NHTSA Complaint #10538403 — 2013 RAM 1500

THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME IN THE TWO WEEKS I OWNED THIS RAM 1500 TRUCK AFTER PURCHASING IT NEW THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE A FAILURE OF THE TORQUEFLITE 8 SPD TRANSMISSION AND/OR ELECTRONIC ROTARY SHIFTER. A WEEK EARLIER I REPORTED TO RAM AND TO NHTSA A REPEATED FAILURE OF THIS TRUCK ON A BOAT RAMP TO ENGAGE IN PARK EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AS THE TRUCK WAS "SLOW ROLLING" DOWN THE RAMP. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE FAILURE BY VIDEO ON MY CELL PHONE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. I SLOWED THE TRUCK TO A ROUTINE STOP AT A STOP SIGN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN I THEN TRIED TO PULL ONTO THE INTERSECTING HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS EXPECTED WHEN I TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE, ACTING AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE ROTARY SHIFTER ON THE DASH NOR ANY OF THE 2WD/4WD OPTION BUTTONS. THERE WAS NOT ANY PERCEPTIBLE SOUND OR FEEL INDICATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD "POPPED" OUT OF GEAR. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE "D" LIGHT ON THE SHIFTER WAS ODDLY FLASHING ON/OFF WHILE THE 2WD LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED SOLID AS EXPECTED. I TRIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TWO MORE TIMES WITH NO CHANGE. AFTER WHIPPING OUT MY CELL PHONE TO VIDEO THIS FAILURE I WAS ABLE TO RESET THE DRIVE ENGAGEMENT BY MOVING THE SHIFTER TO PARK FOR 2 OR 3 SECONDS AND THEN BACK TO "D". THE TRUCK THEN RESPONDED NORMALLY AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY. *JS