Nobody likes a cheater. In late 2023 news broke that Cummins had been hit with the largest ever civil penalty issued under the Clean Air Act (and the second largest environmental penalty the Federal government had issued to date) for knowingly installing emissions defeat devices on nearly 1-million RAM pickup trucks. Despite the company agreeing to the massive fine, Cummins still maintains a position that the company did nothing wrong and that it had not acted in bad faith.

Even though the fine became public in December of 2023, the EPA had been reviewing Cummins’ emissions compliance certificates since 2019. The agency and engine manufacturer had also been working collaboratively to resolve the issues that had appeared over the course of four years.

While neither the EPA, Department of Justice, nor Cummins have fessed up to exactly how the scheme worked, we have some ideas. Roughly 630,000 Cummins-powered RAM trucks built from 2013 to 2019 were found to be equipped with a software defeat device. The agencies suggest that the remaining 330,000 trucks, built from 2020 to 2023, were found to be fit with “undisclosed engine control features.”

2024 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Limited Crew Cab Dual-Rear-Wheel

The emissions defeat devices were discovered by the EPA through testing at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Michigan. Testing of the Cummins-equipped RAM trucks was performed as a follow-up to the agency’s 2015 warning to diesel engine manufactures that it planned to ramp up compliance enforcement following the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal.

From an owner’s perspective, the fix for this issue is relatively quick and painless. As part of the settlement, Cummins is working with RAM dealers to offer a software update for 2013 to 2019 RAM trucks that will remove the defeat device. A recall has since been issued as program 67A. According to sources at Cummins, the software update should not have any impact on fuel consumption, nor will it increase the frequency of particulate filter regeneration events. However, the company also notes that owners of 2016 to 2018 RAM trucks who have not kept current with previous engine calibration updates may see a decrease in fuel economy of less than 1 mpg.

As part of the EPA settlement, Cummins was required to gain 85-percent compliance with the recall effort within three years. Of course, owners of these effected trucks are rightfully skeptical of the fix, as reports have flooded the internet of increased particulate filter failures, a $12,000 fix at times, and other drivability issues that have occurred after the software reflash.

Now, one year into the recall campaign, Cummins has discovered what it thinks is the magic bullet needed to get owners’ trucks into the service bay: free swag. That’s right, the company has begun an aggressive social media ad blitz promoting the free giftbox owners can claim once they have completed the recall. Inside the box is a nifty backpack can cooler, hat, sicker pack, plastic emblem, and ballpoint pen… all emblazed with the new “6.7-liter Forever” slogan. The downside? The fine print says it’ll take four to six months to receive the giftbox. Does Cummins really think its owners are this gullible?