NHTSA Complaint #10175657 — 2004 DODGE RAM 1500

SUBJ: REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE DEAR SIR OR MADAME, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I PURCHASED A USED 2004 DODGE RAM 1500 THAT WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. ON DEC. 7, 2006 I HAD MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICED BY AN ASE CERTIFIED FACILITY AFTER READING NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS DISCUSSING REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES FOR THIS VEHICLE AND AFTER I EXPERIENCED A LOSS IN GENERAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TRUCK. AS SUSPECTED AND AS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER OWNERS, THE CLUTCH RETAINER CLIPS OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FELL APART IN THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING CAUSING THE ENTIRE REAR END TO FAIL. I AM IN PROCESS OF HAVING ALL MOVING PARTS IN THE HOUSING TO BE REBUILT BY A DRIVETRAIN SPECIALIST AND WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $1000. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN SERVICING THE VEHICLE THAT IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THIS PROBLEM IF NOT CAUGHT IN EARLY STAGES, CAN CREATE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR END EVENTUALLY LEADING TO LOCK UP. IN SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES PER HOUR THIS CAN CAUSE VEHICLE ROLL OVERS AND TOTAL LOSS OF TOTAL VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER HAS YET TO ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE IS AGGRAVATING AND SHOWS THEIR LACK OF SYMPATHY FOR THEIR OWNERS AND AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THANK YOU, KENNETH MOSLEY . *NM