04 Ram dies and locks brakes while driving!!!

I have an 04' Ram 2500 Hemi. It has 13k miles on it. I drove it the other day and the engine died out and all tires locked up. When the tires locked it forced the stearing wheel to turn. I was only going about 20mph and almost crashed into one lady and another guy almost rear ended me. It then took a few minutes before it would start again. The dealer had me bring it in and it happened to them and scared the S$^% out of the mechanic and he almost wrecked it. He could not start it for 45 minutes. They are trying to figure it out. I have 2 questions:
1. Has anyone heard of a similar problem?
2. If they do fix the truck should I trust it to drive again? Imagine that happening at highway speeds. I would be toast and Dodge would have one heck of a wrongful death suit. What should I do besides try and demand a new truck. Do I have a leg to stand on? I am in fear to ever get that thing up to highway speeds even if they do fix it.
HELP

Do some research on your local lemon law. If you have to resort to it, tell them you want to talk to their District Manager. Since the mechanic was able to duplicate it, I doubt you would have to go to that extent. Make sure you have the mechanic and the Service Manager test drive the vehicle before you take it. Test drive it with the Service Manager too. Don't sign the paperwork and take the truck until you are 100% confident that the truck won't do this again, and you feel safe.

Make sure the mechanic documents it on the invoice that they give you, of exactly what happened, and that it happened to him while he was driving. That way you'll have a record.

If you don't get an invoice or the invoice you get doesn't show the info above, then insist that you get one that does.

Without the invoice, you don't have proof.

I guess I am not sure that is satisfactory... they can tell it is fixed and write it down until they are blue in the face. If it does happen again I could be dead. That documentation will be great for the lawsuit, but is not going to save my life. I can't tell you how many times I have taken a car in to be fixed (for various reasons) and they tell me it is fixed. When I get it home it is not. This time it is a little more serious. We are getting ready to drive 2000+ miles with it all on the highway. At highway speeds that things would roll and cause a major accident. I don't feel comfortable taking that risk with my family...

I hear you on that for sure. I'd be sure to have them tell you EXACTLY what they did and EXACTLY what was wrong and WHY they did what they did.

Then go and try to make it a lemon; it's completely true that you're unsure that it's safe to drive regardless of what they say.

You could always speak to the GM of the dealership and try to swap it out for a different vehicle.

It's odd that all four wheels locked up when the engine died. VERY odd.

You have to take it back. That might be lawsuit material.

Odd is right. The dealer was even freaked out when it happened to them. They did not believe me until it happened to them, well at least I am sure they didn't. I am sure the front wheels locked too cause the wheels yanked to the side and it was skidding straight. We should find out more today.... but either way not too sure I want to drive it. I can't fight for a new rig until they look at it more and find out what is going on...

Make sure they document that it happened to them!!

Do you have remote start or security option/package on the truck?

Nope....just the standard keyless remote to lock and unlock the doors, but not starter.... they are looking pretty hard at the transmission, drive shaft and computer I would assume, but at this point nothing known yet..

Cut this out of a promotion for 2004 RAMS.

Dodge Ram's new braking system improves stopping ability and reacts to driver input quicker and more precisely. Rear-wheel anti-lock brakes remain standard on all models, while four-wheel ABS is an option.

Sounds like a new brake deal on 2004's.

But the engine dies and you can't start it again... I finally got Chrysler to give me a rent a car and they think it could take some time to figure out. Any other thoughts or suggestions might help.. Thanks

ive never heard of somthing like this happoning, i just bought a 2003, dodge ram 2500 5.7L HEMI 4 door and it runs smooth, not a problem with it, it has 26000 miles on it.

when you get it back though test it out at low speed before u get on it and start going high speed.
always wear your seat belt to


=)

They are now saying they think it has something to do with the "valve housing" in the transmission. They do not seem real sure. If this is the case....
-Why does the car die?
-Why will it not start afterwords?
They can not answer these questions either and that makes me nervous to pick it up. Sounds like they will have their district manager look it over before they send it off to assess the liability. At least they say they will????????

Tell the dealer you want to be present and/or meet with the District Manager when he does this inspection. If they want to cover their ass, they'll have it inspected before they release it. Too much liability at stake not to. I certainly wish you the best of luck.

I told them I wanted the district attorney to put in writing that he has inspected the truck and is aware of the liability. They were supposed to get back to me a few days ago. Will check in with them tomorrow.

I hate to keep harpin on this but this sounds like some factory installed, you didn't pay for option. Meaning some kind of security system screwed up. My buddy has a chevy 2001 silverado with security/remote start option. If you don't go through sequence when you enter remote started truck the truck shuts off, can't start and brakes lock to prevent towing. I'm thinking you got ignition switch prob. or switch logic computer prob... Some features get programed / wired in vehicles and not abled up unless feature is paid for. So ......I think I'm allowed a guess, just like your dealer.

Great point...That makes a little more sense now that you explain it. I will bring it up with the dealer. He is supposed to call today......supposed to........

Not sure about the brakes, but I had a simalar problem with my 2001 1500 ram. What it turned out to be was a wiring harnes that had corroded. I was going down the highway at about 70 and the truck would die. Then cut back on. It eventually died in the parking lot at my office and would not start. I guess the harness was flexing while I was driving. Thankfully my brakes did not lock up. It was scarry as hell but your situation would have made me soil myself. Good Luck with your truck, Hoping you get a new one....

Tyler, what finally happened with all this?

Well they "think" they have it fixed. I stress that they are not sure until it happens again. They say they think it was the valve body in the transmission. They can not answer why that is dying out the car and why you can't start it either. They said we need to get miles on it to really test it. Well, I put miles on it and drove it to another dealer and traded it in for an 05' diesel. Wasn't worth the risk of it happening on the highway.

Well done! I wouldn't trust it either. And I'm curious how the dealer would explain that the valve body in the trans locks the brakes.

Hopefully you got the manual trans with the diesel.

I think that was a real good idea. When (if) they call to check on the truck, tell 'em you got rid of it and see if they freak out. I agree, hopefully you got the manual transmission.

They think they have it fixed? For me that wouldn't be good enough. What happens when they lock up again and you go back to your mechanic's place in a wheelchair and he's like, "Sorry dude, we thought we had it fixed..."

Best of luck with this.