NHTSA Complaint #10051226 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

VEHICLE HAS HAD REPEATED FAILURES OF REAR AXLE COMPONENTS. ALL APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO OVERSTATED TOWING CAPACITY. AFTER PURCHASING A TRAILER WELL WITHIN THE VEHICLES TOW RATING THE VEHICLE ON THE FIRST TRIP OUT WITH THE TRAILER EXHIBITED A PUTRID SMELL THAT COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THIS OCCURRED ON 07-25-03 AT JUST UNDER 8500 MILES. THE DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL, AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE FOUND COAGULATED DIFFERENTIAL FLUID AND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE REAR AXLE. SEE YOUR ODI NUMBER 786051 FOR A SIMILAR CASE. THE REAR GEARS WERE REPLACED. ON 12-01-03 AT 10638 MILES I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE TRUCK WITH THE TRAILER ATTACHED INTO SOUTHSIDE DODGE/KIA IN KISSIMMEE, FL. THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE WAS SO BADLY DAMAGED INCLUDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SENSORS THAT THE ENTIRE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. ON 12-06-03 MY WIFE AND I RETRIEVED THE TRAILER. THE TRUCK WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS INTO A HEADWIND ON THIS TRIP. UPON ARRIVAL AT OUR HOME 265 MILES LATER WE AGAIN SMELLED THE OVERHEATED REAR AXLE FLUID. LATER INSPECTION AT THE DEALER SHOWED IT TO BE BURNT SMELLING, AND DISCOLORED. FURTHER REPAIRS ARE NOW AWAITED. I WILL BE FORWARDING COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION TODAY VIA USPS.*AK