NHTSA Complaint #10730725 — 2013 RAM 1500

WHEN BACKING UP IN REVERSE AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THE "D" LIGHT ON THE DASH AND SHIFTER KNOB FLASHES ON AND OFF. WHEN THIS HAPPENS PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR REVS THE ENGINE UP AS IF IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED IT CAUGHT ME TOTALLY BY SURPRISE AND BECAUSE I WAS ON A STEEP HILL MY TRUCK ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO THE MOVING TRUCK WAITING FOR ME TO PULL OUT. ONCE I ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO A GARAGE BEFORE I COULD STOP IT.LUCKILY FOR EVERYBODY CONCERNED THE GARAGE DOOR WAS OPEN. ANOTHER TIME I ROLLED OVER A CURB IN A PARKING LOT INTO A BUSH. MANY TIMES JUST PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT HAS CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AS HAS THE SHIFTER KNOB. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND HAS VERIFIED THE PROBLEM EXISTS. AS THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT THEY HAVE BEEN RELYING ON CHRYSLER TECHNICAL ASSIST (STAR CASE). CHRYSLER'S LAST RESPONSE WAS THE BRAKE SHOULD ALWAYS BE FIRMLY PRESSED WHILE SHIFTING "THIS IS A BUILT IN SAFETY FEATURE AND NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION"???. HOW CAN A 6000LB TRUCK ROLLING BACKWARDS WITH THE DRIVER EXPECTING IT TO GO FORWARDS BE "NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION"? I HAVE GONE FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND THE "D" LIGHT WILL FLASH. BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE TRANSMISSION "LOCKS" AND EVEN THOUGH THE THE TRUCK REVS JUST LIKE THE OTHER SITUATION IT DOESN'T MOVE. IT JUST STAYS PUT IN THE SAME PLACE. THIS I WOULD CONSIDER "NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION". ONE DAY WHEN THIS ROLLING SITUATION HAPPENS THERE IS GOING TO BE SOMEBODY BEHIND ME AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT. I CANNOT GET CHRYSLER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I HAVE TOLD THEM OVER AND OVER ABOUT MY SAFETY CONCERNS AND ABOUT ALREADY RUNNING INTO ANOTHER TRUCK AND ALL THEY CAN SAY IS "WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS BUT YOUR PROBLEM IS NORMAL" . UPDATED 03/01/16*LJ UPDATED 11/01/2017*CN