NHTSA Complaint #10154645 — 2005 DODGE RAM 2500

2005 DODGE RAM WITH DIESEL AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE MARCH 28, 2006 THAT WILL ADD ALARM FUNCTION IF DRIVER DOOR IS OPENED, ENGINE RUNNING AND VEHICLE NOT IN PARK. THIS IS NOT A FIX TO A PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHERS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL INADVERTENTLY SHIFT INTO REVERSE WITH THE SHIFTER INDICATING "PARK". IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFTER MECHANISM, IT MUST BE FIXED. MANY DRIVERS BACKUP THE LAST FOOT OR TWO WITH DRIVERS DOOR OPEN WHEN CONNECTING TRUCK TO A TRAILER. THE PROPOSED FIX IN THE RECALL MAKES THE VEHICLE LESS USABLE. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS NEW TRUCK IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE "RUBE GOLDBERG" BANDAID PATCH RATHER THAN FIXING THE SHIFTER PROBLEM. I WOULD ENCOURAGE NHTSA TO DISAPPROVE THE CURRENT RECALL AND DEMAND THAT THE PROBLEM BE SOLVED WITH A FUNCTIONAL SHIFTER MECHANISM. I CONSIDER THE FIX PROPOSED BY THE RECALL TO BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND REFUSE TO HAVE IT INCORPORATED ON MY TRUCK BECAUSE IT MAKES CONNECTING TO A TRAILER MORE DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING. I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY TRUCK BUT NOW ALWAYS SET THE PARKING BRAKE WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY OF THE SHIFTER. *JB