NHTSA Complaint #10786234 — 2006 DODGE RAM 2500

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, IN COLORADO, TAKING MY 2 KIDS TO SCHOOL, THE TRUCK WAS IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT, ABOUT 3 MINUTES INTO THE TRIP THE WINDOWS BEGAN TO FOG UP. THEY FOGGED UP IN SUCH A WAY I HAD LITTLE TO NO VISIBILITY, I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TURN THE DEFROST ON FROM THE VENT POSITION AND HEARD WHAT WOULD BE A BROKEN BLENDER DOOR TRYING TO POSITION ITSELF TO THE DEFROST POSITION. IT DID NOT WORK, AND IT IS DUE TO A POOR DESIGN OF THE BLENDER DOOR. IT IS A PLASTIC PART WHERE THE ACTUATOR FLIPS THE DOOR, IT HAD CRACKED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS HEATER CONFIGURATION AND A DANGEROUS ONE TO SAY THE LEAST. WITHIN A MINUTE I WENT FROM SEEING TO BEING SCARED FOR MY LIFE AND CHILDRENS LIVES. I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND HAD TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT STEERING POSITON AND WIPE THE WINDOW WITH MY HAND FURIOUSLY TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THAT TIME, I COULD ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS, GET THE FRONT WINDOW CLEARED WITH SOME TISSUES AND CONTINUE ON TO SCHOOL. I HAD TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER TO GET AN ESTIMATE OF $1100 WHICH WAS MAINLY LABOR. I REFUSE TO PAY $1100 FOR THIS FIX SINCE IT IS INVOLVING A BAD DESIGN AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF VEHICLE SAFETY - VISIBILITY. I LIVE IN COLORADO AND A CAR OR TRUCK WITHOUT DEFROST IS USELESS. DODGE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BEFORE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FATALITY OCCURS. IN MY CASE I WAS VERY FORTUNATE AND NO ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED.