NHTSA Complaint #10246309 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

I TURNED MY FAN ON TO COOL THE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, IT SHUT OFF. A WHILE LATER, I TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT WORKED, BUT SOON SHUT OFF AGAIN. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CLEANED THE AIR INTAKE OUT AND IT WAS FULL OF LEAVES. THEY TOLD ME THAT IS WHY IT SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I GOT THE RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE WIRING BEING TOO LIGHT AND IT WAS OVER HEATING. THE DEALER DID THE REPAIR. IT WORKED FINE FOR A GOOD WHILE. EVENTUALLY IT STARTED SHUTTING OFF AGAIN. SOMETIMES I COULD TILT THE STEERING WHEEL TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION AND IT WOULD COME BACK ON. I FLIPPED THE ACCESS PANEL DOWN TO FIND THE REPAIR, THEY CLIPPED THE TWO LIGHTER WIRES AND PLUGGED IN TO I BELIEVE 10 GAUGE WIRE IN THEIR PLACE. THE HEAVY WIRES ARE TOO STIFF TO FLEX AND WHEN PUSHED CERTAIN WAYS THE FAN SHUTS OFF. I ALSO NOTICED WHERE THE WIRES ARE PLUGGED IN, THE WIRES ARE SO HOT YOU CAN BARELY TOUCH THEM. I DON'T FEEL THIS WAS A VERY GOOD FIX FOR THE PROBLEM, SINCE ALTHOUGH THE FAN DOES NOT SHUT OFF DUE TO OVERHEATING, IT STILL IS HEATING UP UNDER THE DASH AND MAY CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE DASH. *TR