NHTSA Complaint #10025902 — 2001 DODGE RAM 1500

WHILE CHANGING THE OIL, NOTICED A SEVERE GROVE IN THE INSIDE SIDE WALL OF EACH FRONT TIRE. (SEVERE ENOUGH FOR IMEDIATE TIRE REPLACEMENT) DISCOVERED THAT THE GROVES HAD BEEN CAUSED BY RUBBING AGAINST THE LOWER A FRAME (FOUND SHINY AREAS WHERE TIRES HAD RUBBED). THE INTENDED STOPS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING WERE NOT ENGAGING EARLY ENOUGH IN THE STEERING TURN TO PREVENT THIS. WE CHECKED TWO OTHER PICKUPS OF SAME MODEL YEAR AND MAKE AND FOUND IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN WE CHECKED 2003 TRUCKS AT A LOCAL DEALER WE FOUND THIS AREA HAD BEEN REDESIGNED. THIS LOOKS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN THE WHEEL AREA FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. I HAVE 79,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK BUT ONLY 25,000 MILES ON THE TIRES, WHICH WERE OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. THIS IS GOING TO START KILLING PEOPLE AS OTHER TRUCKS MILAGE INCREASE. THESE TIRES COULD HAVE BLOWN AT ANY TIME UNDER NORMAL DRIVING.*AK