NHTSA Complaint #11571660 — 2016 RAM 1500

While driving through mountainous terrain, my truck became unable to change gears and illuminated a check engine light and an electronic throttle control warning. I was able to limp it home to the dealership for repairs where they identified that the crankshaft tonewheel had delaminated. This exact issue is addressed in recall W68/NHTSA 20V-475 by FCA with the verbiage: "The magnetic material attached to the tone wheel on your vehicle provides a signal to the crankshaft position sensor. If this signal material is lost, the engine loses its ability to synchronize injector pulses and cam timing. This loss of crankshaft position can result in an engine stall, as well as loss of the ability to restart the engine. A loss of motive power can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning." Incredulously, FCA will not reimburse me for the cost of the repairs because they did not include my VIN in their W68 recall announcement. The exact part failed in the exact manner outlined in this recall, but their method to avoid liability is to simply say my VIN wasn't affected by the manufacturing defect--which it obviously was. Instead, they included my affected VIN in their W58 recall--which like a safe driver I complied with immediately--that only consisted of a software flash and an extended mileage/time warranty on the part (should it fail), that of course failed within 2 months of the warranty period expiring. I cannot understand how NHTSA would allow FCA to exclude VINs from W68 that were clearly affected by this very same manufacturing defect, and instead loop in clearly affected VINs in a simple software flash with a limited extended warranty. I ask that NHTSA please hold FCA accountable for this manufacturing defect and correctly cover ALL affected VINs with recall W68/NHTSA 20V-475.