NHTSA Complaint #10342326 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

UNEXPECTED ENGINE STALL, PARTICULARLY WHILE DRIVING. WOULD DRIVE AT NORMAL SPEEDS WITH NO UNUSUAL ACCELERATION OR LOADS (50 MPH MAX WHERE I LIVE), AS FOOT IS REMOVED FROM ACCELERATOR, RPM'S DROP OFF TO ZERO (STALL) WHILE IN MOTION, SOMETIMES AT SPEEDS UP TO 50 MPH CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES, WITH LAST INCIDENT OCCURRING ON A LONG TURN ON HIGHWAY CAUSING A SURPRISING AND SUDDEN LOSS OF REASONABLE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, FURTHER CAUSING ME TO CROSS CENTER LINE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FURTHERMORE, HAD DIFFICULT TIME PULLING OVER AND NEARLY OVERRAN SAFE STOPPING AREA DUE TO POWER BRAKE LOSS, CAUSING ME TO REACH A DITCH NEAR SHOULDER, THUS NEARLY CAUSING ROLLOVER THAT WAS AVOIDED BY ATTEMPTING TO RIDE OUT OF DITCH PRIOR TO REACHING UTILITY POLE WHICH BY DOING SO, CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE BACK INTO TRAFFIC (NOT ONCOMING), ALL WHILE HAVING TO WRESTLE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES TO GET VEHICLE TO RESPOND ENOUGH TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO PULL SAFELY OFF THE ROAD. ENGINE STALL DOES NOT OCCUR EACH TIME AND IS INTERMITTENT WITH NO REAL INDICATION AS TO WHY. AFTER DODGE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM, I RESEARCHED MYSELF AND FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM RELATED TO SLUDGE. ASKED MECHANIC TO VERIFY, AND LATER CONFIRMED WAS THE CASE, BUT, SAYS WAS MY FAULT!?! (I CHANGE OIL EVERY 2.5K - 3K WITHOUT FAIL AS PER MFG REQUIREMENTS). ULTIMATELY HAVE LEARNED OF POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW BY DODGE REGARDING POOR OIL FLOW THROUGH ENGINE PORTS, ETC, OF WHICH CORPORATE READILY DENIES. I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHATSOEVER HOW THIS CAN NOT BE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT NEARLY KILLED ME, MY DAUGHTER AND THE POOR GUY IN THE ONCOMING LANE. ONLY CORRECTION AVAILABLE IS NEW ENGINE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE DUE TO EXCESSIVE COSTS, THEREFORE TRUCK NOW SITS. I AM A WELL ROUNDED DRIVER WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE IN MOST VEHICLES, LARGE TRUCKS AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND CAN HANDLE SITUATIONS BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE. IT TAKES A LOT TO PUT FEAR IN MY HEART AND THIS REALLY SCARED ME. *TR