NHTSA Complaint #10307172 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

AFTER CROSSING A RAILROAD TRACK A CLICKING NOISE BECAME EVIDENT FROM REAR OF 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. I CHECKED U JOINTS THEN WENT TO WHEEL BEARINGS, THEY SEEMED SLIGHTLY LOOSE SO I BEGAN CHANGING. AFTER PULLING DIFFERENTIAL COVER I FOUND CURVED CHUNKS OF METAL IN BOTTOM OF DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING. I TOOK OUT 4 BOLTS AND CAPS THAT HOLD DIFFERENTIAL IN, I FOUND MAJOR WEAR IN ALUMINIUM HOUSING RIGHT WHERE BOLTS SCREW IN ON PASSENGER SIDE. I COMPARED TO DRIVERS SIDE OF DIFFERENTIAL AND FOUND A HALF MOON SHAPED CUP THAT APPEARS TO BE A DIPPER TO COLLECT OIL IT JUST SLIDES IN AND OUT AND THE CUP ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE MUST HAVE SLID OUT AND GROUND ON THE HOUSING UNTIL IT CAME OUT. I FEEL THIS COULD CASE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AS EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE REAR END COULD COME OUT OR LET AXLES COME OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TW