NHTSA Complaint #10471443 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING HIGHWAY 281, MY ENGINE FELL ON IT'S FACE. I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL BUT GOT NOTHING BUT RPM'S FROM THE ENGINE. I BEGAN TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT WITH NO POWER, LITTLE STEERING, A DASH FULL OF ERROR LIGHTS, AND DOING MY BEST NOT TO GET HIT BY PASSING VEHICLES. ONCE I GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE ENGINE WASN'T RUNNING. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND CHECKED MY GAUGES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, THE WATER TEMP WAS NEAR THE RED ZONE, AND THE ENGINE SOUND LIKE BOWLING BALL IN A DRYER. THERE WAS FLUID ON THE GROUND OR SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPES SO I FELT IT WAS SAFER TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE TRUCK. NEAR THE EXIT, I PULLED IN A STATION WHERE I CHECKED THE TRUCK AND TOP-OFF THE WATER. THE SOUND WAS LIKE A DROPPED ROCKER ARM. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FROM THE "FACTORY" COATING INSIDE THE OIL PAN HAD DELAMINATED AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE PICKUP TUBE. THE COATING THEN PLUGGED THE SCREEN AND PICKUP TUBE. I CALLED DODGE CARES AND THEY TRIED TO BLAME ME THEN THE OIL. I TOLD THEM I'VE NEVER USED ADDITIVES, ALWAYS USE MOBIL ONE, AND I HAD RECEIPTS DATING BACK TO THE DAY I DROVE THE TRUCK OFF THE LOT NEW. THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS A NON-ISSUE AND IT HAD NOT BE REPORTED BEFORE NOW. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES AND TO BE TOLD A MANUFACTURING ERROR IS MY FAULT DOES NOT SET WELL WITH ME. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE BECAUSE SOME ENGINEER WAS DUMB ENOUGH TO COAT THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE OIL PAN. I NORMALLY TRAVEL DURING THE NIGHT INTO EARLY HOURS OF THE DAY. WHAT IF THIS HAD HAPPEN WHILE I WAS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO-WHERE. I'M HANDICAPPED; I COULDN'T HAVE WALKED A QUART OF A MILE FOR HELP. WHAT IF MY 70-YEAR MOTHER HAD BEEN DRIVING MY TRUCK AT THE TIME! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN REAL BAD!!! AND THEN TO BE TOLD IT'S NON-PROBLEM. I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM. *TR