Ram recalls 265,512 ProMaster vans over power-steering wiring corrosion that can disable steering assist
Loss of power steering assist makes the vehicle harder to steer, increasing the risk of a crash.
Here’s the short version: if you drive a Ram ProMaster, water can get into the power steering wiring, corrode it, and knock out your steering assist. Ram is recalling 265,512 of these vans to fix it. That’s a big van losing the one thing that makes it easy to turn.
What’s actually failing
The electric power steering system on these vans runs through a wiring harness. On the affected ProMasters, water can find its way into that harness. Once water sits on electrical connections, corrosion starts. Corroded wiring doesn’t carry current the way it should, and in this case it can disable the steering assist entirely.
Here’s what that feels like from the driver’s seat. Electric power steering does the heavy lifting when you turn the wheel. Lose it, and the steering goes heavy fast. The van doesn’t lock up, but it takes real muscle to turn, especially at low speed when you’re parking, backing into a loading dock, or making a tight turn. A fully loaded cargo van is heavy to begin with. Pull that assist out at the wrong moment and you’ve got a harder-to-control vehicle, which is exactly why the filing calls out an increased crash risk.
The part that matters for ProMaster owners: this isn’t a slow, rare thing tied to one build week. Corrosion from water intrusion builds over time, and it can show up without much warning.
What the filing covers
This recall spans a wide range of model years. Per the filing, it covers:
- 2022 through 2026 RAM ProMaster vans
- 2024 through 2026 RAM ProMaster EV models
So both the gas vans and the electric versions are in scope. The total count is 265,512 vehicles. The recall was reported in NHTSA’s October 5–9, 2026 recall roundup, with news coverage landing October 8–9, 2026.
If you run a fleet of these, that’s not a one-truck problem. That’s potentially every ProMaster in your yard from the last several model years.
What this means if you own one
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Run your VIN. Don’t assume your van is in or out of this just because of the model year. Go to NHTSA’s recall lookup and enter your VIN, or check with a Ram dealer. The VIN is the only way to know for sure whether your specific van is included in the 265,512.
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Don’t ignore heavy steering. If the wheel suddenly gets hard to turn, or you feel the assist cut in and out, treat it seriously. That’s the symptom the filing describes. Get it looked at rather than muscling through it, especially before a long or loaded run.
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The repair should be free. This is a safety recall, not a maintenance item. Under federal law, the manufacturer fixes a recalled defect at no charge to you. Nobody should be handing you a bill for the corrected wiring work.
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Document everything. If you’ve already had steering problems, keep your repair records, invoices, and dates. If you paid out of pocket for something that turns out to be this exact issue, those records matter for reimbursement. Write down when you noticed symptoms.
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Watch for your notification letter. Owners get mailed notices on recalls like this. When yours arrives, it’ll spell out the remedy and when parts and service are available. If you’re a fleet operator, get ahead of it and schedule early, because 265,000-plus vans means dealers will be booked.
For model-specific history and recall notes, you can check your year’s hub: 2022 RAM ProMaster, 2023 RAM ProMaster, 2024 RAM ProMaster, 2025 RAM ProMaster, 2026 RAM ProMaster, along with the EV versions: 2024 RAM ProMaster EV, 2025 RAM ProMaster EV, and 2026 RAM ProMaster EV.
My honest take
Water getting into wiring and corroding it is one of the more frustrating failure modes, because it doesn’t fail on day one. It fails later, after the harness has been sitting wet through enough rain, washes, and seasons. That’s why a recall covering five model years makes sense here, and why I’d push every ProMaster owner to run their VIN rather than wait and hope.
The good news is the fix is covered and the defect is identified. The steering doesn’t disappear all at once into a no-control situation, but losing assist on a heavy van is a real safety concern, not a comfort issue. If your VIN is on the list, get it scheduled. If it’s not yet, keep an eye on your mail, because recalls sometimes expand.
For now: check your VIN, pay attention to how the wheel feels, and don’t pay for a repair that’s supposed to be free.
Sources: Kelley Blue Book, Fox Business, and the Vehicle Service Pros NHTSA roundup.