NHTSA Complaint #10745069 — 2010 RAM 1500

MY TRUCK STARTED MAKING SOUND FROM THE REAR AXLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY. I SLOWED DOWN TO SEE IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION THEN I COULD SENSE THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS SOMEHOW LAGGING WHILE ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. I DROVE AT ABOUT 40-60 MPH ALL DAY AND DECIDED TO DROP IT OFF AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. NEXT DAY, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE PERSON EXPLAINING THAT MY TRUCK'S DRIVE SHAFT FELL DOWN AS SOON AS HE TOOK IT OUT TO A TEST DRIVE ON INTERSTATE 10. HE TOLD ME THAT THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GARAGE WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT GETTING DRAGGED ON THE GROUND. THE DEALERSHIP MANAGER AND I BOTH HAD TO MAKE A NUMEROUS PHONE CALL TO CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND THE CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE AGREED THAT IT WAS DUE TO A RECALL THAT I HAD NOT HAVE. CHRYSLER REP., AFTER 3 HOURS OF TALKING ON THE PHONE AND WAITING, AGREED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE REPAIR AND THE DEALERSHIP PUT THE DRIVE SHAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN DRAGGED ON THE GROUND FOR 1/4 MILE, BACK TO MY TRUCK WITHOUT REPLACING IT. EVER SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN MAKING A VERY ANNOYING "WHINING" SOUND FROM THE REAR AXLE AT LOW SPEED(10-40MPH) UNTIL TODAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY MISTAKE TO BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT THAT HAD SO MANY RECALLS AND PROBLEMS UNTIL I SAW A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT CHRYSLER'S RECALL INCIDENT. TODAY, I REALIZED THAT THIS INCIDENT I HAD WAS NOT EVEN THE PART OF DODGE RAM'S RECALL. I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A SEVERE ACCIDENT IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY I10 IN HOUSTON IF I HAD TO DRIVE ANOTHER MILE ON THE DAY BEFORE I DROPPED IT OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP.