NHTSA Complaint #10356797 — 2001 DODGE RAM 2500

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE 2500 4WD PICKUP, THE CABLE PART OF THE SPARE TIRE LIFT ASSEMBLY FAILED AND ALLOWED THE SPARE WHEEL/TIRE TO BECOME FREE FROM IT'S HOLDING AND FELL TO THE PAYMENT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING ME FOR IF THEY WERE THEY WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HIT THE WHEEL AND AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY (IES) TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED ON SEPT1 IN ROCKWELL, TEXAS. I REPORTED THIS TO ROCKWALL DODGE SERVICE DEPT AND TOLD THEM IT WAS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS BUT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY THE DODGE HEADQUARTERS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THEY ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND GAVE ME A DATE YOU COME IN TO HAVE THE ASSEMBLY REPLACED. IN THE MEAN TIME I CALLED THE DODGE CORPORATION AND REPORTED THIS INCIDENT STRESSING AGAIN THE SAFETY ISSUE AND POSSIBILITY OF A DESIGN DEFECT. 9/21/10 "TRISH' CALLED AND ADVISED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. FURTHER SHE ADVISED THEY WOULDN'T ISSUE ANY WARNINGS EITHER DUE TO THE INFREQUENT REPORTINGS. . I ADVISED HER THAT DODGE HAS TAKEN THIS TOO LIGHTLY AND THAT THEY SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON BOTH OLD AND NEW TRUCKS (ALL VEHICLES BY A REDESIGN (FAILSAFE). I OFFERED THE PARTS TO HER FOR EXAM AND ANALYSIS BUT SHE WAS NOT INTERESTED. I AM APPALLED AT SUCH A "NON-CARING" ATTITUDE. *TR