NHTSA Complaint #11242261 — 2015 RAM 1500

RE: 2015 RAM 1500 PICKUP WITH 3.0 ECODIESEL ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOLLOWING THE V08 EMISSIONS RECALL, DRIVABILITY HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY REDUCED AND HAS CREATED DANGEROUS THROTTLE LAG AND IMPROPER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTION. I WOULD SUMMARIZE THESE ISSUES AS TURBO LAG AND IMPROPER SHIFT MAPPING. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THERE IS A 2-3 SECOND LAG BEFORE THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO MOVE EVEN IF THE THROTTLE IS FULLY DEPRESSED. IF YOU ARE EXECUTING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN INTO TRAFFIC OR CROSSING AN INTERSECTION THIS WILL LEAVE YOU EXPOSED TO A "T-BONE" COLLISION. AFTER THIS LAG IT WILL THEN ACCELERATE RAPIDLY AT FULL THROTTLE, MUCH FASTER THAN YOU ARE EXPECTING. IF YOU ARE EXECUTING A TURN THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OR A WIDER TURN THAN DESIRED, POSSIBLY INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC OR OFF THE FAR SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS BEHAVIOR IS EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RUN (COLD ENGINE). CLIMBING A MODERATE HILL SHORTLY AFTER PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY FORCES THE DRIVER TO MANUALLY DOWNSHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO FIRST GEAR TO GET ANY FORWARD TRAVEL. AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WILL RAPIDLY ACCELERATE AFTER THE 2-3 SECOND LAG. ONCE RETURNING TO "DRIVE" AT 15-25 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WILL UP-SHIFT SEVERAL GEARS AND THEN BEGIN SLOWING, DROPPING ENGINE RPM TO 1,000, AGAIN FORCING A MANUAL DOWN-SHIFT TO SECOND OR THIRD GEAR TO MAINTAIN SPEED. THE ENGINE PRODUCES ALMOST NO POWER UNTIL THE ENGINE REACHES 2000 RPM. ALL OF THIS BEHAVIOR BEGAN AFTER THE NOTED RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED A RAM DEALER REGARDING THIS PERFORMANCE AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. THEY MENTIONED THAT THE FACTORY WAS AWARE OF THIS BUT HAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. *JS