NHTSA Complaint #10212286 — 2004 DODGE RAM 1500

I NOTICED A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK AND BROUGHT MY PICKUP IN TO DEALER FOR EVALUATION. NOTIFIED ME THAT MY POWER STEERING HOSES WERE SHOT. 29,780 MILES ON VEHICLE AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE HOSES HAD A REPAIR CLAMP INSTALLED FROM PRIOR FAILURE. 2 MONTHS LATER WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHEN MY PICKUP SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES. I WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT RACK/PINION WAS SHOT. NOT UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO 1 MONTH PAST 3YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. 30,200MILES ON VEHICLE. SHOP FOREMAN ADVISED ME BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THAT THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH "NORTHERN AREA" RAM 1500'S AND THEY ALONE HAD SERVICED OVER 200 SIMILAR TYPE 1500 RAM VEHICLES WITH THE SAME POWER STEERING PROBLEMS I ALSO HAD JUST IN THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS! THE FOREMAN ALSO INFORMED ME THERE IS A 5-7 DAY BACKORDER ON RACK AND PINIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN HIGH DEMAND DUE TO THIS DODGE ENGINEERING PROBLEM. HE GAVE ME A NUMBER TO DODGE TO COMPLAIN, I CALLED WITH THE REPLY FROM DODGE AS "I'M SORRY BUT DUE TO YOUR WARRANTY BEING PAST BY 1 MO. WE WILL BE UNABLE TO GOODWILL ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM". I'M NOT BITTER BUT FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO DUE TO OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. THANK YOU. *TR