NHTSA complaint: 1995 DODGE RAM — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE REGARDING THIS FAILURE, ARE TECH OR SAFETY BULLETINS BEING GENERATED, ARE OTHERS REPORTING THE FAILURE? RAM DIESEL MODEL FAILURE MODE ALLOWS STARTER TO REMAIN ENGAGED AND ENGINE RUNNING WITH VEHICLE KEY IN THE OFF POSITION. AFTER DIAGNOSING AND FAILURE ANALYSIS IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS FAILURE MODE IS NOT ONLY COMMON (INPUT FROM VARIOUS WEBSITES) BUT ALSO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN MY OPINION. WHILE THE ROOT CAUSE (STARTER FAILURE) IS ACCEPTABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE WITH AGE OF THE VEHICLE, THE SYMPTOM AND EFFECT IS NOT. INTERNAL SHORTING OF THE STARTER CAUSES 12VDC FEEDBACK THROUGH THE CONTROL CIRCUIT AND ALLOWS THE STARTER TO REMAIN ENGAGED AND VEHICLE TO REMAIN RUNNING WIT THE KEY ON!. IF LUCKY ENOUGH TO REACT TO THE FAILURE IN TIME PRIOR TO COMPONENTS AND WIRING BURNING UP AND MELTING, YOU MUST GET UNDER THE HOOD TO DISCONNECT "2" BATTERIES, OR CLIMB UNDER THE VEHICLE TO HIT THE STARTER TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND DISENGAGE STARTER, EITHER AGAIN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING WITH THE KEY OFF AND START ENGAGED IN FLYWHEEL, IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO JUMP IN GEAR (STD TRANSMISSION) BODILY INJURY WOULD CERTAINLY TAKE PLACE. AFTER MY FIRST FAILURE THE DEALER REPLACED THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS AT A COST OF >$700 BUT FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE. ONLY AFTER INFORMATION LOCATED IN THE "TURBODIESEL WEBSITE" AND REPEAT FAILURE WAS I ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT ROOT CAUSE!*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation