NHTSA Complaint #10809199 — 2008 DODGE RAM 2500

THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER BLOWER IN MY TRUCK HAS BEEN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, BUT GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT THAT IT RARELY WORKS NOW. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT THE SYSTEM HAPPENED TO WORK THAT DAY AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES. HOWEVER, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH/WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH ACTUALLY MELTS FROM THE HEAT CAUSED BY IMPROPER WIRE GAUGE/DESIGN. THIS INFORMATION CAN BE READILY FOUND ON DODGE TRUCK FORUMS BY DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON EARLIER MODEL YEARS (SAFETY RECALL #875 ACCORDING TO ONE SITE) BUT NONE THAT I COULD FIND FOR MY MODEL YEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED BY FROST OR FOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD SINCE THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK. MOREOVER, FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE'S HEATER COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN VERY COLD WEATHER--ESPECIALLY IN REMOTE LOCATIONS. IT MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE FOR THE OVERHEATED/MELTED CONNECTORS/COMPONENTS TO CAUSE A FIRE OR TO MANIFEST OTHER FAILURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH (UNCOMMANDED ENGINE CUTOFF, ETC.). THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE. *TR