NHTSA Complaint #10242523 — 2003 DODGE RAM 3500

CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION - 2003 DODGE RAM 3500, CUMMINS DIESEL, MANUAL TRANS. SEPT 15TH, 2008, 9AM I LEFT MY HOME AT 3:30 AM ON MY WAY TO DENVER FOR WORK. I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL THROUGH THE TOWN OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS AT 55-60 MPH OR SO, THEN MADE MY WAY INTO THE GLENWOOD CANYON AT JUST BEFORE 4:45 AM, WHICH HAS A POSTED SPEED OF 50 MPH. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THE FIRST TUNNEL IN THE CANYON, SO I TAPPED THE BRAKE AND SLOWED TO ABOUT 40 MPH, IN 6TH GEAR. AS I EXCITED THE CONSTRUCTION AREA, I HIT THE 'RESUME' BUTTON FOR THE CRUISE AND THE TRUCK BEGAN TO ACCELERATE (APPROX 4:47 AM). SOON I WAS GOING OVER 70 MPH AND ACCELERATING AT FULL THROTTLE. I TAPPED THE BRAKE AND THE CRUISE DID NOT TURN OFF... I HIT THE BRAKE AGAIN, HARDER THIS TIME IN CASE I DIDN'T USE ENOUGH PRESSURE THE FIRST TIME. AGAIN, NOTHING. AT THIS POINT THE TRUCK IS RUNNING AT 80+ MPH AND I'M COMING UP ON A SEMI IN THE SLOW LANE, SAME LANE THAT I'M IN. I HAD TO SWERVE AROUND THE TRACTOR-TRAILER, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ATTEMPTING TO SHUT THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF, BACK ON AND OFF AGAIN, TRYING TO STOP THE TRUCK. AS I GET PAST THE TRACTOR-TRAILER I'M RUNNING WELL OVER 80 MPH AND I'M STARTING TO PANIC. I START PUMPING THE BRAKES OVER AND OVER, ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE TRUCKS SPEED AROUND ONE OF THE CANYON CORNERS. AFTER 30 SECONDS THE TRUCK STOPPED IT'S FULL-THROTTLE ATTACK. I EXITED THE CANYON AND KEPT DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES OR SO, THEN PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT 2000 RPM. I DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT AND PARKED. EVENTUALLY THE RPM'S DROPPED TO 1500 AND I SHUT IT OFF. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THAT TRUCK AT ALL. MY WIFE DRIVES THE TRUCK MORE OFTEN THAN I DO, IT REALLY SCARES ME TO THINK IF SHE WERE DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO CHRYSLER ON THE 15TH OF SEPT, 2008. CHRYSLER CASE# 17902313 TRUCKS THERE WAS A REQUIRED UPDATE ON THE ECM WHICH WAS DONE AND CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ON THIS VIN#. *TR