Ram Truck Recall: Chrysler Says Some Of Its Big Trucks Can Leak Fuel, A Day After Quality Control Chief Resigns

Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, the owner of Jeep and Dodge brands, is recalling 381,876 of its best-selling 2010-14 model-year Ram pickup trucks to fix an issue that could lead to fuel leakage and fire. The recall comes just one day after the company's quality control executive stepped down “to pursue other interests.”

In a separate announcement, FCA is also calling back 184,168 of the 2014 model-year Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee to fix a potential problem that could disable the electronic stability control, a function that detects and reduces loss of traction.

FCA says it has no reports of fires, injuries or accidents related to these two recent recalls.

The developments coincided with a Consumer Reports annual survey of vehicle reliability, which placed Chrysler low on the list.

The affected Ram trucks include the 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks. The larger Ram vehicles are often used for heavier duties as utility trucks and construction site equipment haulers. Most of the affected vehicles in both recalls are in the U.S.

On Tuesday, FCA announced that Doug Betts, the 51-year-old head of quality control in North America, has been replaced by Matthew Liddane, who has been with the company since 1987. Automotive News reported that FCA’s head of global product development, Mark Chernoby, 53, will be the new representative of quality control on the Global Executive Council, a role Betts used to have.

The world’s seventh-largest automaker also announced on Wednesday its third-quarter earnings ending Sept. 30, its first earnings statement since listing on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this month.

FCA said it earned $239.5 million in the quarter, down from $241.2 million in the same period last year. Revenue jumped 14 percent to $30 billion. FCA maintained its estimated profit of between $763 million and $1.2 billion for the year.

The news pushed FCA’s stock price up nearly 13 percent in morning trading in New York, to $10.97. The company’s stock price has gained over 23 percent since its Oct. 13 listing.

“With the formal creation of FCA and its debut listing on the NYSE, we have embarked on a new phase as a global company with even greater possibilities,” FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement.