NHTSA Complaint #11084705 — 2004 DODGE RAM 3500

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY RECENTALLY AND PULLING A CAR TRAILER, I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM A VACATION WHEN THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) FAILED. THIS RESULTS IN A "DEAD PEDAL" SITUATION, WHERE THE ENGINE FALLS TO IDLE, AND THERE IS NO 'DRIVE' TO THE WHEELS. THIS SITUATION IS VERY SERIOUS AS SOMETIMES THERE IS NO WHERE TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE, DUE TO TRAFFIC LANE NARROWING. MY PERSONAL SITUATION WAS THAT I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TO RE-SET THE TPS, YOU MUST STOP, PUT IN PARK, TURN THE IGNITION OFF, WAIT APPROX. 10-15 SECONDS, AND THEN RE-START. IT SHOULD RE-SET AND YOU CAN DRIVE AWAY, ALTHOUGH A 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT APPEARS. IN MY CASE, THE TPS FAILED A SECOND TIME, A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY, AND I HAD TO REPEAT THE STEPS. THE SECOND TIME IT "WORKED" AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THIS FAILURE OF THE TPS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME PERSONALLY. THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THIS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, YOU HAVE NO THROTTLE INPUT AND YOU MUST GET OFF THE ROAD. ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT DURING THOSE MOMENTS OF PANIC, WAS BEING SMASHED INTO FROM THE REAR! I AM AWARE THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AS I HAVE DONE SOME FOLLOW UP RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOLLOWING MY INCIDENT. I WANT TO INFORM YOU, THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2004. THIS VEHICLE IS IMMACULATE, AND ALL MAINTENANCE IS PERFORMED AT THE LOCAL DEALER. IN CAR GUYS TERMS, THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE CONSIDERED A "GARAGE QUEEN" AND THERE WOULD BE NO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS SUCH AS LACK OF MAINTAINCE, DIRT, ROAD GRIME, OR ABUSE. I AM CONVINCED THIS SITUATION WILL LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, IF NOT TO ME, THEN TO SOMEONE ELSE, AND I WANT TO INFORM YOU OF THIS POTENTIAL SERIOUS ISSUE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC AND THE SOLUTION IS A TPS REPLACEMENT, BUT IN MY OPINION, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.