Ram 1500 tailgates: the 2019 to 2020 recall and the multifunction gate

What does the recall say?

Transport Canada's notice for recall 2022699 (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) lists the affected vehicles as 2019 and 2020 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500. The issue: "On certain trucks, the tailgate could unlatch and open while driving." The risk: "Cargo that falls from the truck bed could create a road hazard for others." The correction: "FCA Canada will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealership to inspect the alignment of the tailgate strikers, and adjust them if necessary." The notice was published 8 December 2022 and last updated 11 January 2023.

Source: Transport Canada, Recall 2022699. Checked 9 September 2026.

Does the recall affect a used tailgate I buy?

The recall is about how the strikers on the truck's box line up with the latches in the gate, so it is partly a property of the truck and partly of the gate. When we sell a 2019 or 2020 DT gate we check the latches engage cleanly on the donor before removal and tell you so; when you fit it, have the striker alignment checked on your truck, and if your truck is a 2019 or 2020, ask a dealer whether the recall has been performed on it (any Ram dealer can check by VIN, and Transport Canada's database lists open recalls). A gate that pops open on the highway is a recall fixed for free at a dealer, not a reason to avoid the truck.

What is the multifunction tailgate?

Ram unveiled it on 6 February 2019 at the Chicago Auto Show. Stellantis's description: it "retains the capabilities of a fully dampened, drop-down tailgate with remote release options and adds a first-of-its-kind 60-40 split, swing-away functionality", with "four configurations: open flat, open left door only, open right door only and open both doors". Each door swings 88 degrees, a retractable centre step was optional, and it is "trailer-friendly", opening with a trailer hitched. It was available across the 2019 Ram 1500 line in the second quarter of 2019, at an additional US$995 with the step US$295 more.

Source: Stellantis North America blog, FCA unveils new vehicle features at the Chicago Auto Show, 9 February 2019. Checked 9 September 2026.

Standard versus multifunction, side by side

How do I check a used tailgate before I buy it?

1. Latches. Both side latches (and on a multifunction gate, the centre latches) click home and release cleanly. Cables not frayed.
2. Straightness. Sight along the top edge. A gate that has been dropped with the cables off is bowed.
3. Bottom edge. On a DS gate, rust starts inside the lower seam. Look with a light.
4. Camera and lock. If fitted, checked working on the donor; ask for that.
5. Strikers on your truck. On a 2019 or 2020 DT, have the alignment checked when the new gate goes on.

Is a multifunction gate an upgrade I can buy used?

Yes, and it is one of the most asked-for DT parts. It replaces a standard gate on any 2019 to 2026 DT box with its own hinges and latches, so it is a bolt-on in the sense that nothing on the box has to be cut, though the strikers change. We check every one door by door before it is tagged.