1995 Dodge RAM 1500

ON 3/09/05 WE BOUGHT A 1995 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP FROM LEE DODGE IN FARMINGDALE, NY. ON 7/01/05 THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HAVE SMOKE COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN PROCEEDED TO IGNITE INTO FLAMES. THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN MINUTES AND THIS TRUCK WAS TOTALLED. AFTER THIS INCIDENT WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BACK IN THE YEAR 2000 FOR IGNITION WIRES THAT WERE OVERHEATING! THE DODGE MANUFACTURER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALLS WERE NEVER DONE AND IT WAS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE FIRE AND IS SENDING AN INSPECTOR ON 7/10/05 TO DETERMINE THIS FACT. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER LEE DODGE WAS RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE DONE ALL THE RECALLS BEFORE THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE. LEE DODGE HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO DATE. THIS TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S TREE WENT UP IN FLAMES AS WELL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN OUR HOMES AS WELL AS FAMILY MEMBERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED AND LEE DODGE NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR IGNORING THESE RECALLS BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE IS INJURED OR DIES. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER TRUCKS/CARS THEY SELL WITH SAFETY ISSUES!

ON 3/09/05 WE BOUGHT A 1995 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP FROM LEE DODGE IN FARMINGDALE, NY. ON 7/01/05 THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HAVE SMOKE COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN PROCEEDED TO IGNITE INTO FLAMES. THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN MINUTES AND THIS TRUCK WAS TOTALLED. AFTER THIS INCIDENT WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BACK IN THE YEAR 2000 FOR IGNITION WIRES THAT WERE OVERHEATING! THE DODGE MANUFACTURER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALLS WERE NEVER DONE AND IT WAS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE FIRE AND IS SENDING AN INSPECTOR ON 7/10/05 TO DETERMINE THIS FACT. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER LEE DODGE WAS RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE DONE ALL THE RECALLS BEFORE THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE. LEE DODGE HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO DATE. THIS TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S TREE WENT UP IN FLAMES AS WELL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN OUR HOMES AS WELL AS FAMILY MEMBERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED AND LEE DODGE NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR IGNORING THESE RECALLS BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE IS INJURED OR DIES. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER TRUCKS/CARS THEY SELL WITH SAFETY ISSUES!

1995 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCK, VIN [XXX]. WHEN DROPPING THE TILT WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION THE RADIO/TAPE PLAYER WOULD SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTART AS IF THE POWER WAS CUT OFF. *AK POWER FOR THE RADIO CAME FROM BATTERY POSITIVE, FUSE # 3 (40 AMPS) TO THE IGNITION SWITCH CONNECTOR C212 POSITION 1 WIRE (A1 12 RED) WHERE IT IS SWITCHED IN RUN AND ACCESSORY TO FUSE #7 (10 AMPS) TO THE RADIO AND OTHER FUSES TO OTHER SYSTEMS. RECALL # 875 PERFORMED ON 8/8/2000 INVOLVED THE BLOWER MOTOR, A RELAY WAS ADDED FOR POWER SWITCHING USING THE RELAY CONTROLLED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH RATHER THAN FEEDING THE POWER THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I OBSERVED THE MOTION OF ALL THE WIRES GOING TO ALL THE SWITCHES ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT WAS MOVED. CLEARLY OBSERVABLE WAS THE CONNECTOR C212 POSITION 1 WIRE (A1 12 RED) MOVING OUT OF THE CONNECTOR ACCOMPANIED BY THE RADIO MOMENTARILY LOSING POWER. OBSERVATION SHOWED THE STRIPPED WIRE BEING HELD ONLY BY THE INSULATION CRIMP PART OF THE METAL CONNECTOR, THE WIRE DID NOT FRAY AWAY FROM THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAN CUT AND THE ORIGINAL SMALLER GAUGE WIRE WAS STILL IN THE CRIMP PART OF THE CONNECTOR. NOTE I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE SMALLER CRIMPED WIRES, SPREAD THE CRIMP WINGS AND SOLDERED THE RED WIRE TO THE METAL CONNECTOR. MOST LIKELY THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AS PART OF RECALL #875, AS THE WIRING DIAGRAM INDICATES A 12-GAUGE WIRE AND THE WIRE I RECONNECTED WAS AT A MINIMUM OF AN 8 OR A 6 GAUGE. THANK GOD THIS DID NOT FEED A CRITICAL SYSTEM LIKE THE ANTILOCK BREAKS OR CAUSE OVERHEATING AND OR A FIRE. UPDATED 07/2012 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE PROCEDURE THAT DEALERSHIP PERFORMED FOR RECALL 00V135000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH IS CAUSING OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS TO FAIL. *AK THERE WERE TWO POWER FAILURES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT ALONG WITH THE CLOCK AND RADIO. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE WIRES THAT HAD COME FROM THE BACK OF THE FUSE PANEL HAD BEEN CUT VERY SHORT AND SPLICED INTO THE WIRING HARNESS THAT THE DEALER REPLACED. *SCC *JB

CONSUMEER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH ON HIGHWAY. HORN PAD IS ON STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC GETTING READY TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, HE APPLIED TURN SIGNAL, AND FRONT CENTER OF HORN PAD FELL OUT AND JAMMED WHEEL BECAUSE HORN PAD WAS ATTACHED BY WIRES AND JAMMED BY SPOKE OF WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL ARM. THERE WAS NO INJURIES.*AK