NHTSA Complaint #10643901 — 2004 DODGE RAM 3500

TRUCK STARTED TO HAVE SEVERE DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END. HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR BOTH THE STEERING LINKAGE AND LEFT BALL JOINT. TOOK INTO DEALER WHO PERFORMED THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION. WAS TOLD THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL DUE TO CONFIGURATION BUT THE WHOLE FRONT END NEED TO BE REPLACED AND ALL PARTS NEEDED WHERE EXACTLY THE PARTS UNDER THE RECALL IF OUR TRUCK HAD THE CONFIGURATION COVERED BY THE RECALL. WE WERE FACED WITH PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS BASE ON SOME TECHNICALITY THAT SOMEHOW OUR CONFIGURATION EXCLUDED US FROM THE SAFETY HAZARD WHICH CAUSED THE RECALL. WE DO NOT FEEL IT IS A COINCIDENCE THAT THE REPAIR NEEDED WERE EXACTLY THE NOW THAT WERE UNDER THE RECALL BUT OUR TRUCK WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. OUR OPINION IS THE RECALL IS TOO NARROW AND THE SAFETY ISSUE IS BROADER THAN HOW IT IS SET UP NOW. *TR