NHTSA Complaint #10253757 — 2005 DODGE RAM 1500

DRIVING SOUTH ON ICY AND SNOWPACK HIGHWAY. ONCOMING CAR SPUN INTO MY LANE. BRAKED HARD, MOVED RIGHT, ONCOMING CAR SPUN BACK TOWARDS THEIR LANE, CONTINUED PAST CAR. WATCHED THE CAR AND IT DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. I ACCELERATED BUT HAD NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. ENGINE HAD DIED. THE ENGINE HAS NEVER DONE THIS. PUT IN NEUTRAL, STARTED ENGINE, PUT IN DRIVE, ACCELERATED AND DROVE FINE. I WAS GOING 55 TO 60 MPH. IN DRIVE AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED. THE PICKUP HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I THINK IT WAS IN LOCKUP AND WHEN I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES THE LOCK UP CONVERTER DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DISENGAGE WHEN THE TIRES STOPPED WHEN I BRAKED. THE PICKUP DOES NOT HAVE ALL WHEEL ANTI LOCK BRAKES. IT DOES HAVE REAR WHEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THE TIRES ARE STUDDED SNOW TIRES. I THINK THE ROADS WERE SLICK ENOUGH TO STOP THE WHEELS WHEN BRAKING HARD. WITH ALL 4 WHEELS STOPPED, THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN LOCK UP IT WOULD ACT LIKE A STANDARD TRANSMISSION AND KILL THE ENGINE. THE ONLY WAY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM IS IF I HAD TO GO IN THE DITCH TO AVOID THE ONCOMING CAR. IN THAT SITUATION, DEEP SNOW IN THE DITCH PLUS THE PLOW BERM, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO ACCELERATE TO GET THROUGH IT AND KEEP THE PICKUP FROM GOING SIDE WAYS AND POSSIBLY ROLLING. HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL. THANKS, *TR