Reverse Steer Control not Working AND a Rear Camera Recall on 2021

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Doug Ram

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Ram has notified me that 2021 trucks with "reverse steer" have been recalled because the camera won't always work, depending on how the owner has configured the settings. I happen to have one of these trucks. I don't have any problems with the rear view camera. MY PROBLEM is that the REVERSE STEER doesn't work. AT ALL. I have an appointment tomorrow for my dealer to check my truck (and trailer) to see what's wrong. I wonder if the recall is related. Does anyone else have the reverse steer function... and how well does it work for you?

Safety Defect/Non Compliance Description and Safety Risk Chrysler Recall Y-30
FMVSS No. 111 S5.5.6 requires that the rear visibility system default to the rearview image being visible, and meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 111 S5.5.1 (field of view) and S5.5.2 (image size) at the beginning of each backing event, regardless of any modifications to the field of view that the driver had previously selected. Suspect vehicles may not display the rear view image during a backing event. The rearview image is not displayed if attempting to reference the image while backing. If this warning is not heeded, backing without verifying it is safe to do so could lead to an increased risk of injury to people outside the vehicle.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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My update: I visited the dealer today and got nooooo satisfaction. They did the Y-30 recall, updated the reverse steering control software and then we tested the function with the trailer attached. The tech and I first drove around the dealer parking lot following the manual calibration instructions in the owner manual and tested it in the lot. The system wouldn't stop telling it was calibrating, but otherwise it did nothing. Then did the manual calibration process while out on city streets. It did nothing. Then we drove 30 minutes around the town to see if the system's automatic calibration function would work. We drove around city blocks and on a freeway and back. Nothing. The service tech and I got really familiar with pages 235 and 236 of the truck's manual because, as the tech explained, there is no other documentation of the feature. None. It seems that Ram has released no additional documentation to the dealers. My dealer has sold one truck with the feature. Mine.

They are calling dealer technical support. I called Ram Cares and got a promise that they will try to find out what is wrong.

I feel kind of cheated. I bought this truck with an option that I paid for. And if they can't make it work, I'd like a few hundred bucks back. I would prefer that they make it work though.
 

Macmanic

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Have a similar issue. I've done the initial calibration and it loses the settings often. Literally, I can launch my boat using the assist and then come back a few hours later, it will ask to recalibrate, so I shut it off because no one at a boat launch has patience. Then, when I get it home, I'll press the button and it will work again. I get that its a "smart" feature but it shouldn't be so emotional and shut down on a whim. I'll watch this post to see if anyone has any revelations about how to keep the settings sticky.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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To follow up on my situation. Ram has promised me that they are going to replace the reverse steering module and the part is on order. The part was ordered weeks ago..... and I am still waiting. We are planning a long trip in September. It's the only thing that's not right with my truck.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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Between when I last posted on this subject and today I have visited the dealer several times, Ram has replaced the reverse steering control module and then reprogrammed the replacement. My truck and trailer has seen the dealer several times and last week it spent a week at my Ram dealer so that the Ram regional technician and dealer could conference remotely to each other and walk the dealer techs thru a series of tests and re-programmings with my RV trailer attached. Over 40 hours of staff time were noted on my paperwork. It still does not work at all.

The technician told dealer staff that the only sensor is the rear camera. To date my dealer has seen no technical documentation on the system and so has no idea how the system should work other than what he's been told. Ram has tossed around a theory that the trailer's propane tanks blocked the rear camera and asked me to try other trailers. I've tried three other trailers, two boat trailers and a cargo trailer. The system did not work with any of them.

I understand that Ram is considering offering me money to just go away. But I'd like to know exactly why this isn't working, before I took the money. One reason I bought this particular truck was the availability of this feature, I tow trailers weekly and maneuver them in tight places around our property. I own How two boat trailers, a cargo trailer and a camper trailer.

I've seen one response here. Is there anybody else having this experience with this feature on their truck? Has anyone actually gotten it to work? What kind of trailer?
 

Alliebone

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We have the 2021 Laramie with the trailer steering system and it is not working at all!!! No help from the dealer we bought it from or other dealers we have taken it to. We bought this truck to tow our new Oliver travel trailer and it is so disappointing to not have this function. We feel cheated as well! Don’t know what to do! We called our salesman today to see if there is anything he could do and he said he would investigate and get back to us!
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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We have the 2021 Laramie with the trailer steering system and it is not working at all!!! No help from the dealer we bought it from or other dealers we have taken it to. We bought this truck to tow our new Oliver travel trailer and it is so disappointing to not have this function. We feel cheated as well! Don’t know what to do! We called our salesman today to see if there is anything he could do and he said he would investigate and get back to us!
What's going on? Have you followed the procedure outlined in the manual to calibrate it? Do you get a blinking light on the button and a dash message that the system needs to calibrate (but never does)? If you are not getting the blinking light and message, you may be lucky and find the fuse is missing, not fully inserted or blown. Mine is Fuse F-53, located behind a removable panel under the steering wheel. If you are getting the blinking light and calibrate message, you are in the same box as I am. Screwed.

How long have you had the truck? I should have brought the trailer when I picked up the truck because I would not have accepted the vehicle if I knew that it didn't work. I would have gone with Ford's system or insisted on a refund of the option group that had this system. My second mistake was assuming it would be easily fixed, and then waiting so long to get a Ramcares case going.

All that aside, you need to call the dealer, insist on an immediate appointment and that your dealer fix it now. Don't allow them to put you off for weeks for an appointment. Most importantly, you MUST bring the trailer for the appointment and don't leave until you and the service manager have tested it so that it work. If they are unable to repair it in one visit, insist on immediate escalation to a RAMCARES case. You need to do this by making the phone call, don't rely on the dealer, as they don't get paid enough to actually WANT to deal with any of this.

Good luck. Please keep us posted on your situation.
 

Alliebone

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Today as we are taking our travel trailer to storage, our trailer steering is active!!! It wouldn’t work for our week long camping trip! Our email to ram complaining about the trailer steering has been acknowledged and we are gonna follow thru with their recommendations. Will keep you all posted.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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Soooooo...... while I am still waiting for RAM to actually DO ANYTHING further about the lack of trailer reverse steering control on my truck, the back up camera AND park sense warning system craps out. I've got a message that its "temporarily unavailable". Yet another trip back to the dealer. GRRRRRRRR!!!!!

The recall was done and I've been back and forth to the dealer several times for them (and somebody from RAM on the phone) to mess with the trailer reverse steering control, which still doesn't work. And now neither does the rear camera or sensors! I've had other pickups, but this one is the first one where I've felt that I really need to have the reverse camera. Its a giant blind spot behind that tailgate.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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Another update. I got to the dealer last week for the rear camera and sensors. They got it working again simply by rebooting the system. They don't know why it stopped working. Maybe its related to the fact that a second recall is coming for my truck's rear sensor/camera system. My dealer's service manager got the notification while I was at the dealer. The notification is vague about what is wrong and it indicates that no solution has been identified.

By the way, the trailer reverse steering control (TRSC) still won't calibrate. I received a verbal offer to pay me $900, to refund the cost of the option package that the trailer reverse steering control came with. I turned them down because: they haven't figured out why it doesn't work; RAM still has outstanding recalls; I am not comfortable with not knowing exactly why its not working; maybe something else is wrong; and I don't want to give up any rights I have if there is. Next week the truck is going back to the dealer for this issue. This time a regional representative will look at it. My service manager thinks he's bringing a trailer to test the system. He also says that RAM still has no meaningful technical information available for dealer service managers to diagnose the TRSC system.
 
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Doug Ram

Doug Ram

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Well, well, well. After months and months Ram sent a new rear camera to my dealer, which was installed two weeks ago. And now I have trailer reverse steering. Since its the middle of winter the only trailer I've used is the basic cargo and lawn trailer, but it works!
 
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