NHTSA Complaint #11302555 — 2013 RAM 1500

MY TRUCK WAS BACKED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, PARKED OVERNIGHT, AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO KEY FOB. I TRIED SECOND FOB, ALSO HAD NO RESPONSE. I MANUALLY OPENED DOOR AND TRUCK WOULD NOT RESPOND IN ANY WAY. I CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. TOW TRUCK JUMPED BATTERY, WHICH ALLOWED TRUCK TO START, BUT PROMPTLY DIED ONCE CABLES WERE REMOVED. TOW TRUCK TOWED VEHICLE TO DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT. INITIAL DIAGNOSES WAS FAILED ALTERNATOR. HOWEVER, ONCE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED, SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES AROSE, IMMEDIATELY. THE PDC AND CABLE, BATTERY AS WELL AS WIPER MOTOR, AMONG OTHER ITEMS IN LINE, WERE ALSO DAMAGED. SMOKE INSTANTLY FILLED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT VOLTAGE HAD BEEN BACKFED THUS CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE NOT NOTED EARLIER. THE DEALERSHIP THINKS THAT IF THEY SUBMITT ADDITIONAL REPAIR REQUESTS TO MOPAR, BEYOND ALTERNATOR FAILURE, THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN NON PAYMENT BY MY EXTENDED, LIFETIME WARRANTY PACKAGE I PURCHASED WITH VEHICLE. I HAVE THE DAMAGED PDC BUT WAS NOT ALLOWED TO KEEP OTHER ITEMS. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS OF ITEMS REPLACED. MY INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THIS PDC ISSUE TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I'VE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE AUGUST, BEGINNING WITH TRANSMISSION CELANOID AS WELL AS FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE KEY FOB. OTHER ISSUES SINCE, WHICH ALSO APPEAR TO BE ELECTRICAL ISSUES, HAVE RESULTED IN NUMEROUS DAYS OFF WORK, $100 DEDUCTIBLES BEING PAID, AND FRUSTRATING HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES, BOTH MINE AND THE TOW TRUCK.