NHTSA complaint: 2001 DODGE RAM 3500 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON ANY CUMMINS POWERED DODGE TRUCK BUILT AFTER 1998 1/2 THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING SHUTTING DOWN THE MOTOR WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW VERY RAPIDLY AND TO TOTALLY LOSES POWER. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE DRIVER IS WITHOUT POWER UNTIL THE SENSOR DECIDES TO WORK AGAIN. TWO WEEKS AGO THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED CAUSING A ACCIDENT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, DRIVER WAS RUN OVER BY SEMI TRUCK IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. SHOULD SOMEONE BE TOWING A CAMPER OR TRAILER UP HILL AND THIS TAKES PLACE THE VEHICLE COULD STOP SUDDENLY ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BE REAR ENDED VIOLENTLY OR THOSE WITHOUT MUCH TOWING EXPERIENCE TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS REGARDLESS OF SPEED OR TOWING. I AM COMMERCIAL DRIVER AND HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN APPROXIMATELY 30 TIMES IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER AND TRAFFIC. CHYRSLER/DODGE REFUSES TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK WITH A REP AND CUMMINS HAS DISCONTINUED PUTTING THIS PART ON MOTORS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE SOON.. I PERSONALLY KNOW APPROXIMATELY 50 TRUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM AND COST TO FIX IS 1400$ WHEN PARTS STORES SELL SENSORS FOR 200$. I WANT TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS I AM A RETIRED TRUCK DRIVER AND SEE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM HERE IF IT HAPPENS TO A INEXPERIENCED DRIVER. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation