NHTSA Complaint #10162883 — 2001 DODGE RAM 1500

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PRESENTED ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. PRIOR TO STEERING FAILURES, THE WARNING WAS UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING AND PULLING ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERS TWICE FOR ALIGNMENT READJUSTMENTS. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A PEDESTRIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO OBSERVED A GROVE NEAR THE TIRE. THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE BOLT IN THE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS EXTEND OVER WITHOUT SAFETY STOP AND CUTS INTO THE BEAD OF THE TIRE RIGHT ABOVE THE RIM ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRES AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURERS WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROBLEMS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECT. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT OTHER COMPLAINTS WERE MADE ABOUT THE SUSPENSION AS WELL ONLINE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY BEAR THE COST OF REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ALSO PAID FOR ANOTHER MANUFACTURER DEFECT CONCERNING THE STEERING, WHICH THE MANUFACTURER ALSO REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR REPAIR. THE PROBLEM WITH THE BOLT CUTTING INTO THE BEAD OF THE TIRE ABOVE THE RIM STILL PERSISTS.