NHTSA Complaint #10242458 — 1997 DODGE RAM 2500

I OWN A 1997 DODGE RAM 2500. I NOTICED THE HITCH STINGER WAS ANGLED DOWNWARD. UPON INSPECTION OF THE HITCH (3 BOLTS PER SIDE), AT THE 90 DEGREE BEND OF THE HITCH, THE DRIVER SIDE IS CRACKED 7/8 OF THE LENGTH; THE PAX SIDE IS CRACKED 2 ". ONE CAN REASONABLY CONCLUDE THAT HITCHES INSTALLED ON 98 MODELS WERE MADE PRIOR TO 98, AND THAT A HITCH OF THE SAME PRODUCTION BATCH COULD HAVE BEEN ISTALLED ON 97 MODELS. DODGE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECTS ON HITCHES MADE PRIOR TO 98, WITH CONFIRMED AND ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF 97 MODELS WITH SIMILAR DAMAGE. I WOULD SUBMIT DODGE CORPORATION, WITHIINCREASED NUMBERS OF REPORTS OF CRACKS IN 97MODELS, AND PRESSURE FROM NHTSA, OFFER A RECALL. IT IS OBVIOUS THE QUALITY AND WEIGHT RATING OF FACTORY INSTALLED HITCHES IS NOT ADEQUATE. *TR