NHTSA Complaint #10576870 — 2004 DODGE RAM 3500

I BOUGHT THIS 2004 DODGE 3500 RAM TRUCK USED IN MAY 2011. I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 DODGE 3500 RAM TRUCK IN TOWN WHEN THE LEFT TIE ROD STUD BROKE. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN 1/2 BLOCK FROM MY HOME AND AS I STARTED OUT AND TURNED RIGHT THE TIE ROD STUD BROKE. THIS OCCURRED NOVEMBER 11, 2012. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOME USING MY AAA WRECKER SERVICE. THERE IS NO CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALERSHIP IN THE TOWN WHERE I LIVE, SO I WENT TO THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET THE NEW LEFT TIE ROD. THE PARTS STORE DID NOT HAVE A TIE ROD FOR MY VEHICLE AND THE COUNTER PERSON CALLED THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AT LITHIA CHRYSLER DODGE IN BILLINGS, MT AND ORDERED A NEW LEFT TIE ROD, (MOPAR PART NO.68038054AD). I RECEIVED THE LEFT TIE ROD ON NOVEMBER 12, 2012 FOR WHICH I PAID $131.07 FOR WHICH I HAVE THE RECEIPT. I INSTALLED THE NEW MOPAR TIE ROD AND SET THE TOE-IN. I STILL HAVE THE BROKEN LEFT TIE ROD. ON JAN 15, 2014, I RECEIVED THE N62 RECALL NOTICE FOR THE LEFT TIE ROD STUD MAY FRACTURE AND THE RECALL NOTICE ALSO STATED MY VEHICLE NEEDED H46 DONE. I COULD FIND NO HISTORY OF THE LEFT TIE ROD BEING REPLACED, PRIOR TO THE NEW ONE I PUT ON MYSELF, SO I ASSUME THE TIE ROD WAS ORIGINAL FROM THE FACTORY. I DID FILE A CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER (CASE #24530878), BUT THEY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE I COULD NOT PROVE THE BROKEN TIE ROD HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A MOPAR PART. MY CONCERN IS WHY THE TIE ROD BROKE AND IF THAT MEANS THE FACTORY TIE RODS ARE DEFECTIVE. I HAD RECALLS L16/H46/N62 COMPLETED ON FEBRUARY 26, 2014. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL THE STEERING LINKAGE AND THE LEFT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. *TR