NHTSA Complaint #11415339 — 2020 RAM 3500

WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2020 RAM 3500 DIESEL WITH A 2000-POUND TRUCK CAMPER IN THE BED ON A CITY STREET ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THROUGH A YIELD SIGN WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED COMPLETELY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO RESTART IT. THIS RESULTED IN SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION, POWER STEERING, AND POWER BREAKS, LEADING TO A NEAR COLLISION WITH A LARGE POLE AND POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLES IN THE IN THE INTERSECTION. ALTHOUGH WE MISSED THE POLE AND OTHER VEHICLES, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO AVOID DUE TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. HAD OUR SPEED BEEN SLIGHTLY HIGHER, A COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE. AFTER HAVING OUR TRUCK INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE BREAKDOWN WAS THE BOSCH CP4.2 INJECTION PUMP CATASTROPHICALLY FAILING (OR "GRENADE-ING" OR "IMPLODING" AS THE DEALERSHIP PUT IT) RESULTING IN THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM, STOPPING ALL FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE. AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO US, WE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE BOSCH CP4.2 INJECTION PUMP HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH DIESEL FUEL FOUND IN THE USA DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICITY, AND HAS OTHER FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN DEFECTS THAT TOGETHER MAKE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE ALMOST INEVITABLE IN VEHICLES DRIVEN IN THE USA. MOST PREVIOUS RAM 3500'S USED A RELIABLE BOSCH CP3 INJECTION PUMP, BUT STARTING IN 2019 MODEL YEARS SWITCHED TO THE LESS EXPENSIVE CP4.2 EVEN THOUGH THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO RAM AND CUMMINS DUE TO THE COUNTLESS INCIDENTS OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN OTHER VEHICLES USING THE SAME PUMP FOR MANY YEARS. HAD WE KNOWN THIS PRIOR TO PURCHASING OUR TRUCK, WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED IT. WE WERE SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THAT VEHICLES USING THIS DANGEROUS INJECTION PUMP HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED.