NHTSA Complaint #10020784 — 2001 DODGE RAM 1500

JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY HUSBAND & I HAD TO TAKE OUR 2001, DODGE RAM1500, PICK-UP TRUCK(2-WHEEL DRIVE)INTO A LOCAL SERVICE CENTER IN THE TOWN IN WHICH WE LIVE. WE HAD BOTH NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY "AMISS" IN THE WAY OUR TRUCK SOUNDED & FELT WHEN WE TURNED AT A SEVERE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT--I.E. INTO OUR CARPORT HERE AT HOME FOR INSTANCE. SINCE I DRIVE IT THE MOST TO & FROM WORK, I WAS THE FIRST WHO NOTICED THAT SOMETHING DIDN'T SEEM JUST RIGHT WITH THE WAY IT SOUNDED & HANDLED UPON TURNING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. THEN ONE NIGHT WHEN MY HUSBAND HAD COME HOME FOR HIS LUNCH BREAK, HE RELATED TO ME THAT HE NOTICED THERE WAS A DEFINITE "SOUND" THAT WASN'T RIGHT..THIS PROMPTED US TO TAKE OUR TRUCK TO A SHOP HERE IN TOWN THAT SPECIALIZES IN WHEELS, BRAKES,,,ETC..ETC...THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING HOUSING, WHICH IS AN "ALL-IN-ONE" UNIT WAS IN SUCH A DAMAGED STATE THAT IT WAS NEARLY READY TO "FALL OFF" AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE MECHANIC WHO HAD DONE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NEW UNIT WE HAD TO BUY EXPLAINED TO US THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE UNIT HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY GREASED & PACKED WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED AT THE PLANT IN WHICH IT WAS MANUFACTURED. HE ALSO TOLD US THAT THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED ON ANY VEHICLE THAT WAS THIS NEW. THEREFORE, I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT AS IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO DO SOME RESEARCH IN THIS MATTER TO FIND OUT WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US, AND TO FIND OUT IF IT HAS OCCURRED TO ANYONE ELSE. AFTER ALL, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRAVELING DOWN OUR FREEWAYS HERE IN CALIFORNIA GOING 65-70 MPH AND THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL COULD HAVE VERY EASILY FALLEN COMPLETELY OFF DUE TO SOMEONE'S OVERSIGHT AND NEGLIGENCE. WE WOULD SURELY APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOUR AGENCY WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU MIGHT COME UP WITH. SINCERELY YOURS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR