NHTSA Complaint #10561198 — 2013 RAM 1500

DRIVING VEHICLE ON PAVED ROADWAY TRAVELING APPX 30 MPH. VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. WITNESS SAID FLAMES SHOT OUT BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE FROM UNDER THE BODY. LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS AROUND THE VEHICLE AS I PULLED OFF THE ROAD. A QUICK GLANCE AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWED EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL AND NO WARNING LIGHTS. SMOKE IN CAB AND FLAMES CAME UP THROUGH THE DASH AS I EXITED THE VEHICLE. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR INCLUDING THE WINDSHIELD BUSTING OUT FROM THE HEAT. TOOK FIRE DEPARTMENT 3 ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. AFTER FLOODING THE INTERIOR AND DASH CAVITY (THROUGH THE HOLE BURNED THROUGH THE DASH) OF THE VEHICLE 2 TIMES, THE FIRE CONTINUED. AT THAT TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND FLOODED THE INTERIOR AND DASH AREA A 3RD TIME WHICH FINALLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE ONLY INJURY WAS SMOKE INHALATION AND RESULTING SORE THROAT SUFFERED BY ME, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD AND I HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (NYLE MAXWELL DODGE, AUSTIN TX) ON THE MORNING OF THE FIRE (12/19/2013) AND WHILE CHRYSLER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED LIABILITY THEY HAVE NOT SETTLE WITH ME ON MY LOSS AS OF THIS DATE (01/23/2014). THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A COMPLETE LOSS BY BOTH MY INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATOR (STATE FARM) AND THE CHRYSLER INVESTIGATOR. *TR