What 1,425 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

On July 2nd, I was actively driving my 2015 Ram 1500 equipped with the 5.7L Hemi V8 gas engine. The vehicle is completely factory-stock with zero aftermarket electronics, wiring modifications, or accessories. While operating the truck, the dashboard instrument cluster suddenly began flickering wildly, indicating a severe voltage drop or electrical system failure. Immediately following the flickering, a catastrophic fire erupted inside the cabin, originating directly underneath the dashboard on the passenger's side. The fire department responded to extinguish the flames. The engine bay was unaffected by fluid leaks, and the fire originated strictly within the factory dashboard electrical wiring harness/modules. The vehicle is a total loss.

NHTSA ODI 11748767

The Starter of the truck seems to have "shorted" and started an electrical fire that burnt the wiring harness leading up to the battery including part of the battery cover. Drove truck on 100 mile trip. Arrived, parked. 2 days later went out to truck to drive home. Turned key, check engine light came on. Service electronic throttle control light came on. Opened hood, smelled burned smell. discovered battery cover and harnessed burned. Disconnected and removed battery. Had truck towed 100miles home. Went to mechanic who traced the burn down to the starter. He replaced the starter and showed me where the fire started. FYI I called the service manager at Berthod Ram in Glenwood Springs Colorado to ask if they would like to see the Starter, left message. THEY DID NOT REPLY.

NHTSA ODI 11694540

Unknow

NHTSA ODI 11664991

About a year ago my vehicles auto traction , brake light and abs light illuminated. The warning that my vehicle gives when I turn it on and start is braking system needs serviced and electrical breaking system needs serviced. The code that shows in diagnosis is abs brake module needs replaced. My brakes have not been right. The part has been back ordered for over a year. There are no parts and my dealer and Ram answer is it’s under engineering review till January 15. The dealership answer is get one from the junk yard which they’re aren’t any. I wouldn’t feel confident driving my grand babies with used brake parts. I was in an accident today because of brake failure and thankfully I didn’t hurt anyone in the car in front of me.

NHTSA ODI 11627997

Driving down the freeway Without warning vehicle dashboard started throwing out all kind of code warnings. Vehicle went into limp mode. Vehicle started on fire. Dealership states the blue def system was at fault. A problem this same dealer fixed just last year. At a cost of over $3000. This time with the fire the bill is over $8000. Not to mention the def system recall from a few years back where these components were suppose to be under an extended warranty. What is a consumer to do. We are at the mercy of these dealers Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11571575

I was driving on the Interstate when a electronic short warning light come on, I pulled over on the shoulder of the road and my engine quit and smoke started to come from the engine. I opened the hood and the engine was on fire. I emptied my cooler, all the bottles of water I had and Cokes and managed to put the fire out with out damage to any thing or any one other than the engine, windshield and hood. Dealer does not want to take responsibility, oil cooler seems to be the source of the fire. Oil sprayed on to the fire blanket on the hood kept burning after the main fire was extinguished. My truck was running fine prier to the fire, I have been waiting for a replacement tone wheel (recall # W58) for 6 months. I have had the EGR (recall #VB1) go out twice and fixed. Numerous electrical tail light shortages.

NHTSA ODI 11423143

MY DODGE RAM 1500 ECO DIESEL CAUGHT ON FIRE YESTERDAY AND BURNT UP. THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT FOR THE SEIDEL EGR COOLER

NHTSA ODI 11387424

THE TRUCK WAS STARTED AND MOVED FROM ONE SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY AND MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF AFTER BEING MOVED. ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF IT WAS FOUND ON FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED AT THAT POINT AND HAD ALSO CAUGHT THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE ON FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS A COMPLETE LOSS AND THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11365319

ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO EGR SYSTEM OVERHEATING (MAYBE BURNING INTERNALLY) MELTING THEN SPONTANEOUSLY CATCHING FOAM RUBBER PAD ABOVE THE EGR DIFFUSER TUBE ON FIRE. RESULTED IN MELTING WIRES, HOSE AND OTHER PARTS ATTACHED TO ENGINE. WAS QUICKLY PUT OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WAS DRIVING TO MENARDS IN NORMAL ILLINOIS AND SMELLED SMOKE AT FIRST STOP LIGHT, THOUGHT IT WAS VAN NEXT TO ME. AT NEXT STOP LIGHT SMELLED THE SMOKE AGAIN AND PULLED INTO MENARDS PARKING LOT. SAW LOTS OF SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. RAISED HOOD LOOKING FOR WHERE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. SAW A SMALL FLAME, WENT TO BACK OF TRUCK AND TOOK OUT FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WENT TO FRONT OF TRUCK AND FLAME HAD TURNED TO FLAMES, EXTINGUISHED FIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11309244

DRIVING ON I -29 AND WE SMELLED COMETHING LIKE ANTIFREEZE THEN SMOKE. TRUCK LOST POWER THEN GOT IT BACK AND WAS GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO AN EXIT BUT PULLED OVER WHEN SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FIRE! CALLED 911 AND FIRE DEPT CAME BUT IN A MATTER ON MINUTES THE TRUCK BURNED UP COMPLETELY.

NHTSA ODI 11279319

2015 RAM ECO DIESEL. RECENTLY, RAM AND JEEP WERE INVOLVED IN "IN RE: CHRYSLER-DODGE-JEEP "ECODIESEL" MDL," WHICH RESOLVED LEGAL CLAIMS ASSERTING THAT THE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE EMISSIONS REGULATIONS AND THAT FIAT CHRYSLER MADE MISREPRESENTATIONS TO CONSUMERS REGARDING THE VEHICLES. I PULLED THIS INFO FROM THE ECO DIESEL SETTLEMENT WEBSITE. IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE, CUSTOMERS WERE TO GET (3) THINGS; (1) V08 SOFTWARE UPDATE; (2) MONEY, DEPENDENT ON YOUR OWNERSHIP STATUS; AND (3) A 10 WARRANTY EXTENSION. I HAD THE V08 SOFTWARE UPDATE COMPLETED AT THE END OF MAY, 2019. SINCE THAT UPDATE, MY VEHICLE HAS HAD POOR PERFORMANCE WITH LACK OF POWER AND ACCELERATION. WITHIN A WEEK OF HAVING THE UPDATE DONE, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE WARNING LIGHT ON AS WELL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED THE ISSUE; HOWEVER, THE LACK OF ACCELERATION AND POWER REMAINED. THROUGH JUNE AND JULY THIS LACK OF POWER AND ACCELERATION CONTINUED. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TOWARDS THE END OF JULY AND THEY OPENED A STAR REPORT AND TOLD ME THIS RECALL IS HAVING NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON A LOT PEOPLE'S VEHICLES. I THEN TOOK THE TRUCK BACK AND WAS DRIVING AT THE END OF JULY WHEN THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME, THERE WAS A SMELL SIMILAR TO BURNING ELECTRICAL. I PULLED OVER AND THE WITHIN MINUTES THE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE PERSONAL WERE CALLED AND THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, BUT NOT BEFORE IT ENGULFED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FRONT OF THE CABIN IN FLAMES. I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE AND CONTACTED FCA. BOTH PARTIES SENT FIRE INVESTIGATORS OUT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. FCA SAYS, WITH THE INFO AT HAND, THE FIRE CAN'T BE ASSOCIATED WITH A MANUFACTURING OR ASSEMBLY ERROR. I ALSO CONTACTED THE CLASS ACTION ATTORNEYS AND SENT THEM INFORMATION FROM THE FIRE AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11244932

ON 7/29/19 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 PM, WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 60 - 65 MPH, WEST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 40 AT N.C. MM 31, THE TRUCK LOST POWER (LIMP IN MODE), THE CHECK ENGINE & SERVICE AUTOMATIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON. NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK. COASTED OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND CAME TO REST IN A USED CAR DEALERSHIP'S PARKING LOT. TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND OPENED THE HOOD WHERE I FOUND AN APPROXIMATELY 8' FLAME PROJECTING FROM UNDER THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD COVER. DOUSED THE FLAME WITH A BOTTLE OF DRINKING WATER AND TOOK THE PLASTIC COVER OFF WHERE I FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS SHEATHING ENGULFED IN FLAMES. EXTINGUISHED THAT WITH AN ABC DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER. CURRENTLY THE TRUCK IS AT WAYNESVILLE RAM WITH NO UPDATES AS OF YET. HAD THE EGR RECALL COMPLETED ON 6/19/19 AT WAYNESVILLE RAM AND HAD NOTICED DECREASED POWER AND FUEL MILEAGE SINCE BUT THE DECREASES WERE MINOR AND JUST ACCEPTED AS FACT FROM THE RECALL. I AM VERY CONCERNED AT PRESENT AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SITUATION AND CONVERSING WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY SIMILAR EVENTS WITH THE SAME MOTOR.

NHTSA ODI 11241282

ENGINE FIRE ON 2015 RAM 1500 ECODIESEL. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, BUT STILL RUNNING, AT FREEWAY SPEED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS. PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AS "ELECTRONIC THROTTLE POSITION FAILURE" APPEARED ON INFO SCREEN. PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD. THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. COMPLETE LOSS.

NHTSA ODI 11221367

ENGINE SHUTS OFF INSTANTLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. WON'T START BACK UP FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WHEN TRYING TO RESTART, STARTER TURNS BUT SEEMS NO GAS IS GOING TO ENGINE. TRUCK ONLY HAS 39K MILES. WHEN I WALKED AWAY FROM THE TRUCK THE AUTO STARTER TRIED TO START IT ON IT'S OWN.

NHTSA ODI 11203593

I PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK ON THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL WITH ENGINE RUNNING WALKED AWAY ABOUT 20 YARDS WHEN THE TRUCK STARTED ROLLING I TRIED TO RUN AFTER IT BUT ONLY GOT MYSELF HURT AND THE TRUCK TOOK OUT A MAILBOX AND FENCE.THESE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTERS ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED. IM NOW AFRAID OF IT ITS NOT TO BE TRUSTED I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ON.I WAS LUCKY WHEN IT ROLLED ACROSS THE ROAD IT DID NOT HIT ANOTHER CAR

NHTSA ODI 11046240

MY TRUCK WAS IDLING IN PARK WITH BRAKE ON. MY TRUCK JUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE AND RAN INTO A TREE WITH NO BODY IN DRIVERS SEAT.

NHTSA ODI 11043897

MY RAM TRUCK WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WENT OUT AND STARTED MY TRUCK, WENT BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE TO GATHER MY THINGS APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT TO MY DRIVEWAY MY TRUCK HAD STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND ENDED UP CRASHING INTO MY NEIGHBORS FENCE. THE TRUCK WAS IN PARK WHEN STARTED AND SOMEHOW CAME OUT OF GEAR OR HAD A COMPUTER FAILURE ON THE ROTARY SHIFT KNOB. THE DIAL INDICATOR WAS STILL IN PARK WHEN I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ROLL AWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11016020

APRIL 14, 2017 MY HUSBAND WAS HEADING EAST ON I-20 IN THE TYLER, TEXAS AREA LOCATED IN SMITH COUNTY TEXAS.APPROACHING HIS TURN OFF AT HWY 14. WHEN EXITING ON THE RAMP HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. HE LOOKED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND HE BEGAN LOSING POWER. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL TO A LARGE PARKING AREA AWAY FROM OTHERS. HE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND APPROACHED THE HOOD WHEN HE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE BACKED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME AND CALLED 911. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT A TOTAL LOSS. LAST FALL WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM $6500 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON IT. NOW AT LITTLE OVER 30,000 MILES IT'S A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRSYLER AND THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO SEND INSPECTORS TO SEE IF THEY CAN DETERMINE THE CAUSE. INSURANCE INSPECTORS ARE ALSO COMING THIS WEEK TOO. I'VE READ A LOT OF NEGATIVES FOR THIS TRUCK AND SAW THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 4X2'S FOR WIRING ISSUES THAT COULD SHORT AND CAUSE A FIRE. OUR TRUCK WAS A LONE STAR 4X4 AND NOT UNDER THIS RECALL. I THINK THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE LOOKED AT HARDER!! TOO MANY ISSUES FROM TOO MANY OWNERS.

NHTSA ODI 10978708

WE WHERE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE CONSOLE DISPLAY SAID TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. THE DASHBOARD THEN LOST POWER AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD IT WAS A LIGHT GRAY AT FIRST BUT QUICKLY CHANGED TO BROWN AND THE FLAMES WHERE COMING OUT. I HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUT AND GET MY 6YR OLD SON OUT OF HIS CAR SEAT AND THEN CALL 911. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE ENGINE WAS IN FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 10968192

I LEFT THE TRUCK RUNNING WHILE IN A STORE, I CAME OUT TO SEE IT ROLLED FORWARD INTO A BUILDING WHILE I WAS IN THE STORE AND TRUCK WAS IN PARK ( OR AT LEAST I THOUGHT) THIS CAUSED $1800 IN DAMAGES LESS THEN A MONTH LATER WHILE THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING AND IN PARK IT COMPLETELY DIED AND HAD TO TOWED BACK TO DEALER. THEY SAID THEY FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE DASH

NHTSA ODI 10865590

ON 2-24-16, AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE HAPPENED DURING WHICH THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. PER THE POLICE REPORT, VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE FACING SOUTHWEST. UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE BACKED UP FROM ITS PARKING POSITION IN THE NORTHEAST DIRECTION COLLIDING WITH A BUILDING COLUMN. THE REAR BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A BLOCK COLUMN CAUSING CEMENT BLOCKS TO BE KNOCKED OUT OF POSITION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ON THE SCENE. DRIVER LEFT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION TO THE VEHICLE, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LCOKED IT WITH THE KEYS IN HIS POCKET. HE THEN ENTERED A STORE.AND APPROX. 15 MINUTES LATER, SECURITY LOCATED HIM AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BACKED INTO THEIR BUILDING JUMPING A CURB AND ACCELERATING. DRIVER ADVISED THAT HE HAD THE KEY FOB IN HIS POCKET TEH WHOLE TIME. HE STATED THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CRANKED AND WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF IF HE WAS A CERTAIN DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. HE ADVISED HE DID NOT KNOW HOW THE VEHICLE CRANKED, TRAVELED IN REVERSE AND THEN COLLIDED WITH THE BUILDING. HE ADVISED THAT SOMEONE TOLD HIM THE VEHICLE'S REVERSE LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED WHEN THEY OBSERVED THE CRASH. SECURITY VIDEO WAS OBTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. LATER HE LEARNED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SIMILAR INCIDENTS FOR SIMILAR VEHICLES AND CONTACTED CHRYSLER. ON MARCH 17, 2016 OWNER OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES (FCA US LLC) STATING THAT THE COMPANY DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY. HOWEVER, UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, INFORMATION SHOWS THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. ON AUGUST 14, 2015 CHRYSELR ISSUED A RECALL FOR RADIO SOFTWARE SECURITY VULNERABILITES. OWNER DOES NOT KNOW IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD SERVICED THE VEHICLE FOR THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10863765

MY RAM TRUCK SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. WHEN THE TRUCK SHIFTED TO PARK IT SLID TO A STOP AFTER IT VEERED RIGHT AND WENT UP ON THE SIDE WALK MISSING A PEDESTRIAN AND PHONE POLL. CHRYSLER, MILE ONE, AND HALL CHRYSLER JEEP IN VIRGINIA BEACH ARE DOING NOTHING TO HELP ME OUT OF THIS TRUCK. THE TRUCK IS ONLY 19 DAYS OLD WITH 1000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. THE TRUCK WAS MOST CERTAINLY MOVING AND I WAS LUCKY I HAD JUST LEFT THE INTERSTATE. I'VE ASKED TO HAVE THE TRUCK BOUGHT BACK SO I CAN BUY A DIFFERENT TRUCK FROM ANOTHER MANUFACTURER. THE TRUCK HAD A DAMAGED COMPUTER AND MELTED TRANSMISSION SENSOR SWITCH ONCE INSPECTED BY DODGE.

NHTSA ODI 10779846

IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING (0430), I GOT CALLED INTO WORK, THE WINOWS IN THE TRUCK WERE FOGGED UP, SO I TURNEDON MY REAR WINDOW DE-FROSTER AND FRONT WINDOW DE-FROSTER. AS I TURNED THE CORNER OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD (LESS THAN 1/2 MILE) I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND I THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING. I STOPPED THE TRUCK AND GOT OUT TO INSPECT IT, AFTER SEEING THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BODY I LOOKED UP AND SAW A LARGE HOLE IN MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW THE SIZE OF A GRAPEFRUIT. AS I WAS INSPECTING THE WINDOW I TOUCHED THE LOWER LEFT CORNER AND BURNDED MY FINGER. IT WAS LIKE TOUCHING A LIGHT BULB THAT IS ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE DE-FROSTER OFF AND CHECKED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOW AND IT WAS AT A NORMAL TEMPERATURE.

NHTSA ODI 10762039

BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2015 DODGE RAM 1500, THE FIRST WEEK I HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE WINDOWS NOT GOING BACK UP, ABOUT A MONTH LATER I WAS DRIVING AND THE NEW KNOB SHIFTER, WENT INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MEANT TO TAKE IT IN, BUT HAD BEEN SO BUSY WITH WORK, THAT I WAS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST OIL CHANGE. I NOTED THOSE TWO ISSUES ON AN EMAIL REVIEW/SURVEY THAT DODGE HOUNDED ME TO FILL OUT. EXACTLY TWO MONTHS AFTER OWNING THE TRUCK ON JULY 28TH, THE SAME DAY I MADE MY SECOND PAYMENT, I WAS AT THE GARAGE AT WORK, LEFT THE TRUCK ON AND PUT IT IN PARK, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, CLOSED THE DOOR AND AS I WAS GETTING READY TO GO AROUND THE TRUCK TO GO INSIDE MY JOB, THE CAR STARTED TO BACK OUT BY ITSELF, I TRIED GETTING BACK INTO THE TRUCK TO STOP IT BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I FAILED, THE TRUCK ALMOST RAN ME OVER. THANKFULLY A CEMENT BEAM STOPPED THIS FROM HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI 10746574

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK, THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE DOORS AND THE INNER PART OF THE REAR END CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 425. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 4/13/15*CN THE ELECTRIC POWER HEATED MIRROR CAUGHT FIRE. UPDATED 04/16/15*JB

NHTSA ODI 10692637