NHTSA Complaint #10567531 — 2005 DODGE RAM 2500

ANY TIME I WOULD HIT UNEVEN PAVEMENT (BRIDGE APPROACH, POTHOLE, DIP IN ROAD, EDGE OF SHOULDER) MY TRUCK WOULD GO INTO A VIOLENT AND UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING. THIS OCCURRED ON A REGULAR BASIS. EACH TIME, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL UNTIL THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO APPROX. 15 OR 20 MPH. IF ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD, IT WOULD HOLD STRAIGHT UNTIL I REGAINED CONTROL. IF IN A CURVE, THE TRUCK WOULD EITHER CROSS OVER OR RUN OFF THE ROAD. WHEN DESCRIBING THE SYMPTOMS TO MULTIPLE DODGE DEALERS, THEY REFERRED TO THE ISSUE AS THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". I HAVE RECEIVED TWO NOTICES FROM DODGE/CHRYSLER REGARDING RECALLS. ON THE FIRST RECALL, UPON INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRUCK DID NOT QUALIFY. BY THE TIME THE SECOND RECALL WAS RELEASED, I HAD ALREADY REPLACED ALL OF MY STEERING LINKAGE TO A NEW CHRYSLER/MOPAR DESIGN. THIS UPGRADE WAS COMPLETED BECAUSE DODGE NO LONGER OFFERED PARTS FOR THE 2003-2008 MODELS AND THE ONLY FACTORY SUPPORT PARTS OPTION WAS TO PUT 2009 STEERING LINKAGE ON AN OLDER TRUCK. PER THE RECALL NOTICE, I SUBMITTED MY SERVICE RECORDS AND CHARGES TO CHRYSLER FOR REIMBURSEMENT. MY TOTAL COST TO REPLACE MY STEERING LINKAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY $715. THE UPGRADED STEERING LINKAGE HAS PREVENTED LOSS OF CONTROL FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. I WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND ADVISED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED WITH MOPAR PARTS AND I NEEDED TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL SERVICE RECORDS. WHEN I CHALLENGED THIS FEEDBACK AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT, I WAS PLACED ON HOLD WHEN THE REPRESENTATIVE THEN RETURNED TO ADVISE THAT MY TRUCK DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I AGAIN ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT AND WAS TOLD I COULD NOT DO SO. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE PLACED ON A REQUEST LIST AND SHOULD EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM SOMEONE WITHIN 24 HOURS. *TR