NHTSA Complaint #11525374 — 2022 RAM 1500

The engine has a mind of its own and decides not to do engine breaking even if the driver downshifts. I first noticed this at low mileage when slightly tapping on the breaks would sometimes cause engine breaking as long as I kept my foot off the accelerator. However if I down shifted for additional engine breaking on the same slope the engine would scream revving up to 6000 RPM without slowing the truck at all, NO ENGINE BREAKING! So last week this problem nearly cost my life. I was going down a mountain pass with my 4500 lb RV which is well within the advertised 7000 lb allowed towing capacity but if I let my foot off the gas, no breaking. This is normal and the driver just downshifts to introduce some breaking. So i down shifted from 5th and the engine responded with a self destructive scream reving up to 6000 RPM and yes NO ENGINE BREAKING. I did not think much of it after all I still have the breaks right? So feathered the breaks for about 10 minutes or so thinking nothing of it. Even tapping the break to tell the onboard computer I need engine breaking is not working even though it was working when minimal engine breaking was needed. Out of pure luck I decided to stop at a mountain spring to get some fresh spring water and that is when I notice wait a minute, this car is barely stopping!! I got out of the car just short of the end of the pullover spot and was greeted with the smell of burning break pads! THE FRONT BREAK PADS WERE SMOKING! What is sad is that the same RV on the same pass on my 20 year old 12 passenger van easily manages this when I down shift to second gear with some minor feathering of the breaks and never in 10 years had issue with the slightest heating of the break pads. BY DISABLING ENGINE BREAKING CHRYSLER HAS CREATED A SERIOUS INJURY HAZARD.