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1996 DODGE RAM 1500 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

crash1 injured · 624139 · 2007-05-14

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
RAM 1500
Year
1996
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Miles at failure
129,000
Speed
20 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 2/5/2007 THE HOOD ON THE 1996 DODGE RAM P/U FLEW OPEN, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. JUST MISSING A BUS, THEN COMING TO A STOP AFTER HITTING THE CURB. THE HOOD WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE WINDSHIELD, ALSO, FRONT END HIT THE CURB. DODGE REFUSED TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE HOOD LATCH BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED THE PRIMARY LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE, THEY ONLY HAD A RECALL FOR THE SECONDARY LATCH. IN THE RECALL IT STATED THAT THE HOOD COULD OPEN IF THE PRIMARY LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. IF THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS NOT DEFECTIVE IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE HOOD FROM OPENING COMPLETELY. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RECALL NOTICE FOR ANY DEFECTIVE HOOD LATCH. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND/OR KILLED OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AFTER ENTERING I-95. DODGE SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPAIR ALL HOOD LATCHES ON THESE VEHICLES, ONE WAS NO GOOD WITHOUT THE OTHER. AFTER TAKING MY TRUCK TO A DODGE DEALER THEY LEFT THE HOOD COMPLETELY UNLATCHED, AND DID NOT REPLACE THE BUNGY CORD I HAD PLACED TO PREVENT THE HOOD FROM OPENING. WHEN WILL DODGE BE FORCED TO REPAIR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. AFTER SOMEONE IS INJURED. DODGE WAS NEGLIGENT IN ALLOWING THESE LATCHES TO BE KEPT ON THESE VEHICLES. *AK

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10190717
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown