NHTSA complaint #11245654

Owner complaint summary

WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT ANY OBSTRUCTIONS THE BRAKE ASSISTANCE WILL ENGAGE. THIS HAS CAUSED INJURY WITH HEADS HITTING THE CEILING AND WHIPLASH. FCA/RAM SAYS THIS IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED BUT AS DESIGNED THIS SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED AN ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT. THIS IS A CONCERN AS IT CAN CAUSE INJURY TO MANY BY ENGAGING WHEN THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION OR ANYTHING TO CAUSE IT TO ENGAGE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT FCA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NO RESOLUTION FOR THIS. I AM TIRED OF NOT BEING ABLE TO USE A SAFETY FEATURE DUE TO IT CAUSING INJURY AND NOT AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS AND ONE TIME THEY MADE IT WORSE. THE LAST TIME THEY SENT ME HOME WITH A SIMILAR TRUCK AND THAT ONE DID NOT DO IT EACH TIME LIKE MINE. SO THERE IS A VARIANCE IN THE CODE FROM ONE TRUCK TO ANOTHER THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT AND CAUSES MORE HARM THAN IT WOULD PREVENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO A RESOLUTION BY FCA AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINT VIDEOS ONLINE ABOUT HOW THIS ENGAGES FOR GRASS OR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT AN IMMEDIATE DANGER. IT ALSO HAS DONE THIS WHEN IT WAS RAINING ON A FLAT SURFACE. THIS FEATURE NEEDS MORE TESTING AND AN UPDATE SOON TO BE CALLED A SAFETY FEATURE OF THE 2019 RAM BRAND. A LINK TO THE VIDEOS CAN BE SHARED AND WAS EMAILED TO THE NHTSA.WEBMASTER@DOT.GOV ADDRESS. THEY ARE TO LARGE TO LOAD ON THIS SITE DUE TO THE TIME LENGTH TO CAPTURE ALL DETAILS OF THE INCIDENTS. THE VIDEOS ARE BOTH OF THE NEWER RAM AND MINE. THE DIFFERENCE IS MINE HAS THE SMALLER SCREEN IN THE VIDEO. IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH A START DATE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND AFTER THE DEALER "FLASHED" THE PROGRAMMING DUE TO A RECALL.