NHTSA Complaint #11394579 — 2016 RAM 1500

I PURCHASED MY USED 2016 RAM 1500 BIG HORN A OF MONTH AGO IN THE END OF JANUARY 2021. IT HAD JUST OVER 70,000 MILES. WHEN I TEST-DROVE THE VEHICLE, IT RAN SMOOTHLY. AT LEAST I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING ODD ABOUT THE WAY IT DROVE. THE CARFAX REPORT SAID IT HAD FOUR RECALLS, ONE OF WHICH WAS A FLASH/REPROGRAM OF THE COMPUTER MODULE. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I NOTICED, LIKE OTHER RAM 1500 OWNERS, THAT IT SEEMED TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I ALSO NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE, IT WILL IMMEDIATELY LURCH FORWARD BEFORE MY FOOT EVEN GETS TO THE ACCELERATOR. AT ONE INTERSECTION WHERE I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, I BELIEVED THAT THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD REAR-ENDED ME. WHEN I STOPPED TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE, THERE WAS NONE. I HAD NOT EVEN BEEN REAR-ENDED. ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE, IS THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE IT IS STRUGGLING WHEN I AM CRUISING AT ABOUT 1,200-1,500 RPM'S, AS IF IT IS IN TOO HIGH A GEAR. WHEN I HIT THE ACCELERATOR TO PASS OR SPEED UP, IT HESITATES, DOWNSHIFTS AND EVENTUALLY ROARS TO LIFE. THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. THEY DROVE IT AROUND. THEY TOLD ME TO COME AND PICK IT UP ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. WHEN I GOT THERE, THE SERVICE ASSOCIATE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD "RESET THE ADAPTATIONS AND UPDATED THE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE." THE 'ADAPTATIONS' IS APPARENTLY SOMETHING THAT THE COMPUTER DOES TO ADAPT TO THE DRIVER'S DRIVING HABITS. THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 'USED' TO THE DRIVING HABITS OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. I SPOKE WITH THE TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN, WHO ALSO OWNS A RAM WITH THE 5.7L HEMI. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS DOES THE SAME THING, AND THAT "THEY ALL DO IT." HE SAID TO CHECK BACK IN A FEW MONTHS TO SEE IF DODGE HAS DISCOVERED A FIX FOR IT. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A $25,000, THAT HAS A PROBLEM THAT IS PUTTING ALL KINDS OF STRESS ON CRITICAL PARTS AND I HAVE NO RECOURSE.