NHTSA Complaint #11035470 — 2006 DODGE RAM 1500

FIRST PROBLEM WAS ONE IDIOT LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON (AND IT WASN'T). BUT SINCE THE OPERATION OF THE TRUCK WAS NOT AN ISSUE, I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR TWO MORE MONTHS WHILE MORE AND MORE IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS USED, ELECTRONICALLY REPORTING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE WASN'T ONE. FINALLY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AT ALL OR EVEN TURN OVER. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULDN'T EVEN CRANK. YET ALL THE IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON WHICH INDICATED TO ME IT WAS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM AND NOT A MECHANICAL ONE LIKE A BAD IGNITION OR BAD BATTERY. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOORS ELECTRONICALLY WITH THE KEY FOB ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY, DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY, LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS MANUALLY, AND EVEN JIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD START UP COMPLETELY NORMALLY, BUT WITH ALL THE IDIOT LIGHTS ON. THIS WAS ERRATIC AND THERE WAS NO RHYME OR REASON WHY IT WAS HAPPENING OR WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THE SITUATION CONTINUED LIKE THIS ABOUT A WEEK UNTIL THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EVEN SHUT DOWN WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. NOT ONLY THAT, SEVERAL TIMES THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING EXCEPT SITTING IN THE VEHICLE AND WAITING FOR IT TO SPUTTER TO A STOP, WHICH WAS A COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY AND A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER A SUBSEQUENT APPOINTMENT AT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE WHERE THE VEHICLE SAT IN THE SERVICE BAY FOR A WEEK WHILE THE ISSUE WAS BEING EVALUATED, RESULTING IN THE ISSUE EVENTUALLY BEING DIAGNOSED AS A BAD TIPM, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A GROSSLY OVERPRICED COST OF $1600, SINCE THE PART IS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR LESS THAN $400.