NHTSA Complaint #10583827 — 2006 DODGE RAM 3500

DRIVING APPROX 50MPH NORTHBOUND; HEARD A LOUD "BANG" - TRUCK STARTED UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING AND STEERING VEERED INTO ONCOMING (SOUTHBOUND) TRAFFIC; HIT BRAKES HARD AND PULLED STEERING TO RIGHT - DID NOT RESPOND AT 1ST AND THEN WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE RIGHT AS ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP FOR ME - HAD TO THEN TURN STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO LEFT TO GET TRUCK TO QUIT GOING RIGHT. EXITED VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER FRONT OF TRUCK AND RIGHT TIE ROD END WAS WEDGED UP AGAINST INSIDE OF RHT SIDE TIRE.. RHT SIDE FRONT TIE ROD END CAME LOOSE OF SOCKED AND DROPPED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER DID NOT HAVE PARTS ON HAND TO REPAIR AT THAT TIME. PERSONALLY WENT AND BOUGHT PARTS AND INSTALLED. TOOK TO LOCAL TIRE DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT - COULD NOT GET STEERING WHEEL TOTALLY STRAIGHT AND TRUCK NOW "DRIFTED" WHILE DRIVING. NEVER, EVER, WAS STEERING LOOSE ON TRUCK. ALWAYS TRACKED STRAIGHT AND TRUE. TIRES NEVER WORE TO ONE SIDE OR OTHER. SAID STEERING BOX WAS DAMAGED AND COULD NOT ALIGN WITHIN TOLERANCE. REC'D RECALL NOTICE IN DECEMBER AND TOOK TO DEALER. DEALER WAS ABLE TO STRAIGHTEN STEERING WHEEL BUT SAID TRUCK WAS STILL OUT OF ALIGNMENT DUE TO STEERING BOX NEEDING REPLACEMENT AND STATED THAT STEERING BOX WAS NOT DAMAGED BECAUSE OF TIE ROD END COMING LOOSE. I ABSOLUTELY DISAGREE. PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO TIE ROD END FALLING OUT OF SOCKET AND CREATING A POSSIBLE FATAL INJURY DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE.. *TR