NHTSA Complaint #10864479 — 2013 RAM 3500

ON DEC. 15, 2014 I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 2013 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL. THE RECALL WAS FOR A INLINE FUEL HEATER THAT MAY CATCH FIRE, IT HAD NO APPARENT FIX, NO PARTS, NO INSTRUCTIONS AND NO TIMELINE AS TO WHEN IT WOULD OR COULD BE FIXED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT MY CONCERNS, HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A REMOTE POSSIBILITY NEXT TO NONE, THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CATCH FIRE. I ASKED HIM IF I COULD PARK IT INSIDE AND HE SAID YES, AND THAT THE RECALL WAS JUST BEING SENT OUT AS A PRECAUTION. ON THE EVENING OF JAN 28TH 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 0:920 PM SMOKE DETECTORS ALERTED MY DOG AND HE WOKE ME UP. I WOKE MY WIFE UP YELLING (FIRE) I PANICKED I TOOK IN A DEEP BREATH COVERED MY MOUTH WITH MY FOREARM, OPENED THE PERSONAL ENTRY DOOR AND STEPPED INSIDE THE GARAGE NOT REALIZING HOW BAD IT WAS. THE AMOUNT OF HEAT BEING GENERATED FROM THE DIESEL FUEL AND THE STRUCTURE WAS SO HOT THE BACK DRAFT PULLED THE DOOR OUT OF MY HAND TRAPPING ME IN THE GARAGE AND BECAUSE IT WAS A SCHLAGE COMBINATION STYLE THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK, ALL I COULD SEE WAS COMPLETE BLACK AND RED, RED FLAMES WAS SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER MY TRUCK. MY NEIGHBOR WAS KICKING ON MY GARAGE DOOR YELLING TO WAKE UP. I PANICKED AGAIN AND HIT THE UP BUTTON ON THE MAIN GARAGE DOOR HOPING TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT, THE GARAGE DOOR WENT UP ABOUT A FOOT AND FELL HARD BECAUSE IT PULLED THE DOOR MOTOR FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKETS. I KNEW THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS THE FRONT DOOR I USED THE SIDE OF THE DODGE AS A GUIDE AND BURNT MY LEFT HAND, MADE IT OUT THE DOOR AND MY NEIGHBOR HANDED ME THE GARDEN HOSE HANGING ON THE FENCE. ALL FIRE REPORTS INDICATE THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE DODGE, THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR FROM CHRYSLER SAID IN FRONT OF LARAMIE COUNTY ARSON INVESTIGATORS THAT IT ORIGINATED AT THE FUEL HEATER. STATE FARM MAY HAVE SETTLED WITH DODGE. PLEASE READ ATTACHMENT.