NHTSA Complaint #10425878 — 2004 DODGE RAM 2500

WHEN I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM A TRIP I HIT A ROUGH PATCH IN THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS THOUGH IT WERE BOUNCING FROM ONE FRONT TIRE TO THE OTHER IN THE FRONT END. AS I SLOWED DOWN TO PULL OVER THE SHAKING EVENTUALLY STOPPED. WE CHECKED THE CAR AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NOTHING WRONG, BUT THE TRUCK SEEMED TO DO THE SHAKING TO SMALLER AND SMALLER BUMPS ON THE ROAD AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE STARTED TO SHOW A MARKED AMOUNT MORE WEAR THAN THE OTHERS. WE REPLACED THE SHOCKS, THE OUTER TIRE ROD, STABALIZER SHOCKS, TIRES AND THE SHAKING WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE IT CAME BACK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL WHEN IT HAPPENS AND YOU HAVE TO BREAK IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I WAS CALLED IN FOR A RECALL, FOR A SEPERATE ISSUE, BY DODGE I TRIED TO TALK TO THE MEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT AND THEY PRETENDED TO NO NOTHING ABOUT THE "DEATH WOBBLE" THAT I HAVE READ ABOUT ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND WHEN DISCUSSING IT WITH A FRIEND FOUND OUT HE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH IT. IT IS DEFINATELY A DEFECT OR DESIGN FLAW IN THESE DODGE TRUCKS, AND WHILE I WAS HOPING THAT DODGE WOULD STEP UP AND DO A RECALL, THE VERY LEAST I WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR WAS AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT I CAN DO TO FIX IT FROM THE DEALER RATHER THAN A DENIAL OF THERE BEING A PROBLEM AT ALL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS TRUCK AND CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE FRONT END SUSPENSION EVERY YEAR. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE DODGE STEP UP AND INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM SO THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF CAN FIX THE PROBLEM AND KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE A SAFE TRUCK TO HAUL WITH. *TT