NHTSA Complaint #10144389 — 2000 DODGE RAM PICKUP

OIL CHANGE THE DAY BEFORE AT QUICK LUBE. WAS TRAVELING TOWARD W.VA. ON I-68 IN MARYLAND. I HAD BEEN TRAVELING APROX 270 MILES SINCE OIL CHANGE. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. THE TRUCK HOOD WAS SUDDENLY BLOWN BACKWARDS INTO MY WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO SHOW CRACKS . I WAS ABLE TO GET FROM THE MIDDLE LANE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. WITH THE HELP OF PASSERS-BY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE HOOD DOWN, AND STRAP IT SECURELY, AND CONTINUE MY TRIP. THE PASSENGER SIDE HOOD HINGE HAD BEEN TORN FROM THE FENDER MOUNT, THE GRILL WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE HOOD FRONT. THE HOOD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND BOTH FRONT FENDERS WILL NEED BODY WORK, IF NOT REPLACEMENT. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE LOCATION OF MY OIL CHANGE, AND THE MANAGER EXAMINED THE HOOD. HE STATED THAT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE HOOD LATCH, AND THEREFORE WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. HE ALSO ADDED THAT THE DISTANCE TRAVELED WAS EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS A LATCH FAILURE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE BODY SHOP WHERE MY INSURANCE COMPANY ADVISED ME TO GO, AND BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM, HE SAID THAT HE COULD SEE BEFORE I TOLD HIM THE PROBLEM THAT IT WAS A HOOD LATCH, SINCE HE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. I CALLED CHRYSLER/DAIMLER BY PHONE. I WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MY AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER AND HAVE THEM EXAMINE IT. I DID THIS AND WAS TOLD BY THE BODY SHOP MANAGER, AFTER HE HAD LOOKED AT IT,THAT THE HOOD LATCH WAS NOT WORKING, AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THOSE LATCHES, BUT THE 'PRINT OUT" SHOWED THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD NOT TAKEN CARE OF IT. HE WAS ABLE TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE HE HAD A HISTORY PRINTED OUT OF MY VEHICLE THAT HE WAS REFERRING TO. AT THE PRESENT TIME, I AM GOING THROUGH SOME PHONE TAG WITH THE MAN I SPOKE WITH AT CHRYSLER,AND THE BODY SHOP MANAGER SAID THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM TO HIS DISTRICT MANAGER,WHO HAD NOT CALLED HIM BACK YET. *JB