Complaint 1140579

Complaint Summary

ENGINE

Owner Narrative

ALERT: DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM --- ON JULY 11, 2014, WHILE DRIVING ON U.S. ROUTE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA I PASSED AN 18 WHEELER AT 70 MPH AND PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK WHEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. THE TRUCK I HAD JUST PASSED NEARLY JACKKNIFED AS THE TRUCKER APPLIED HIS BRAKES IN A PANIC MANEUVER TO AVOID ROLLING OVER ME FROM BEHIND. LUCKILY, HE MAINTAINED CONTROL, GOT AROUND ME, AND CONTINUED ON HIS WAY. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD CRANK, IT WOULD NOT START. I WAS FORCED TO WAIT AND THEN, AFTER A TIME, TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. IT DID. I SLOWLY DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT BUT NOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER GOING ONLY A FEW HUNDRED YARDS THE TRUCK BUCKED, HESITATED AND STOPPED AGAIN. AGAIN, I WAITED. THIS SCENARIO REPEATED ITSELF UNTIL I GOT TO SAFETY. COINCIDENT WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, IT APPEARED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AND ALL THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. EVENTUALLY, MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO LAKE NORMAN DODGE. THERE, THE VERY HELPFUL ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, TERRY, EVALUATED THE PROBLEM SAYING EITHER THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE OR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM BUT HIS EXPERIENCE LED HIM TO TRY REPLACING THE COMPUTER FIRST. REPLACING THE PCM FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESUMED WORKING. AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. ON SEPTEMBER 16 2014, ON A LOCAL TRIP, THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS STRANDED ON A STATE ROAD. I USED MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH WAITING, STARTING, DRIVING A LITTLE WAY AND HAVING THE ENGINE STOP AGAIN TO LIMP INTO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. EVENTUALLY, THEY TOWED IT TO SHELOR DODGE IN CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS, ... INOPERABLE. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.