NHTSA Complaint #11405327 — 2019 RAM 1500

I WAS DRIVING ON I-65 IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN TRAFFIC, WHEN MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF AND THE IGNITION MODE SWITCHED FROM RUN TO ACC. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOSE ALL PROPULSION POWER AND I WAS FORCED TO CROSS LANES TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. LUCKILY, I WAS STILL A MILE OR TWO FROM THE UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION ZONE, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM BEING ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO A SHOULDER. BECAUSE THE ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF WHILE THE TRUCK WAS MOVING, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS PROGRAMMED TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, BUT BECAUSE I WAS GOING 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY (>5MPH ACCORDING TO MY USER MANUAL), IT JUST ALERTED ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS OFF AND THAT I WAS IN ACC MODE. AFTER PARKING THE TRUCK ON THE SHOULDER WITH HAZARDS ON, I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND WAITED A FEW SECONDS BEFORE TRYING TO START IT AGAIN. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE IGNITION BUTTON, THE TRUCK STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY, LIKE NORMAL, BUT THEN 2 SECONDS LATER IT CUT OUT AGAIN WITH THE SAME RUN-TO-ACC MODE SWITCH. THIS HAPPENED 6-7 MORE TIMES BEFORE THE TRUCK SOMEHOW STAYED ON RUN. I CHECKED THE ENGINE AND MY FLUIDS FOR ANYTHING ODD, BUT MECHANICALLY, THE TRUCK WAS FINE. NO CHECK ENGINE OR WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG OTHER THAN THE INITIAL INDICATION. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME WITHOUT ISSUES AFTER THAT, BUT WHEN I WENT TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF, I COULDN'T. THE IGNITION BUTTON HAD STOPPED RESPONDING. I TRIED ALL OF THE USER MANUAL'S METHODS TO TURN IT OFF, BUT NOTHING WORKED. THIS VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE A MANUAL KEY IGNITION OVERRIDE, JUST THE FOB AND KEYLESS BUTTON, NEITHER OF WHICH COULD TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THE FOB'S REMOTE START/SHUTOFF DIDN'T WORK EITHER. IN THE END, I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO FORCE THE ENGINE AND COMPUTER SYSTEM TO TURN OFF. I'M TAKING IT INTO THE LOCAL DEALER, VIA TOW IF IT WON'T START AGAIN, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.