NHTSA Complaint #11170079 — 2006 DODGE RAM SRT-10

ON 12/11/18 MY WIFE PICKED-UP THE KIDS FROM THEIR SCHOOL. AT ABOUT 14:25 MY WIFE HAD ARRIVED HOME AND HAD NOTICED THERE WAS A BURNT RUBBER (ACRID) SMELL SHE THOUGHT CAME FROM THE LEFT FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS SMELL STARTED WHILE DRIVING. THE ROUND-TRIP TO SCHOOL IS ABOUT 20 MILES AND TAKES ABOUT 20 MINUTES EACH WAY. MY WIFE SAID SHE TRIED TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM AFTER CLEARING THE CAR BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT IT. NO SMOKE OF ANY KIND WAS SEEN. SHE WENT BACK INSIDE AFTER FAILING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. THE NEIGHBOR CALLED TO SAY HER CAR WAS ON FIRE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND HAD BEEN STANDING FOR AROUND 10 MINUTES WHEN THE FIRE WAS REPORTED BY THE NEIGHBOR, AT WHICH TIME BIG FLAMES WERE VISIBLE AND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FD ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 14:43. BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DASHBOARD AND FRONT ROW SEAT AREAS WERE ALL FULLY INVOLVED IN THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OR SOURCE OF THE FIRE EXACTLY OTHER THAN TO SAY IT STARTED IN THE FRONT LEFT OF THE CAR, LIKELY FROM WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE WITH THE ENGINE METAL FUSED AND THE INTERIOR FULLY BURNT AWAY AND DESTROYED. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED AND WE'VE HAD IT SERVICED BY TWO DIFFERENT GARAGES THIS YEAR ALONE AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED BY A DODGE-AUTHORIZED DEALER ANNUALLY PER THE SCHEDULE. MOST RECENTLY IN JULY, AUGUST AND NOVEMBER 2018. THE LAST VISIT WAS TO A LOCAL GARAGE TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED (ON 11/26/18). LOCAL FD AND PD ATTENDED AND INCIDENT REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THEM.