NHTSA Complaint #10546879 — 2005 DODGE RAM 3500

DRIVING ALONG A SMOOTH RECENTLY PAVED ROAD WITH NO BUMPS. IN LEFT LANE DRIVING AND SUDDENLY LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. THE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND BEGINS TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND STEERING IS BEYOND MY CONTROL. THE VEHICLE GOES OVER THE MEDIAN AND CROSSES BOTH ONCOMING LANES OF TRAFFIC. APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP BARELY A FOOT BEFORE A CONCRETE WALL, COMING TO REST PERPENDICULARLY WITH THE BED OF THE TRUCK BLOCKING THE ENTIRE RIGHT ONCOMING LANE. THERE WAS NO WARNING TO THIS HAPPENING. NO RATTLING OR OTHERWISE TO ALLOW ME TO PULL OVER AND INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS SUDDEN, AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CONSIDERATIONS ARE WHAT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT 50-60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY? WHAT IF IT HAD HAPPENED WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC? WHAT IF THERE WERE PEDESTRIANS PRESENT? AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINT AND SOCKET HAD WORN TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE BALL JUST SLIPPED OUT WHILE DRIVING. SO FAR GREAT EFFORT BY THE DEALERSHIP AND CHRYSLER HAS BEEN MADE TO ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS A NATURAL OCCURRENCE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THIS HAPPENING. ALSO, THEY WILL NOT ASSUME THE COST FOR MAKING THE TIE ROD ENDS ROAD-WORTHY AGAIN, WHICH TO THEM IS $1,200. NO WARNING SIGNS. IS IT THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR NOT ONLY AN ENTIRELY NEW STEERING KIT BUT ANY DAMAGES THAT MAY HAVE COME FROM THE "NATURAL ACCIDENT" OF THE TIE ROD END SUDDENLY AND IRREVERSIBLY POPPING OUT OF ITS SOCKET? SINCE WHEN HAS IT BEEN ACCEPTABLE FOR A VEHICLE TO BE DECLARED ROAD-WORTHY AND YET THE SUDDEN AND UNANNOUNCED FAILING OF STEERING TO COME WITH NO WARNINGS? ON DODGE'S FLAGSHIP HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK NO LESS. THE CUSTOMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BUT I CONTEND THAT THIS IS BY NO MEANS NORMAL AND DODGE SHOULD COVER ME FOR THE COST OF PUTTING IN A SAFE STEERING LINKAGE. *TR