2014 RAM C/V Tradesman Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 RAM C/V TRADESMAN. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KOONS TYSONS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (2050 CHAIN BRIDGE RD, VIENNA, VA 22182) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE CYLINDER HEAD BLEW OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER AND WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL LATE DECEMBER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,412.

THIS IS A FLEET VEHICLE USED FOR SECURITY SYSTEMS INSTALLATION. IN JUNE OF 2016 DRIVER NOTICED LARGE POOL OF ENGINE OIL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE PARKED TRUCK. THE TOP OF THE ENGINE HAD OIL POOLED UNDER MANIFOLD AND THE LEAK APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. CLEANED THE ENGINE AND REPLACED THE SENSOR. THE TRUCK HAD 45,612 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THIS TIME. OIL LEAKAGE DETECTED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE BUT ORIGIN OF LEAK COULDN'T BE FOUND. ON 24 JANUARY 2019 THE TECHNICIAN WHO OPERATES THIS VEHICLE CAME OUT TO GO TO WORK AND NOTICED A LARGE POOL OF ENGINE OIL IN THE DRIVEWAY UNDER HIS TRUCK. HE CHECKED THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL AND THERE WAS NO OIL SHOWING ON DIPSTICK. HE ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP A COUPLE OF MILES FROM HIS HOME. A SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED AND SAID IT APPEARED TO BE LEAKING FROM THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $945.00 TO REPAIR. I TOLD HER OF THE HISTORY OF THE TRUCK'S OIL LEAKS AND THE KNOWN PROBLEMS OF THE ENGINE OIL FILTER ADAPTER ON THE 3.6 LITER ENGINES USED IN THIS VEHICLE. WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE TRUCK NOW HAD 105,616 MILES ON IT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 5,616 MILES. AFTER SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION I TOLD HER TO GO AHEAD AND FIX THE TRUCK. I THEN CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE AND APPEALED FOR A GOODWILL REPAIR WHICH WAS ENTERED UNDER FILE NUMBER ER171866. I CALLED BACK TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE ON JANUARY 29, 2019 AND WAS TOLD THE TRUCK WAS REPAIRED AND THERE WAS NO CHARGE. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ARRIVED THAT AFTERNOON TO PICK UP THE TRUCK HE WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $961.65 BEFORE IT COULD BE RELEASED BACK TO US. I CALLED CHRYSLER THE NEXT DAY AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE GOODWILL CLAIM HAD BEEN DENIED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE FROM LACK OF OIL OR A UNDERHOOD FIRE FROM EXCESSIVE OIL BUILDUP ON THE ENGINE.

AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. A FEW SECONDS LATER LOW FUEL WARNING APPEARED. FUEL INDICATOR GUAGE SHOWED NO FUEL. AT THIS POINT I HAD 3/4 TANK OF FUEL. I HAD TANKED UP THE DAY BEFORE. PM WAS JUST REPLACED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. DROVE VEHICLE BACK HOME, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED AT THIS TIME ON SAT 6-29-19. I ONLY HAVE 38000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE.

THE FUEL SENSOR FAILED AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A POOR PRODUCT, ACCORDING TO WEB SEARCHES THAT I HAVE COMPLETED. THE GAS GAUGE GOES OFF AND ON LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT A CLEAR IDEA OF THE STATUS OF THE FUEL. IN THE CASE OF CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE IN THE WINTER, THIS IS DANGEROUS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 RAM C/V TRADESMAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. BOTH PASSENGERS REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V528000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,346.

THE ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ACTIVATED YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING OR INVOLVED IN A FRONT OR REAR ACCIDENT TO CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 RAM C/V TRADESMAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V541000 (STEERING), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS, BUT THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTED. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING TRACK BAR NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 05/10/17*LJ UPDATED 7/9/18*JB