NHTSA complaint: 2014 RAM 1500 — SERVICE BRAKES
ME AND MY FAMILY (MY WIFE & 2 KIDS: MY OLDEST IS 7 & MY YOUNGEST IS 3) WERE ON A FISHING TRIP. WHEN RETURNING TO THE BOAT LAUNCH, I BACKED MY BOAT TRAILER INTO THE WATER WITH MY TRUCK. THE BACK TIRES OF MY TRUCK ARE ABOUT 2 FEET AWAY FROM THE WATER. I PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK AND SET MY EMERGENCY BRAKE. MY WIFE AND YOUNGEST SON GOT INTO THE TRUCK AND BEGAN TO BUCKLE THEIR SEAT BELTS AS I SET MY BOAT ONTO THE TRAILER. MY OLDEST STAYED ON THE LAND. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF MY TRUCK MOTOR RUNNING, WHILE STILL IN PARK, AND WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. MY WIFE, WHO IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, HEARS SOMEWHAT OF A POP NOISE AND MY TRUCK STARTS BACKING INTO THE WATER. MY WIFE AND YOUNGEST SON ARE NOW RACING TO GET OUT OF THEIR SEAT BELTS AS THE TRUCK IS STARTING TO SLOWLY SINK. ONCE MY WIFE GRABS OUR SON AND SITS HIM BY HER, I AM ABLE TO GET TO THE DOOR THEY ARE BY AND I AM PULLING ON THE DOOR, IN WATER THAT IS UP TO MY CHIN DEEP, AS SHE IS KICKING THE DOOR AND HOLDING THE HANDLE OF THE DOOR. THE DOOR OPENS AND I GRAB MY SON AND WIFE AND WE SWAM TO THE BOAT LAUNCH. IT IS UNKNOWN OF WHERE THE POP NOISE CAME FROM. MY WIFE SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS RELEASED. MY TRAGEDY IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. I HAVE NO RECORDS AS OF YET LIKE MY POLICE REPORT. IT IS STILL BEING HANDLED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AS OF PICTURES, I HAVE ONE THAT I AM TRYING TO GET FROM THE GUY WHO CAME TOW MY TRUCK. I WILL HAVE ALL THESE DOCUMENTS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation