NHTSA Complaint #11079778 — 2015 RAM 1500

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY IN WINTER CONDITIONS THE TRUCKS ANTI-LOCK/ABS/TRACTION CONTROL /4X4 AND CRUISE CONTROL ALL STOPPED WORKING AND THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. AT 65 MPH WHILE ACCELERATING WITH TRAFFIC UP HILL ON A CORNER ON WINTERY ROADS THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE JUST STOPPED WORKING AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS LOST. THE TRUCK WENT INTO SEVERAL 360 DEGREE SPINS AND CAM TO A STOP ON THE FAR RIGHT SHOULDER. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE STRUCK AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE BRIDGE ABUTMENT. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO LITHIA DODGE OF WASILLA I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED (48,100 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT) BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK IN FOR OVER A WEEK. AFTER THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE TRUCK THEY REPLACED THE R-REAR SPEED SENSOR AND SAID THAT WAS THE ISSUE. I WENT TO PICK UP THE TRUCK AND THE ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. I LEFT THE TRUCK AGAIN AT THE DEALER. THEY THEN INDICATED THE ISSUE WAS IN THE WIRING HARNESS. I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME TO INSPECT THE WIRING. I TESTED THE CONTINUITY OF THE CONDUCTORS THAT THE DEALER HAD INDICATED WERE THE ISSUE AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK AND EXPLAINED MY FINDINGS, THEY INDICATED THAT THE TECH HAD "GUESSED" THAT THE ISSUE WAS THE HARNESS. AFTER RETURNING TO GET MY TRUCK THE DEALER SAID IT WAS REPAIRED, THEY HAD PERFORMED UNAUTHORIZED WORK, CUT MY HARNESS AND SPLICED AS THEY SAID THAT WAS THE ISSUE, BUT THE ISSUE WAS NOT FIXED. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO ANOTHER LITHIA DEALER WHO INDICATED THE HARNESS WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR BY THE DEALER, YOU CANT SPLICE THE HARNESS(?) ACCORDING TO THE OTHER DEALER AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN WHOLE. THEY COULD NOT WORK ON IT ANY MORE TO FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO THE HARNESS ISSUE CAUSED BY THE UNAUTHORIZED REPAIR PERFORMED BY THE OTHER LITHIA DEALER. TRUCK STILL HAS NO 4X4, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL OR CRUISE CONTROL. THIS FAILURECOULD BE A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AND RESULT IN ACCIDENTS.