NHTSA Complaint #10714959 — 2007 DODGE RAM 3500

LOADED AT 18000 LBS GVW WHILE TOWING A TANDEM AXLE TRAILER THE VEHICLE DIED. UPON LOSING ALL ELECTRICAL POWER THE ENGINE DIED CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED BRAKES AND POWER ASSISTED STEERING. FORTUNATELY THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WAS AROUND 5 MPH. I'M 6 FOOT TALL AND OVER 200 LBS AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE PARKING AREA. UPON LEAVING THE VEHICLE I IMMEDIATELY SMELLED ELECTRONICS BURNING. I OPENED THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE POSITIVE POST OF THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM). I THEN REMOVED THE TIPM TO FIND A HOLE BURNT THROUGH THE SIDE AND THE CIRCUIT BOARD COVERED WITH BLACK SOOT. I HAD THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER TOWED TO CORBIN KY WHERE THERE WERE NO DODGE DEALERS WILLING TO WORK ON A VEHICLE OF THIS SIZE. NOR WOULD THEY STORE THE TRAILER FOR ME WHILE CONDUCTING THE REPAIR. I CHOOSE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE AND TRAILER TOWED OVER 600 MILES TO MY HOME IN MICHIGAN. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER WHOM TOOK THE VIN NUMBER TO ORDER AN NEW ONE. AFTER OVER 2 WEEKS WAITING ON THE TIPM (WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE REMANUFACTURED) THE TRUCK IS STILL NOT OPERABLE. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WITH A LOADED VEHICLE I LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THIS INCIDENT. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING I HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTING ON THE TRUCK. THE LOW BEAM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD BE INOPERABLE WHILE THE DRIVERS HIGH BEAM IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD WORK. ALSO, THE TAILLIGHTS WOULD STOP WORKING ON ONE SIDE AND THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD FLASH QUICKLY. NOT SEEING THIS AS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE I SIMPLY TOOK IT THE DEALER TO REFLASH THE TIPM. AFTER GETTING IT BACK WITH HALF THE LIGHTS INOPERABLE, THE AC DIDN'T WORK ANYMORE. NOW THE VEHICLE IS WORTHLESS AND ALL SENSE OF SECURITY AND SAFETY IS GONE. I CAN NO LONGER CONFIDENTLY TAKE MY FAMILY ANYWHERE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR