NHTSA Complaint #10373230 — 2005 DODGE RAM 1500

DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENT, HEARD A POP IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. ASSUMED IT WAS ICE OR SNOW. WITHIN THE NEXT 20 MILES, SLIGHT VIBRATION BEGAN AND GRINDING NOISE HEARD. PARKED VEHICLE FOR WEEK WHILE OUT OF TOWN. RETURNED DROVE TO WORK, APPROX 22 MILES, PROBLEM PERSISTED AND GOT WORSE, THIS WAS DURING ANOTHER SNOW EVENT. DECIDED TO SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM LOCAL DEALERSHIP, REFUSED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, SET UP APPOINTMENT FOR JAN. 4, 2010. CALLED LOCAL REPAIR SHOP NEAR HOME. COULD GET ME IN IMMEDIATELY. ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TO REPAIR SHOP. RIGHT FROM WHEEL BEARING FAILED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO HUB AND AXLE. HAD TO BE HAULED IN BECAUSE THE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM AXLE. CAUSED TIRE TO RIDE UP INTO UPPER CONTROL ARM AND DESTROYED TIRE. SEARCHED INTERNET AND FOUND THAT 2006 DODGE RAMS HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THAT 2002 THRU 2008 DODGE RAMS THAT HAD REPLACEMENTS WITH SPECIFIC BRANDS HAD BEEN RECALLED. MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY 53,412 MILES ON IT WHEN THE BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED. IT HAS COST ME OVER $600 IN REPAIRS THAT WERE NOT COVERED BY THE "70,000 MILE LIMITED DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY." THE REPLACED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND IN MY POSSESSION. IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN DODGE PICKUPS OF MANY MODEL YEARS INCLUDING 2005 BOTH 2 AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE. *TR