NHTSA Complaint #10480941 — 2004 DODGE RAM 2500

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 DODGE 2500 4X4 DIESEL PICKUP AT 40-45 MPH. AS I WAS GOING INTO A CURVE IN THE ROAD, I DROVE OVER A ROUGH PART IN THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH (LEFT AND RIGHT). IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, I NEARLY CRASHED INTO A CAR ON ONE SIDE OF ME AND A BRIDGE RAILING ON THE OTHER SIDE. I THOUGHT MAYBE ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS WAS COMING OFF THE AXLE OR I HAD A BLOWOUT. I SLOWED DOWN AND FINALLY GOT THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO A DIESEL REPAIR SHOP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS HAPPENED AND THEY FOUND THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK LEAKING, THE OUTER TIE ROD AT THE DRAG LINK AND INNER TIE ROD HAD SOME PLAY, AND BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD SOME PLAY. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK, THE RIGHT INNER TIE ROD, AND THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD. THESE REPAIRS CAME TO CLOSE TO $400. THEY MENTIONED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED WE MIGHT ADD ADDITIONAL AFTERMARKET PARTS TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE SHOP COULD NOT DO THE WORK RIGHT THEN OR I WOULD HAVE HAD IT DONE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOW; IT TOOK ALL MY DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND STRENGTH TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, I DO NOT THINK A WEAKER OR INEXPERIENCED DRIVER COULD HAVE KEPT THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING. AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE EVIDENCE OF THIS "DEATH WOBBLE" PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED AND THE VEHICLES RECALLED. PEOPLE COULD DIE AND OR BE INJURED AND PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE. THE ACCIDENT WOULD PROBABLY BE BLAMED ON DRIVER ERROR WITH BROKEN PARTS BLAMED ON THE ACCIDENT INSTEAD OF ON THE BROKEN PARTS CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. *TR