2012 Dodge Ram 3500 Exterior lighting Problems

While pulling a trailer, integrated trailer brake controller stopped working and disabled the trailer brakes. All trailer lights worked, just no brakes. Showed red warning in dash and "CF" on brake controller after failure. No warning before failure. Checked connections and tested with another trailer. Even with no trailer, warning is on and trailer brakes are not functional. Created hazard to driver and other motorists by spontaneous loss of brakes. Online forums indicate this is not an isolated incident. More recently, now the trailer running lights have failed. Brake and turn signal lights work, but no running lights. No police report of inspections. Not yet repaired. Available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11420194

Incident

Feb 16, 2021

I WAS TOLD BODY CONTROL MODULE IN DRIVERS DOOR WAS BAD AND DODGE IS BACK ORDERED ON PARTS.SO I AM HAVING TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11172850

Incident

Dec 17, 2018

Mileage

205,000 mi

PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT NOT RUNNING. ALL INTERIOR LIGHTING INCLUDING DASH LIGHTING WENT OUT ALONG WITH EXHAUST BREAK, TOW HAUL, CARGO LIGHT. CRUISE CONTROL. AND HORN. UPON TAKING TO DEALER THEY SAID THE TIPM HAS FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACED AT A INSTALLED COST OF $1156.90

NHTSA ID

11003742

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

Mileage

102,000 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY, 2012. IN FEBRUARY, 2012, PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WOULD BLINK AND GO OFF, INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER TESTED AND REPLACED TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE) COMPUTER. APPEARED TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY. IN MARCH, 2016, PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND IS NOW NON-FUNCTIONAL. WORKS ON HIGH BEAM. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB WITH A KNOWN GOOD BULB. SAME PROBLEM. TIPM IS OUT AGAIN. REPAIR IS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A PART THAT IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM BY HUNDREDS OF OWNERS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND MAKES OPERATOR OF VEHICLE IN VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC LAWS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10873958

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

59,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH, THE ENGINE AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE RPMS FLUCTUATED AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ALSO ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

NHTSA ID

10777756

Incident

Nov 25, 2013

Mileage

168,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE HEADLIGHTS OPERATED IN THE MANUAL SETTING, BUT FAILED IN THE AUTOMATIC SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ID

10733282

Incident

Jul 9, 2015

Mileage

8,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10690947

Incident

Dec 14, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE BROKEN WIRES IN THE HARNESS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPAIR THE PIN CONNECTOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATELY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ID

10559224

Incident

May 9, 2013

Mileage

15,000 mi

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN 2011 BUT I HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN FOR THE LAST 1.5 YEARS AND THE TRUCK SITS IN THE SHOP MOST OF THE TIME. MY WIFE KEPT TELLING ME ON THE PHONE THAT WHEN SHE HAS TO DRIVE OUR TRUCK AT NIGHT IT WAS LIKE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT EVEN TURNED ON AND SHE CAN NOT SEE THE ROAD AT NIGHT . I DROVE THE TRUCK ON MY R&R AND I WILL SAY THE TRUCK HAS SOME VERY VERY POOR HEADLIGHTS. IT'S LIKE A HEADLIGHT IS OUT OR SOMETHING BUT THEY BOTH WORK. THEY ARE BRIGHT BUT THE BEAM IS NOT FOCUSED OR SOMETHING, I COULD HARDLY SEE AT ALL DRIVING THE TRUCK AT NIGHT, THEY DON'T SHINE ANY DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD. IF YOU DRIVE MORE THAN 50 MPH YOU ARE OUT DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS CAPABILITY. I GOOGLED 2012 RAM HEADLIGHT ISSUES AND THERE IS A TON OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW POOR THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON THESE TRUCKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520593

Incident

Jun 19, 2013

Mileage

5,500 mi

2012 DODGE RAM 3500 LARAMIE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE CONTROLLER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED A DEALER HELPED HIM INSTALL A UNIVERSAL BRAKE CONTROLLER, BUT IT DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ABLE TO USE IT, WITH THE HAND CONTROL, BUT NOT THE FOOT CONTROL. THE BRAKES WOULD BECOME VERY HOT FROM TRYING TO STOP THE EQUIPMENT TRAILER WITHOUT THE BRAKE CONTROLLER WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES OVERHEATED, IT DAMAGED OTHER COMPONENTS. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. *JB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND NEW AXLES. UPDATED 08/14/12

NHTSA ID

10466087

Incident

Jul 2, 2012