NHTSA Complaint #10150280 — 2003 DODGE RAM 2500

A RECALL IS DUE. DRIVING THE 2003 DODGE HEAVY DUTY 2500 HEMI PICKUP TOWARDS WORK IN THE DARK MORNING HOURS OF 02-10-05 IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA, THE WIPER ARM AND ATTACHED WIPER BLADE ON THE (LEFT) DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD FELL OFF AT 45 MPH WHILE IN USE ON A RARE 40 F DEGREE WARM MORNING, HEAVILY SANDED AND SLUSHY COVERED ROAD WAY. THE VIEW BECAME INSTANTLY BLURRY AND HARD TO FOCUS ON THE DANGERS AHEAD, WHILE THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES BARELY ESCAPED THE PROJECTILE OF THE ASSEMBLY OF STEEL AND PLASTIC. THE SECOND VEHICLE HIT IT AND DESTROYED ANY ATTEMPTS TO INVESTIGATE ITS REASONS FOR FAILURE TO STAY WITH THE TRUCK. WHEN SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP AND CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD TO SEE SHE WAS GREATLY SHAKEN AND AFRAID OF THE FINAL DURATION TO WORK. SHE THEN SWAPPED THE PASSENGER SIDE TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AND FINISHED HER TRIP. SHE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THE ARM FELL OFF AGAIN, AND SAID THAT IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE, DUE TO THE ICE AND SNOW THAT DEPOSIT IN THE PLASTIC TRIM COVER OF THE ARMS LOCKING CLIP BELOW THE ARMS BASE. THAT THE ARM HITS THE ICE AND SWITCHES THE LOCK INTO THE OFF POSITION AND THAN THE MOTOR POWER TOSSES THE ARM OFF THE TRUCK IN ANY GIVEN DIRECTION. THE DODGE DEALER DECLARES TO US THIS IS A COMMON EVENT IN THE NORTHERN ENVIRONMENTS. THEY WARRANTED THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY AND ADMITTED THAT THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THEY ADMITTED THE PROBLEM WAS ALWAYS THE DRIVERS SIDE BECAUSE THE WAY THE SNOW PILES AND MELTS INTO AN ICY DAM IN THE ARMS WAY TO OPERATE FREELY. I BELIEVE THAT A BLACK NEOPRENE DOUGHNUT COULD BE PLACED UNDER THE ARM AND THROUGH THE SPLINTED SOCKET BELOW THE ARM TO STOP THE ICE DAMMING IN THIS SENSITIVE AREA AND OR A SCREW INSERTED INTO THE SAFETY TAB TO PREVENT THE ICE FROM OPENING THE SWITCH. DRIVERS IN THE NORTHERN CLIMATES SHOULD BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND THE ARM COULD USE A LEASH TO KEEP FROM LEAVING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER I WENT TO WAS LITHIA OF SOUTH ANCHORAGE. APPARENTLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB