NHTSA Complaint #11266686 — 2015 RAM 1500

MY VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR AN "APPROVED EMISSIONS MODIFICATION" AEM. IT WAS STATED THAT, "THE AEM WAS NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE ANY OF YOUR VEHICLE ATTRIBUTES...ETC" AFTER MY VEHICLE RECEIVED THE AEM IT CHANGED MY VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. 1. THE VEHICLE LOST THE LOW END POWER AND YOU HAVE TO STEP ON THE GAS JUST TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. I'VE EXPERIENCED LAG TIMES THAT EXCEED 4 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS EITHER FROM BEING AT A FULL STOP, CASUAL, OR FREEWAY DRIVING. 2. WHEN GOING UP A STEEP HILL AT SLOW SPEEDS (15 MPH FOR EXAMPLE) THE VEHICLE SHIFTS UP UNTIL THE TRUCK BOGS DOWN AND ALMOST COMES TO A STOP. PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR REVS THE ENGINE UP, PAUSES FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN DROPS INTO A LOW GEAR AND JERKS FORWARD. THIS LASTS MOMENTARILY UNTIL THE VEHICLE UPSHIFTS AGAIN AND BOGS DOWN. THIS CYCLE IS REPEATED OVER AND OVER IF YOU HAVE TO ASCEND SLOWLY. 3. WHEN ACCELERATING UNTO THE FREEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 8TH GEAR. IT HOLDS AT 2100+ RPM AND WON'T SHIFT UP UNLESS YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR! THIS VEHICLE IS A HAZARD ON THE ROADWAY AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ADDITIONALLY, THE AEM HAS CAUSED MY TRUCK TO GET A 20% REDUCTION IN MPG. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN SEVERAL TIMES AND OPENED UP A CASE. I WAS JUST RECENTLY SENT AN E-MAIL REPLY SAYING "THEY" ARE FINISHED WITH THE INVESTIGATION AND, "YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE HAVE BEEN FULLY DIAGNOSED BY OUR CERTIFIED SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IS A COMMON AND ACCEPTABLE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE'S DESIGN; THIS MEANS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN ITS FACTORY ENGINEERED SPECIFICATIONS AND THERE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ANY REPAIRS THAT WILL ALTER THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE TO MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS." FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES WILL NOT REPAIR/RESTORE MY VEHICLE TO BE SAFE AND MEET THE SPECS THAT I PURCHASED!