NHTSA Complaint #10090499 — 1999 DODGE RAM 1500

THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING SITUATION SINCE ABOUT 35000 MILES. UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY THE DEALER REPLACED ALL MOST ALL OF THE FRONT END PARTS ON MY 99 RAM 1500 4WD. MOST RECENTLY THIS TRUCK FAILED THE NEW YOUR STATE INSPECTION FOR WOBBLE IN THE STEERING BOX OUTPUT SHAFT. THIS STEERING BOX WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER ABOUT 9600 MILES BEFORE. THE TRUCK HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING AND THE WHEEL WAS AT ABOUT 1:30 INSTEAD OF 12:00. THREE MECHANICS AND MYSELF SAW THE PLAY. THIS GARAGE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AS IT WOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY. I DID THIS AND HAD TO LEAVE THE TRUCK FOR THEM TO CHECK.I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THERE WAS NO PLAY AND NO REPAIRS WERE NEEDED.THE TRUCK WHEEL WAS NOW AT12: 00 AND IT WAS HARD TO STEER WITH NO RETURN TO CENTER. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE SAID THAT THERE WERE NO ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STEERING BOX AND THAT THE ONLY ADJUSTMENT TO THE ALLIGNMENT WAS TOE IN SO HE SAID THAT MY TRUCK HAD DERVELOPED MEMORY STEERING AND THAT THE STEERING WAS REALLY TIGHT AND THAT I SHOULD NOT COMPLAIN. NOT SATISFIED AS I HAD SEEN THE PLAY MYSELF I REPLACED THE STEERING BOX AND LO AND BEHOLD THE STEERING WAS LIKE NEW. EASY RETURNS TO CENTER AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS CENTERED. WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE DEFFECTIVE STEERING BOX WAS THAT THE OVER CENTER ADJUSTMENT WAS 1 TURN TOO TIGHT AND THAT THE WORM SHAFT PRELOAD WAS TOO TIGHT AND THE PITMAN ARM SEALS WERE REPLACED WITH NEW SEALS AND THEY USED CHASSIS LUBE WHICH WAS NEW AND CLEAN.ALL THIS WHILE SAYING THAT THERE WERE NO REPAIRS NEEDED OR DONE. THE PITMAN SHAFT BEARING WAS WORN BETWEEN .045 AND.057 THE NEW SEALS TOOK UP THE PLAY. MY QUESTION WOULD BE IF NEMER DODGE SERVICE DOES THIS KIND OF REPAIR AND SAYS THAT THEY DID NOTHING TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO PAY FOR WARRANTY WORK WHAT ELSE ARE THEY DOING. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY SON ,AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER AS HE IS JUST NOW GETTING HIS LISCENCE, COULD NOT KEEP THIS TRUCK ON THE ROAD. HE NEEDED TO USE TWO LANES TO DRIVE. *AK