NHTSA complaint #11680185

Owner complaint summary

While refueling my 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie with the large (33 gal) fuel tank, the fuel pump "vacuum-assisted automatic shutoff" or "nozzle shutoff mechanism" is triggered dozens of times prior to the tank actually reaching a full level. I have been experiencing this issue consistently for the past year and it has occurred, to the same degree, at each of the fill-ups conducted at a variety of gas stations during this time. I've had an independent service center diagnose the issue and they recommended I take it to a dealer for service and also report the issue because this has been a common issue they have seen. Other Ram 1500 owners on internet forums also report having had this issue. The safety issue is that gas may become trapped in a fuel system component where it shouldn't be collecting which exposes vehicle occupants to an increased risk of fire in the event of an accident. Furthermore, this condition makes it nearly impossible to know when the fuel tank is full because the shutoff mechanism is triggered many times prior to full. This results in over-filling the tank and possibly having fuel remain in the filler neck, which also unnecessarily increases the risk to vehicle occupants to fire or explosion if involved in an accident. Vehicle owner manuals and gas station pump warning stickers typically warn operators of the dangers of over-filling or "topping off" fuel tanks specifically for this reason. With the system not operating correctly, the risk of overfilling is severe and unsafe.