NHTSA Complaint #10105713 — 1995 DODGE RAM 1500

1995 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCK, VIN [XXX]. WHEN DROPPING THE TILT WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION THE RADIO/TAPE PLAYER WOULD SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTART AS IF THE POWER WAS CUT OFF. *AK POWER FOR THE RADIO CAME FROM BATTERY POSITIVE, FUSE # 3 (40 AMPS) TO THE IGNITION SWITCH CONNECTOR C212 POSITION 1 WIRE (A1 12 RED) WHERE IT IS SWITCHED IN RUN AND ACCESSORY TO FUSE #7 (10 AMPS) TO THE RADIO AND OTHER FUSES TO OTHER SYSTEMS. RECALL # 875 PERFORMED ON 8/8/2000 INVOLVED THE BLOWER MOTOR, A RELAY WAS ADDED FOR POWER SWITCHING USING THE RELAY CONTROLLED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH RATHER THAN FEEDING THE POWER THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I OBSERVED THE MOTION OF ALL THE WIRES GOING TO ALL THE SWITCHES ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT WAS MOVED. CLEARLY OBSERVABLE WAS THE CONNECTOR C212 POSITION 1 WIRE (A1 12 RED) MOVING OUT OF THE CONNECTOR ACCOMPANIED BY THE RADIO MOMENTARILY LOSING POWER. OBSERVATION SHOWED THE STRIPPED WIRE BEING HELD ONLY BY THE INSULATION CRIMP PART OF THE METAL CONNECTOR, THE WIRE DID NOT FRAY AWAY FROM THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAN CUT AND THE ORIGINAL SMALLER GAUGE WIRE WAS STILL IN THE CRIMP PART OF THE CONNECTOR. NOTE I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE SMALLER CRIMPED WIRES, SPREAD THE CRIMP WINGS AND SOLDERED THE RED WIRE TO THE METAL CONNECTOR. MOST LIKELY THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AS PART OF RECALL #875, AS THE WIRING DIAGRAM INDICATES A 12-GAUGE WIRE AND THE WIRE I RECONNECTED WAS AT A MINIMUM OF AN 8 OR A 6 GAUGE. THANK GOD THIS DID NOT FEED A CRITICAL SYSTEM LIKE THE ANTILOCK BREAKS OR CAUSE OVERHEATING AND OR A FIRE. UPDATED 07/2012 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)