2010 Ram 3500 Electrical Problems

Your truck caught fire spontaneously while parked in the driveway with the engine off, which the fire department suspects may have been caused by an electrical short in the radio or dashboard wiring. The truck was destroyed by the fire, and it also damaged an adjacent vehicle. The insurance company totaled your truck but did not cover the contents that were destroyed in the fire.

Your ignition module connection has become loose, causing the engine to shut off while driving when you go over bumps—even small ones. The key moves slightly in the ignition, cutting power to the engine unpredictably; this happened 4 times on a recent 10-minute drive, including once at a traffic light. Restarting the truck becomes difficult when the key isn't in the exact right position, creating a serious safety risk. The fix will likely involve replacing the ignition module and/or inspecting the ignition switch assembly for wear.

Your truck's engine shuts off unexpectedly while driving at various speeds, especially after driving over bumps. You may find that wiggling the ignition key can temporarily restart the engine before it shuts off again. A dealer diagnosed a faulty ignition switch as the cause. Replacing the ignition switch should resolve this issue.

Your climate control switch won't change between heat and air conditioning. A dealership diagnosed that the gear actuator (the part that controls the switch) had failed and needed replacement. Even after being told about the issue, the problem happened again. The manufacturer said your vehicle isn't covered by any recall for this problem. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the blend door actuator or climate control switch assembly.

THE IGNITION SWITCH IS LOOSE AND HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING VEHICLE. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY SOME TIMES THE TRUCK WILL NOT TURN ON POWER. IF YOU MOVE THE KEY THE VEHICLE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO START. ONCE YOU LET THE KEY GO SOME TIMES IT WILL SHUT OFF AGAIN AND SOME TIMES IT WILL STAY RUNNING. IT WILL ONLY STAY RUNNING UNTIL YOU HIT A BUMP, ONCE YOU HIT A BUMP THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. LOOSING ALL POWER, LIGHTS, AND ASSISTED BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS WHILE STATIONARY AND MOVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL POWER WAS LOST WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT BUMPED THE KEY AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SCRANTON DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (1146 WYOMING AVE, SCRANTON, PA 18509 (570) 344-1261) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. *TT UPDATED 9/18/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, SMOKE APPEARED AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISED THE FIRE AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT ENTERING INTO THE FUEL LINE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 280,000. UPDATED 11/07/17*LJ UPDATED 11/13/2017*JS

VEHICLE SUDDEN SHUTDOWN WITH BURNT ELECTRICAL ODOR BEING EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SMOKE/FIRE FROM FUSE PANEL (COMPUTER MODULE) CONTINUED UNTIL BATTERIES WERE DISCONNECTED. SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF EFFECTED COMPONENTS. AGAIN, SMOKE EVOLVING FROM PANEL UNTIL POWER REMOVED BY DISCONNECTING BATTERIES.

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED IN OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. JS

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ON DECEMBER 1, 2014 STATING THAT THE DIESEL FUEL HEATER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MAY OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A FUEL LEAK. THE DIESEL FUEL HEATER HOUSING AT THE FUEL HEATER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MAY OVERHEAT, LEADING TO THE FAILURE OF THE O-RINGS THAT SEAL THE MALE ELECTRICAL TERMINALS IN THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER/HEATER ASSEMBLY. A LEAKING DIESEL FUEL FILTER/HEATER COULD CAUSE UNDERHOOD SMOKE AND/OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. AS OF TODAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015 THERE IS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE PER THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED AS SUCH. SINCE THERE IS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO INSPECT IT FOR THE PROBLEM. I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE A RECALLED VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR THE RECALL NOR SHOULD I HAVE TO WAIT THREE MONTHS OR MORE FOR A SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. ALSO, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT 82 DAYS AFTER THE DATE ON THE RECALL NOTICE THERE IS NO REMEDY. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED TO WORK, NOT SIT IN THE YARD. WE HAVE NO OTHER VEHICLE TO USE IN PLACE OF IT. IF DODGE DOES NOT HAVE ANY DIESEL FUEL FILTER/HEATER ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS TO REPLACE THE RECALLED ONES, THEY NEED TO GET THEIR PRIORITIES IN ORDER AS EXISTING CUSTOMERS SHOULD COME BEFORE POTENTIAL NEW CUSTOMERS. I NEED MY TRUCK REPAIRED ASAP! *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT POSTED SPEED IN HOUSTON TRAFFIC THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING,I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR TRAFFIC AND COAST TO THE SHOULDER, AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND I CONTINUED ON. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO MARTIN CHRYSLER DODGE IN CLEVELAND TX. I ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF HE HAD HEARD OF ANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS HE SAID NO AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS.THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE, NOW I HAVE TO JIGGLE THE KEY TO MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF AFTER STARTING BUT THIS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK, IF I HIT A BUMP OR RUMPLE STRIPS IN THE ROAD IT MAY STILL DIE. TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS BETWEEN 400 AND 500 AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD FOOT THE BILL ON NOT THE CONSUMER. THE SITUATION WITH THE ENGINE DYING WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN TRAFFIC COULD CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRUCK JUST SHUTS ME, NO MATTER WHAT THE SPEED, THIS SITUATION HAPPENED TO ME ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, TO BE ACCURATE MORE THAN 10 TIMES.WHEN THIS HAPPENS I TRY TO START THE TRUCK AND I HAVE TO TRY MANY TIMES BUT IT IS NOT EASY TO ME, I WORRY ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THE LAST TWO TIME THIS HAPPENED MY FAMILY WAS RIDING WITH ME, THIS PROBLEM STARTED SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS TRUCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAULING A TRAILER, THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY DISCONNECT THE TRAILERS PARKING LIGHTS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THE LIGHTS WOULD BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TWICE, WHO DECIDED TO RESET THE COMPUTER ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000.