NHTSA Complaint #10609455 — 2005 DODGE RAM 1500

ON JUNE 7 2014 WE WE'RE DRIVING TO A LANDSCAPE BUSINESS TO PURCHASE SOME LANDSCAPE STONES AND ABOUT 100 FEET BEFORE THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUSINESS MY DRIVESHAFT FELL OFF MY TRUCK CAUSING MY REAR WHEELS TO COMPLETELY LOCK UP AND NEARLY CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC HEAD ON COLLISION AFTER THE NORTHBOUND VEHICLE HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS MY TRUCK AND ALMOST HIT A SOUTHBOUND VEHICLE HEAD ON. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A NEARBY AUTO FACILITY WHERE IT WAS LOOKED AT AND CONFIRMED THAT MY COMPLETE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP ONCE THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OFF. IT COST ME NEARLY $2000 TO GET IT REPAIRED. I ALSO CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA EMAIL AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE AUTO FACILITY THAT REPAIRED MY TRUCK TOLD ME THAT HE REMEMBERED SOMETHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THAT ON THE DODGE TRUCKS. I THEN DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT ON THE NEWER MODELS THERE WAS A RECALL BUT NOT ON MINE BUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TRUCKS ON RECALL (REAR END DIFFERENTIAL LOCKUP) IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MINE. IT COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED SOMEBODY IF THE SOUTHBOUND VEHICLE HADN'T REACTED SO QUICKLY. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 66000 MILES ON IT WHICH IS AN AVERAGE OF ONLY ABOUT 6000 MILES A YEAR.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR ...UPDATED 01/07/15 *BF UPDATED 6/11/2015 *JS