner
Symptoms owners cite: Screen freezes when ending phone calls; All on-screen buttons become unresponsive; Screen becomes hot to touch; Call counter continues running despite call being disconnected; Requires fuse removal to reset system
Repairs/costs cited: Owner had to disconnect phone and pull radio fuse from trunk to clear system and restore hands-free capability. Dealership contacted but no response reported.
Instrument Panel / Digital Dashboard Failure
Instrument cluster display becomes intermittent, glitches while driving, or goes completely dark. Includes loss of speedometer, RPM gauge, tire pressure, battery voltage, engine temperature, and oil pressure displays. One owner reported glitching caused accident on freeway.
When: One owner experienced glitching on freeway September 2020; another reported dashboard stopped working after 8 hours parked
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard lights go out; Speedometer not visible; RPM gauge not visible; Tire pressure display unavailable; Battery voltage unavailable; Engine temperature gauge unavailable; Oil pressure and oil life unavailable; Intermittent glitching while driving; Glitching continues while driving for seconds to minutes
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had accident due to glitching while driving at night. No repairs reported in narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner noted Chrysler has recall on same make/model but not their specific VIN. Owner seeking insurance point removal and legal action against Chrysler.
Headlight Fuse Failures
Both left and right headlights fail due to defective fuses. One owner experienced both headlights fail within first year; suspected loose fuse block connections causing arcing.
When: Within first year of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Left headlight failed; Right headlight failed; Passenger side headlight intermittent on/off condition; Passenger side headlight now continuously off
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer charged $90 per fuse replacement while under warranty. Owner suspects defective fuse block with loose connections causing minor arcing between fuse tang and block contacts.
General Electrical Failure - Loss of Motive Power
Vehicle loses all electrical power while driving, rendering it unable to operate. Check engine light illuminates but vehicle does not restart.
When: At 84,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of motive power while driving; Check engine warning light illuminated; Vehicle unable to restart
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle required towing. Independent mechanic diagnosed as general electrical failure; dealer confirmed diagnosis but did not repair.
Radio and Lighting Control Interaction Issue
Radio activation causes headlights to become independently disabled. Safety feature control is managed by infotainment system, creating potential safety hazard.
When: At approximately 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights become disabled when radio turned on; Failure occurred during night driving; Radio controls safety feature functions
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure.
Intermittent False Door Open Warning
Rear passenger door open indicator displays on dashboard and interior dome light flashes continuously, despite door being closed. Occurs intermittently without clear trigger and has caused owner concern while driving on highway.
When: Occurs intermittently; one owner reported incident on highway returning from Indianapolis
Symptoms owners cite: Rear passenger door open light on dash; Interior dome light flashing; Warning occurs while driving; Intermittent occurrence - may happen weekly or go weeks without occurring
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to diagnose since failure does not occur during service appointments.
Abnormal Ignition Noise
Abnormal sound occurs when ignition is turned to on position. Recurs several times but cannot be reliably reproduced.
When: At approximately 1,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal sound when ignition turned on; Sound comes from back left side (reported in one complaint with different symptoms)
Repairs/costs cited: Technician at Sierra Motor Mall unable to duplicate or diagnose failure.
Spontaneous Horn Activation
Horn activates by itself repeatedly without driver input. Occurs while vehicle is parked and continues to activate at regular intervals.
When: Parked on 3/25/2020
Symptoms owners cite: Horn sounds spontaneously; Requires alarm button to stop; Reactivates every 20-30 minutes
Fuel Gauge and Low Fuel Light Malfunction
Fuel gauge and low fuel warning light not functioning properly. Vehicle shuts off while driving and makes loud noise during restart attempt.
When: Unknown timing
Symptoms owners cite: Car shut off while driving; D shifter knob flashing; Vehicle won't start for approximately 30 minutes; Loud noise during restart attempt; Fuel gauge not working properly; Low fuel light not functioning
Codes mentioned: Flashing code (specific code not identified in narrative)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle started normally after adding fuel.
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.