NHTSA Complaint #10560621 — 2013 RAM 1500

DRIVING TRUCK IN TOWN APPROX 35 - 40 MPH. CAN GIVE EXACT DETAIL / LOCATION. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION IN "DRIVE". VEHICLE HAS CENTER CONSUL. AS VEHICLE WAS CLIMBING GRADUAL HILL, TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY DOWNSHIFTED. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO FULL THROTTLE UNCONTROLLABLY. ENGINE RPM JUMPED TO 6K - 7K. VEHICLE SPEED STILL INCREASING. STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES THINKING IT WAS STUCK WITH NO EFFECT - RPM REMAINED CONSTANT. THEN PUT BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL - RPM REMAINED CONSTANT. THEN SHIFTED TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL POSITION. CHECK ETC / RED LIGHTNING BOLT MESSAGE NOW ON IN MESSAGE CENTER LOCATED BETWEEN TACH & SPEEDOMETER. RPM'S NOW AT A CONSTANT 4K WITH VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND COASTING. NO PLACE TO TURN OFF WITHOUT BLOCKING TRAFFIC. STOPPED AT LIGHTED INTERSECTION - VEHICLE STILL AT 4K RPM. SHIFTED BACK INTO "DRIVE", TIRES CHIRPED AND TRUCK LUNGED FORWARD STILL AT 4K RPM. PARKED VEHICLE IN SAFE PLACE ADJACENT TO GAS STATION AND SHUT OFF - TRANSMISSION STILL EITHER IN GEAR OR NEUTRAL. ENGINE OFF - SHIFTED INTO "PARK". WAITED 3-4 MINUTES AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE. ENGINE ICON, ECT ICON AND RED STEERING WHEEL WITH EXPLANATION POINT ICON WHERE ALL ON. VEHICLE CRANKED, BUT ACTED LIKE NO FUEL / SPARK AND WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP ON FLATBED. NO WORD BACK FROM DEALER YET. MILEAGE 5,443 - MOSTLY HIGHWAY. NOTE: NO FLOOR MATS JUST FACTORY RUG AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT "ON" OR IN USE IN ANY WAY. ONLY MODIFICATIONS TO VEHICLE ARE THE ADDITION OF A SPRAY BED-LINER AND TOPPER. I WAS BORN AND RAISED AROUND CARS AND HAVE GOOD MECHANICAL ABILITY INCLUDING GROUND-UP RESTORATIONS OF PRE 1970 VEHICLES. THIS IS A REAL AND TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF A 2013 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 BIGHORN WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY VEHICLE, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR A NEW, $46,000 VEHICLE. I AM LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HURT ANYONE OR END UP DEAD. *TR