2021-2026 Ram 1500 Seat Belt Anchor Recall (26V495)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) · 1,271,294 vehicles · Reported July 30, 2026
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling 1,271,294 2021-2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages." An improperly installed seat belt buckle anchor may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 26V495 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V495000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 67D |
| Date reported to NHTSA | July 30, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| Vehicles | 2021-2026 Ram 1500 |
| Units affected | 1,271,294 |
| Component | Seat Belts > Rear / Other > Anchorage |
| Safety risk | An improperly installed seat belt buckle anchor may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2026 Ram 1500 in recall 26V495?
The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The second-row center and left-side seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2026 1500 with recall 26V495?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An improperly installed seat belt buckle anchor may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An improperly installed seat belt buckle anchor may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the anchorage.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V495?
Recall 26V495 covers 1,271,294 vehicles: 2021-2026 Ram 1500.
NHTSA lists 1,271,294 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2026 | Ram | 1500 |
What is the fix for the 1500 seat belt anchor recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and attach the seat belt buckle anchor to the body structure as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect and attach the seat belt buckle anchor to the body structure as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 18, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 67D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 6, 2026.
When was recall 26V495 announced?
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) reported recall 26V495 to NHTSA on July 30, 2026. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as August 18, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 30, 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V495000. |
| August 18, 2026 | Owner notification letters scheduled (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 2 months ago. If your 1500 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my 1500 is part of recall 26V495?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V495 is open on your 1500, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 26V495000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should 1500 owners do about recall 26V495?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V495000 applies to your 1500.
- Call a Ram dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Keep a simple log of any anchorage symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are 1500 owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 2,020 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 15 of them about the seat belts.
Since recall 26V495 was reported on July 30, 2026, owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the seat belts on these vehicles. 2 of them (33%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the seat belts and were received on or after July 30, 2026, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related seat belts issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 2,020 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 15 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Ram 1500: 679 complaints in total, 4 about the seat belts
- 2022 Ram 1500: 616 complaints in total, 2 about the seat belts
- 2025 Ram 1500: 354 complaints in total, 7 about the seat belts
- 2023 Ram 1500: 201 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
- 2026 Ram 1500: 96 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
- 2024 Ram 1500: 74 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):
Dodge has a "safety" feature to keep the vehicle from driving off if the driver exits the vehicle with it in gear. The safety mechanism detects the seatbelt undone, the driver seat sensor and the driver door open.
2022 Ram 1500 owner, NE, NHTSA complaint 11693612, filed October 15, 2025
Safety put at risk. I noticed that the rear locking seatbelt on the driver side has never been connected to the bolt on the floor which was provided for the attachment. Factory oversight perhaps. What brought it to my attention was that it appeared to be "stretched" in appearance which looked peculiar.
2022 Ram 1500 owner, NV, NHTSA complaint 11720291, filed February 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, while attempting to fasten the front passenger’s and driver’s side seat belts, the seat belts failed to retract.
2021 Ram 1500 owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11662813, filed May 23, 2025
Can recall 26V495 make my 1500 a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 26V495000 does not automatically make your 1500 a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
A seat belt that does not latch or retract correctly on the 2021-2026 Ram 1500 affects safety directly, and a failed recall repair is a repair attempt under California law.
A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021-2026 Ram 1500 has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the 1500 went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your 1500 been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Ram 1500 recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V495
Did the recall 26V495 fix work?
Since recall 26V495 was reported on July 30, 2026, owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the seat belts on these vehicles. 2 of them (33%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed August 18, 2026.
Is the 26V495000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my 1500 is part of recall 26V495000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V495000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Ram. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.