NHTSA Complaint #10749880 — 2015 RAM 3500

THE INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL IN THE 2015 RAM TRUCKS DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE BRAKE CONTROL TO THE TRAILER BRAKES. I TRADED IN A 2013 RAM 3500 AND THE INTEGRATED CONTROLLER ALLOWED ME TO SET UP THE BRAKES SO I COULD LOCK THE TIRES UP, THEN I WOULD BACK THE VOLTAGE DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THERE TO GET MAXIMUM BRAKING PERFORMANCE FROM THE TRAILER. WITH THE NEW TRUCK, THERE WASN'T THE ABILITY TO GET MUCH BRAKING AT ALL. DEALERS ARE TELLING THOSE WITH THE SAME TRUCKS, THAT IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM. MONDAY, AUGUST 17TH, I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, AND BEGAN BRAKING. THE TRAILER BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE DUE TO THE CONTROLLER AND I COULDN'T STOP IN TIME. I ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION BEFORE I COULD STOP. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC SO THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE TRAILER WEIGHS 2020 POUNDS EMPTY, AND IT WAS HAULING APPROXIMATELY 1400 POUNDS. THE TRAILER CONTROLLER WAS SET AT LIGHT ELECTRIC, 7.5. ( L LATER TESTED HEAVY ELECTRIC AND IT STILL DOESN'T PROVIDE ADEQUATE BRAKING). AFTER, I TESTED THE TRAILER BRAKES (THAT I ALREADY KNEW WERE GOOD) ON ANOTHER TRUCK, AND THEY WORKED PERFECTLY. AGAIN, THE INTEGRATED CONTROLLER ON MY 2013 RAM WORKED GREAT, BUT THE NEW ONES SIMPLY DO NOT ALLOW THE TRAILER BRAKES TO WORK PROPERLY REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU TURN UP THE VOLTAGE. I CAN NOT ADJUST IT TO GET THE BRAKES TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT BRAKING FROM THE TRAILER. RAM IS SAYING THAT THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM, BUT A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE, THAT IF LEFT UNRESOLVED WILL ABSOLUTELY LEAD TO INJURIES OR FATALITIES.