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2012 DODGE RAM 3500 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · 1706429 · 2020-11-14

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
RAM 3500
Year
2012
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Miles at failure
56,500

Severity

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

Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM, I HEARD A VEHICLE HORN HONKING OUTSIDE IN THE DRIVEWAY. GOT OUT OF BED TO INVESTIGATE. OBSERVED MY 2102 RAM 3500 DIESEL TRUCK WITH LIGHTS ON AND FLASHING AND HORN WAS HONKING. KEYS FOR TRUCK WERE IN THE HOUSE. WENT OUTSIDE WITH KEYS AND TRIED KEY-LESS ENTRY FOB TO OPEN THE CAB DOOR WITH NO SUCCESS. SMELLED SMOKE. OPENED DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WITH REGULAR KEY TO SEE LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD ALL LIT UP. OPENED THE HOOD TO SEE LOTS OF SMOKE AND OBSERVED GLOWING WIRING HARNESS NEXT TO DRIVER'S SIDE BATTERY. HARNESS WAS GLOWING ORANGE ALL THE WAY FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE FUSE BOX (POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE) NEXT TO BATTERY. WENT INTO GARAGE TO GET WRENCHES AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER. DISCONNECTED DRIVER SIDE BATTERY BUT THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS WAS STILL GLOWING ORANGE AND SMOKING. NEXT, DISCONNECTED AUXILIARY BATTERY ON PASSENGER SIDE AND WIRING HARNESS STOPPED GLOWING AND BURNING. TRUCK WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, IN FRONT OF GARAGE, NEXT TO THE HOUSE. KEYS WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN STARTED OR DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SPONTANEOUS THERMAL EVENT. VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 56,500 MILES AT TIME OF THERMAL EVENT. MASSIVE SHORT CIRCUIT APPEARS TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE FUSE BOX (POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE) UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSING ALL WIRES LEADING OUT OF THE MODULE TO SHORT CIRCUIT, CAUSING MASSIVE AND TOTAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. REFERENCE NHTSA COMPLAINTS:

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11374635
Machine
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