NHTSA Complaint #10714864 — 2010 RAM 1500

THE HVAC SYSTEM IN THE TRUCK FAILED. AIR WILL NOT FLOW THROUGH THE DASH FACE VENTS OR DEFROST VENTS. BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. DEALER SAID THAT ONE OR TWO "MODE DOOR ACTUATORS NEED TO BE REPLACED" THEY SAID THE DASH BOARD NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AND IT COULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. UPON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE MODE DOOR ACTUATORS AND TO REPROGRAM THE CONTROL HEAD SOFTWARE (K17). MY TRUCK HAD THE SOFTWARE UPDATE IN 2012. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE MODE DOOR ACTUATORS UNDER RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAID THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS PERFORMED. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED ABOUT THE K17 RECALL. THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE I REFUSED FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS. THE ONLY OTHER DIAGNOSTICS THE DEALER SAID NEEDED TO BE DONE WAS TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD TO SEE IF IT WAS ONE OR TWO BAD ACTUATORS AND THE COST IN LABOR TO REMOVE THE DASH WOULD BE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ACTUATORS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE COST OF THE PARTS IS MINIMAL BUT THE LABOR IS NOT. I FEEL THAT DODGE/CHRYSLER SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON THE RECALL REPAIR AS IT IS A HAZARD NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEAR FROST FROM THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR