NHTSA Complaint #10140915 — 1994 DODGE RAM 2500

DRIVING DURING THE DAY WITH LIGHTS ON (LOW BEAM) AND SMOKE AND THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE UPPER LEFT PORTION OF THE DASH. THE FAILURE WAS THE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH WAS BURNT AND SO WAS THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR. THE DODGE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD BY THE PARTS PERSON THAT IF I JUST REPLACED THE SWITCH WITH OUT PUTTING IN AN UPDATED WIRING HARNESS THAT THERE WAS A 100 % PROBABILITY THAT THIS INCIDENT WOULD OCCUR AGAIN. WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A REPLACEMENT PART (SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS) FOR $88 WHICH WOULD ALSO TAKE TWO HOURS OF SHOP TIME TO INSTALL AND THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THERE WAS NO RECALL. I DID KEEP THE ORIGINAL SWITCH. *NM