NHTSA Complaint #10692132 — 2002 DODGE RAM 1500

MY SON WAS ON THE I-5 COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THE SEALS BLEW ON THE RACK AND PINION. UPON TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO BLOW ANY WHERE FROM 50,000-100,000 MILES. IF WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK. WHEN THE SEALS BLEW THE TRUCK STEERING COMPONENTS BEGAN TO GRIND AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND LUCKILY MY SON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY WITH OUT INJURING ANYONE. MY FATHER WHO HAS CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL RESERVATION CONTACTED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS POWER STEERING AND FRONT END ISSUES. THE ONLY REASON THEY PURCHASED THE TRUCKS WERE THAT DODGE PROVIDED THE LOW BID AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A GOVERNMENT RECALL ON THE STEERING AND THEIR PRACTICE IS TO ACCEPT THE LOW BID. THE POWER STEERING. TIE RODS AND SUSPENSION ARE MAJOR COMPONENTS TO GOING DOWN THE ROAD SAFELY. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMEONE DYING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. WHILE WE ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS CAUSED BY LARGER VEHICLES AGAINST THE NEW SMALLER LIGHTER WEIGHT CARS IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THE LARGER TRUCKS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ON OUR ROADS. THE DODGE RAM HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AS WELL AS DEALERS AND REPAIR SHOPS NOTING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. CHEVY TRUCKS, FORD TRUCKS AND TOYOTA TRUCKS DO NOT HAVE THE REPUTATION FOR HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END AND STEERING COMPONENTS. THUS THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A DEFECT ISOLATED TO THE DODGE RAM TRUCKS. SINCE YOU CANNOT REQUIRE AND INDIVIDUAL TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION THEMSELVES EVERY 50,000 MILES THE ONLY OPTION WOULD BE TO REQUIRE DODGE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTIONS. *TR