NHTSA Complaint #10231540 — 2006 DODGE RAM 3500

I HAVE A 2006 3500 SINGLE WHEEL WITH 30,000 KM(19,000MI). I NARROWLY ESCAPED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT YESTERDAY. I WAS TURNING LEFT FROM A BUSY ROAD AND WAS BEING FOLLOWED TOO CLOSELY BY A FULLY LOADED RIG CARRYING STEEL COILS. I PUT ON MY SIGNAL AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN TO ALLOW THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE I CONTINUED TO TURN LEFT. I WATCHED THE RIG COME UP ON ME QUICKLY AND I REALIZED HE WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN AND WAS BEGINNING TO VEER INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. IT WAS THEN THAT I NOTICED THAT ALTHOUGH I HAD ON MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED. OBVIOUSLY THE TRUCKER THOUGHT I WAS TURNING RIGHT AND WAS BEGINNING TO OVERTAKE ME ON MY LEFT FIGURING I WOULD BE, AT ANY SECOND, GETTING OUT OF HIS WAY. IF I WAS NOT WATCHING MY REAR VIEW AND WHIPPED THE TRUCK TO THE RIGHT OUT OF HIS WAY, HE WOULD HAVE SMASHED ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND OR PUT THE RIG INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I CALLED THE DEALER AND SAID I WOULD BE RIGHT IN. THEY WERE REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT AND SHOWED GENUINE CONCERN. THE PARTS ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINEERS IN THE DETROIT AREA WERE LOOKING FOR A 2006 RAM THAT HAD RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THEY (CHRYSLER) ARE GETTING REPORTS FROM OTHERS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. THE PART IS BACK ORDERED WHICH ALSO INDICATES THAT THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM WHICH IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT THE DESIGN OF THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WOULD ALLOW IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THE SIGNAL TO CROSS AND CAUSE THE OPPOSITE SIGNAL TO WORK. SYMPTOMS THAT HAPPENED A WEEK BEFORE HAND WERE AN ERRATIC TIMING OF THE SIGNAL AND A QUICK FLASH OF THE OPPOSITE SIGNAL LIGHT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY AND THEY BEGAN THE ORDER PROCESS ON THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. IT NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER THAT UNTIL YESTERDAY. *TR