NHTSA Complaint #11231140 — 2014 RAM 1500

ON 06/12/2019, I HAD THE V08 RECALL (AEM MODIFICATION UPDATE) DONE ON MY 2014 RAM 1500 ECODIESEL. THIS RECALL WAS REQUIRED AS PART OF AN EMISSIONS RELATED LAWSUIT. FCA ADVISED THAT THE UPDATED SOFTWARE IS NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE ANY OF THE VEHICLES ATTRIBUTES TO INCLUDE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE, DRIVEABILITY, AND FUEL ECONOMY. AFTER HAVING THE RECALL WORK DONE, I HAVE NOTICED A SERIOUS CONCERN REGARDING THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE FROM A STOP (ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD OR NOT FULLY WARMED UP). WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THERE IS A DELAY IN THE ACCELERATION WHICH I CAN BEST DESCRIBE AS FEELING LIKE "SEVERE TURBO LAG." WHEN TRYING TO CROSS A BUSY INTERSECTION OR TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, IF YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND LIKE IT DID PRIOR TO THE RECALL WORK. AFTER PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR HARDER AND GETTING THROUGH THE LAG IN ACCELERATION, THE TURBO FINALLY KICKS IN AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY "FLOOR IT." I ALSO NOTICED WHEN DRIVING UP AN INCLINE AND STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, WHILE CONTINUING GRADUALLY UP THE INCLINE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO LIGHT/GRADUAL PRESSING OF THE ACCELERATOR. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR HARDER CAUSES THE TURBO TO KICK IN AND THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY . ON 06/26/2019, THE DEALERSHIP TESTED IT AND TEST DROVE IT FOR 12 MILES AND NOTING THAT THEY "DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANYTHING ABNORMAL WHEN COMPARED TO LIKE VEHICLES" AND "VEHICLE PERFORMING AS DESIGNED." MY WIFE AND I CONTINUED TO NOTICE THE SAME ISSUES AND I CONTACTED FCA AGAIN. THEY SAID THEY WOULD DOCUMENT IT AND SAID THAT I COULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO WASTE MY TIME AND REITERATED THAT THIS ISSUE WAS CLEARLY A RESULT OF THE UPDATE. FCA CLOSED MY COMPLAINT.