NHTSA complaint: 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 — SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:INTERCONNECTING ASSEMBLY(WIRING)
SINCE DECEMBER OF 2001 VERIZON HAS HAD (6) DODGE FULL SIZE VANS INVOLVING 1998-2001 B VANS. ALL (6) FIRES APPEAR TO HAVE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. ALL (6) VANS ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE KELSEY HAYES EBC 325 ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS. THREE OF THE FIRES OCCURRED IN THE ABS CONTROLLER AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT THE ENTIRE TRUCK GOING UP IN FLAMES BECAUSE THE DRIVERS WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE FIRES EXTINGUISHED BEFORE THE FIRES GOT A REAL GOOD START. THREE OF THE FIRES HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE UNATTENDED AND THE VEHICLES WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED. ON SEPT. 4TH, 2003 A 2002 DODGE VAN WAS REPORTED BY THE DRIVER TO HAVE THE ABS PUMP RUNNING CONTINUALY FOR OVER 2 HOURS. THE ABS PUMP WAS EXTREMELY HOT. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT THE PUMP OFF. WHEN THIS VAN WAS BROUGHT INTO THE VERIZON GARAGE THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE ABS PUMP WAS RUNNING CONTINUALLY. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO ROTHROCK DODGE IN ALLENTOWN, PA.,ON 9-5-03 AND LEFT WITH DANNY DAVID FOR DIAGNOSIS. WHEN THE SCAN TOOL WAS CONNECTED TO THE ABS SYSTEM THEY FOUND (2) CODES, MAIN RELAY OPEN AND PUMP MOTOR CIRCUIT OPEN. AT THIS TIME NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE UNTIL CHRYSLER AND A VERIZON FLEET TECH. SUPPORT SPECIALIST CAN LOOK INTO THIS CASE. CONTACT PERSONS AT VERIZON ARE AS FOLLOWS; TOM SPEZIO 732-493-9902 BOB PRINCE 410-760-8836 FRED PLETSCHER 610-264-0685. *AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation