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2014 RAM 5500 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 1384825 · 2017-06-14

Vehicle

Make
RAM
Model
5500
Year
2014
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
37,400
Speed
45 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

MAY 30, 2017 MY 2014 RAM 5500 DIESEL DUMP TRUCK HAD A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE/MELTING FROM THE FIRE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN APRIL OF 2015 AND IT WAS 'JUST OUT OF WARRANTY" AT JUST OVER 37,000 MILES ON IT. THE SOURCE OF THE DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE DENSO INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATOR. FCA SENT A FIELD INSPECTOR TO THE SERVICE CENTER WHERE THE TRUCK WAS TOWED, AND MY VEHICLE INSURANCE COMPANY ALSO SENT AN INSPECTOR THERE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL COVER MOST OF THE DAMAGES BUT NOT THE ALTERNATOR NOR THE LABOR FOR THE ALTERNATOR AS FCA KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THAT PART WAS DEFECTIVE AS RAM HAS RECALLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ALTERNATORS DUE TO SAFETY FIRE HAZARD BUT THEN CONTINUE TO USE THE SAME MANUFACTURER'S DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS IN THEIR VEHICLES. FCA SENT A LETTER REFUSING TO GIVE GOOD WILL AUTHORIZATION, AS WAS PROMISED BY THE CHRYSLER DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM, TO COVER THE DAMAGE AND REPAIRS "BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF ALTERNATOR WARRANTY" - THEY KNEW THAT BEFORE THEY TOWED IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER. THE FEDERAL MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT STATES THAT CONSUMERS HAVE AN IMPLIED WARRANTY BEYOND THE LIMITED WARRANTY FROM MANUFACTURERS. CONSUMERS PURCHASE NEW VEHICLES IN GOOD FAITH THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO START ON FIRE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE FACT THAT THE SAME PART, THE ALTERNATOR, HAS HAD ABOUT 900,000 RECALLS IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS SHOWS ME THAT THEY KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT CONTINUING TO USE THE DENSO INTERNATIONAL ALTE

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10995221
Machine
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