NHTSA Complaint #10648397 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, MY TRUCK MADE A ODD SOUND AND THEN CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. TO MY SURPRISE, THE REAR DRIVESHAFT HAD DISCONNECTED AND FELL OUT OF MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED AND INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NUT CAME OFF OF THE PINION GEAR. THE AXLE AND COMPANION GEAR SLIPPING OUT OF THE PINION GEAR AND THE YOLK CAME COMPLETELY OFF. THE MECHANIC WAS AS CONCERN AND SURPRISED AS I WAS, CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF THING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WEBSITE AND ADVISED THEM OF MY SITUATION. SADLY, I RECEIVED A RESPONSE STATING THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING MY ISSUE. I CONDUCTED MY OWN RESEARCH ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DEFECT, AND FOUND THE NHTSA DETAILS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM TRUCKS. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE ONLY REVIEWING 2008-2014 MODELS. CONSIDERING MY 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS INCURRED THE SAME PROBLEM, CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL ALL OF THEIR 2000 SERIES FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND OTHERS VERY LUCKY. IF THE DRIVESHAFT WOULD HAVE DISCONNECTED 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I'M FORTUNATE, I HAD REACHED MY EXIT AND WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WITH NO VEHICLE BEHIND ME WHEN MY TRUCK CAME APART AND STOPPED. *TR