NHTSA complaint: 2011 DODGE RAM 1500 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY RAM 1500 INEXPLICABLY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED, AS WERE THE BED COVER, THE TAILGATE, AND THE RAM BOXES. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BED OR RAMBOXES. WE WERE ALERTED TO THE FIRE AT AROUND 6 AM BY 1) AN EXPLOSION AND 2) NEIGHBOR ALERT. WHEN WE WENT OUTSIDE THE TRUCK'S BED WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE, AND THE FIRE LOOKED TO BE FROM UNDERNEATH AND COMING UP AROUND THE BED. THE EXPLOSION WAS EITHER THE SPARE TIRE OR THE GAS TANK. WITHIN 10 MINUTES THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED, AND COMPLETELY BURNED/MELTED, ETC., WITHIN 25 OR SO MINUTES WHEN THE FIRE DEPT. FINALLY ARRIVED TO PUT IT OUT. THE FIRE MARSHAL DECLARED THAT THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, AS DID THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S LAB AFTER THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. WE LIVE IN A GATED, VIDEO MONITORED SMALL COMMUNITY AND REVIEW OF THE TAPES SHOWED NO STRANGE ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO HISTORY OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA, AND CERTAINLY NO ARSON. THE GROUND SURROUNDING THE TRUCK WAS WET (IT WAS PARKED ON A CONCRETE PARKING SPACE) AS THE SPRINKLERS HAD RECENTLY RUN (GRASS, SHRUBS). REALLY NOT SURE IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE RAM, BUT GIVEN THAT ARSON ALSO SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY I THOUGHT WE SHOULD DOCUMENT THIS IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS. *KB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation