NHTSA Complaint #10959156 — 2016 RAM 1500

MY SON WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-15 TOWARDS SAN DIEGO AT 65MPH IN THE TRAVEL LANE (2ND LEFT MOST LANE) WHEN HIS NEW TRUCK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING COMPLETELY SHUT ITSELF OFF. THE MAIN SCREEN ON THE DASH PROMPTED TO SHIFT INTO PARK (THE TRUCK WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH AT THE TIME) TO RESTART THE TRUCK. HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE LEFT DUE TO THE HOV LANE BEING VERY BUSY - HE TRAVERSED THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT IN A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER, OR STEERING ASSIST, AND AN INOPERABLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE BLINKER COLUMN SWITCH DID NOT ACTIVATE THE INDICATOR LIGHTS. HE WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY HAZARD FLASHER LIGHTS TO SHOW HIS EMERGENT NEED TO STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. HE STOPPED THE TRUCK NEAR EXIT 31 ON I-15 SOUTH. HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE TRUCK INTO PARK AND RESTART THE TRUCK. HE WAS FORCED TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE TRUCK TO NAS NORTH ISLAND SAN DIEGO BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE FOR A ANNUAL FLIGHT EVALUATION PRE- DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE FAILURE COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN A FATALITY IF ANOTHER DRIVER, LESS ABLE TO HANDLE UNFORESEEN DANGEROUS MECHANICAL FAILURES, COULD HAVE PANICKED IN CROWDED CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC. MY SON STATES THAT HE HAS LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, MOREOVER THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN A CRASHED CAUSED BY THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE SYSTEMS.