NHTSA Complaint #10661346 — 2006 DODGE RAM 2500

WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 RAM 2500 DIESEL PICKUP AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT ANY OTHER ABNORMAL INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATIONS OR CHANGE IN VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL THE TRUCK OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY (APPROX 1.5 MILES) I NOTICED A VERY STRONG DIESEL SMELL. UPON LOOKING THE TRUCK OVER I NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF DIESEL FUEL DRIPPING ALL THE WAY FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO THE REAR BUMPER. DIAGNOSTICS REVILED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL RAIL TO THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER SPLIT AT THE ENGINE SIDE CONNECTOR AND THIS CAUSED A LARGE AMOUNT OF DIESEL FUEL TO BE SPRAYED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS AND UNDERSIDE VEHICLE PARTS.. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER (SMALL TOWN DEALERSHIP) HAD THE #4 FUEL LINE IN STOCK, THE PART WAS AN UPDATED DESIGN FROM THE ORIGINAL PART WITH AN IMPROVED CLAMPING BRACKET. REVIEW OF SEVERAL INTERNET LOCATIONS REVIEWED THIS IS A VERY COMMON MALFUNCTION FOR THE CUMMINGS 5.9L DIESEL ENGINES. MY OPINION IS THE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART COMBINED WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IS SUFFICIENT RATIONAL FOR A MANUFACTURE'S RECALL TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS IN THE 2006 DODGE RAM 2500 PICKUP.