What 641 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ram 1500 Classic Regular Cab

Traveling on highway, heard noise coming from the engine. I was close to an off ramp and got off the highway. In the process of getting on the off ramp alarms went off. Turned on the flashers, came to a stop partially on the shoulder. Turned off the vehicle, turned it back on and it started right up. Turned to head into town to get some place safe to check the issue and all the alarms went off again. Put the car into neutral and coasted down the road to a local restaurant parking lot. Once safely parked, I opened the hood and my engine was on fire. I ran to the window of the restaurant to get a fire extinguisher and was able to put out the fire quickly. I contacted my insurance carrier and went through the process of repairing the truck. One body shop got it back up and running. Another shop fixed the cosmetic issues. However insurance would only fix the damage from the fire, not the cause of the fire. The truck has been throwing a code stating the EGR Cooler is not functioning properly. Stellantis sent out an independent investigator, however he wasn't allowed to look at the pictures that the body shop took after the incident. Since the truck was put back together and the cosmetic damage was repaired, he couldn't tell the cause of the fire. This EGR Cooler was supposed to be replaced during the recall (NHTSA Campaign # 19V757000), however I don't believe it was. Currently mine is cracked and supposedly the parts are on backorder. So there may need to be a recall to the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11642092

I WANT TO REPORT A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CONCERN IS ALREADY AWARE BY THE MANUFACTURER BUT I WANT TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL RISK IT PUT OUR FAMILY IN. THE RECALL IS KNOWN AS THE VB! OR NHTSA # 19V-757. WE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK TO HAVE A NICE AND RELIABLE CAR TO TRANSPORT OUR 1 YEAR OLD CHILD IN. OUR LAST 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LEFT US STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RODE WITH OUR KID DUE TO THE COMPUTER TELLING ALL INJECTORS TO STAY OPEN AND RESULTING IN THE MOTOR HYDRO-LOCKING ITSELF. WE TOOK OUT FINANCING TO PURCHASE AND THE GREAT 2018 ECODIESEL DODGE RAM. JUST 2 MONTHS INTO OWNING THIS MY WIFE LOST ALL POWER GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY. SHE REPORTED MASS AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AND THANK GOD SHE MANAGED TO MERGE OVER ALL LANES AND TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITY WITH NO POWER GOT THE TRUCK OFF THE HIGHWAY BY ABOUT 5 FEET AND THEN QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE MOTOR AND DISTANCED HER SELF FROM THE TRUCK. SHE CALLED ME IN COMPLETE PANIC. THIS STORY WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT IF OUR CHILD WAS STRAPPED INTO THE CAR SEAT ON THIS PARTICULAR DRIVE. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE THE TRUCK HAS BEEN PARKED IN OVER FLOW AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND CONTINUES TO SIT UNTIL FIAT DISCOVERS A CORRECT REPAIR TO THE CRACKING EGR. I WARN YOU TO ALL YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT YOU HAUL DOWN THE ROAD IN YOUR ECODIESEL. THIS IS A REAL CONCERN! DEALERSHIP HAS CONFIRMED THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE VB1 RECALL. THEIR WAS NO EXTERIOR DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AS THE MOTOR WAS QUICKLY SHOT OFF. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AND A NEW TURBO IS ALSO NEEDED. I AM NO SURE OF WHAT OTHER INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS ARE NEEDED REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11308376

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT CONNECTED AN ENGINE BLOCK HEATER TO THE VEHICLE DURING COLD INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONTACTS DRIVE WAY, WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM HIS HOME. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REVERSE SO THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT 4- 5 FUSES BLEW OUT IN THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE POLICE THAT ARRIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE. THE CONTACT CALLED LOT LAGERS MANKATO (1815 MADISON AVE, MANKATO, MN 56001 (507) 625-5641) WHERE NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FIRE WAS NOT IN RELATION TO ANY OPEN RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,500.

NHTSA ODI 11241750

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A STRONG EXHAUST ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE BECAME ILL TO THE POINT OF THROWING UP AND ALMOST PASSING OUT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STOCKTON DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 3333 AUTO CENTER CIR, STOCKTON, CA 95212, (209) 956-1920) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TEST WAS NOT YET COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI 11192444