NHTSA Complaint #10594003 — 2013 RAM 1500

I WAS SITTING IN MY TRUCK IN FRONT OF A CONVENIENCE STORE FOR 20-30 MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE I CAUGHT UP MY TEXTS AND CALLS. WHEN I GOT READY TO LEAVE I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. I GLANCED MY MIRRORS AND LOOKED OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER AND STARTED TO EASE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AS I'VE DONE MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I'M MOVING FORWARD AS IF I HAD STOMPED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND I CRASHED THROUGH THE FRAMING AND GLASS OF THE STORE FRONT. AS I WAS PENETRATING THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORE I TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND I WAS PUSHING ON THE BRAKES. THEN THE TRUCK REVERSES AND I REALIZE I'M HEADED TOWARDS THE GAS PUMP AND POSSIBLY OTHER CUSTOMERS. ALL THIS TIME I WAS PUSHING ON THE BRAKE AND I WOULD LET OFF AND HOLD THEM AGAIN. THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AT WHAT SOUNDED TO BE THE MAXIMUM THEN IT WOULD DROP FOR JUST A BIT AND REV AGAIN. WHEN I WAS HEADED FOR THE GAS PUMPS AFTER LEAVING THE BUILDING I PULLED THE VEHICLE SHIFTER DOWN TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T GO INTO PARK AND I WAS IN SUCH A STATE OF PANIC I HADN'T THOUGHT TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. I WAS HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND LETTING GO OF IT JUST DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME. AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND RUNNING INTO THE BUILDING FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE ENGINE DROPPED BACK TO AN IDLE AND I PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND SLOWLY BACKED OUT OF THE DAMAGED STOREFRONT, PUT THE TRUCK INTO PARK AND SHUT IT OFF.I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AFTER IT WAS OVER AND EVEN IF I HAD INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE TRUCK INTO DRIVE, LETTING MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE TRUCK TO MERELY BUMP INTO THE CONCRETE STOPPING BLOCK STOPPING IT, IT FELT LIKE THE TRUCK HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR