So Many Ram Truck Screens Are Being Stolen Because of These Two Screws

Earlier this month, Detroit Police issued a warning to owners of newer Ram trucks to ensure their vehicles are locked after a spike in thefts of the pickup’s large infotainment touchscreen unit. Given that modern cars are quite complicated and manufacturers typically prefer we leave repairs to trained professionals, you might wonder how easy it could possibly be to rip out the center of a Ram dashboard. Turns out, it’s a piece of cake as the video below demonstrates.

Now, look—some people will watch this brief explainer and complain that Tim Esterdahl of Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk on YouTube is giving the next generation of thieves and eBay profiteers a crash course on how to make a quick $10K. The fact is, this information is already out there, and the people inclined to engage in such behavior already have, or know how to start. At this point, what matters most is that Ram owners are aware of how simple this is, so they remember to lock their trucks, and that Stellantis itself is aware so it can develop a safeguard or two.

Provided a thief has access to the interior, two Phillips screws and plastic clips are really all that stand between them and the Ram’s center stack. The screws are located at the top of the unit and shrouded by a peel-away rubber liner for junk like coins and keys. Unscrew them, then disengage the clips that hold in the very bottom of the module, and the entire thing—buttons, knobs, and all—lifts from the face of the dash. Then, it’s just a matter of unplugging the relevant wire harness connector, and you’re on your way to an $800, maybe $1,800 profit.

My first thought is, “Come on, Chrysler.” At least use, like, Torx screws or something slightly less ubiquitous for fasteners that obvious and easy to access. My second thought is, $800 for that? I know we’re in the OEM territory of components where everything is made up and material costs don’t matter, but we’re talking around triple the price of an iPad or a little more than a PS5 Pro for what effectively amounts to a screen, lots of plastic, and a low-tech circuit board.

All that is beside the point, though. There’s simply got to be a little more security for tech and trim in a $75,000 pickup. As Esterdahl points out, these modules are software-locked to specific vehicles but, apparently, thieves can just replace those electronic keys with fake ones that do the trick just as well. None of this should be so easy. Here’s hoping that if Stellantis can’t work up a solution of its own quickly, the aftermarket comes to the rescue again with an anti-theft kit that, ideally, costs just a fraction of what these screens are going for on the street.

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