NHTSA Complaint #10749938 — 2006 DODGE RAM 2500

AFTER BEING INSPECTED AT DEALERSHIP FOR PRIOR TIE ROD AND STEERING LINK RECALLS, MY RAM 2500 AT ABOUT THE 125K MILEAGE POINT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE NOW WELL DOCUMENTED "DODGE DEATH RATTLLE", WHERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE FRONT END WOULD VIOLENTLY SHIMMY. SOON THEREAFTER MY TIE ROD DID FRACTURE, CAUSING ME TO LOSE STEERING ABILITY ON A 40MPH ROADWAY, WHERE I NARROWLY AVOIDED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAD IT REPAIRED AT MY LOCAL SHOP AND IT WENT ANOTHER 10K BEFORE THE DODGE DEATH RATTLE REAPPEARED AGAIN, AND DESPITE NUMEROUS CHECKS ON ALIGNMENT, SHOCKS, FRONT END, THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE AN ANSWER. THERE ALWAYS REMAINED A SHIMMY ON BUMPS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND I ONLY DROVE THIS TRUCK ON LOCAL ROADS THEREAFTER. TONIGHT BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING LINK ASSEMBLY JUST FRACTURED AND I AGAIN LOST STEERING ABILITY COMPLETELY. THIS SAME RECALL WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER RECALL BY DODGE ON THIS COMPONENT (H46 WAS FIRST, THEN N62) IT IS MY BELIEF THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENTRY CAUSING THE "DEATH RATTLE" ALSO PUT SO MUCH STRESS ON THE REST OF THE FRONT END THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AS I EXPLORE ON THE INTERNET IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT DODGE WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR MY VEHICLE. I ALMOST DIED THE FIRST TIME, THANKFULLY THE SECOND TIME I WAS NOT EVEN ON THE ROAD YET ! I SPOKE WITH DODGE TONIGHT AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BRING IT TO A DEALER TO INSPECT AND "IF IT IS INDEED DUE TO ANY OF THE RECALLED ITEMS" THEY WOULD GLADLY REPAIR IT FOR ME AND PROVIDE ME A QUOTE. WHAT RECOURSE DO I AS AN OWNER HAVE ? THE LATER RECALLED MODELS ALL HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, YET MY CAR IS NOT ON THEIR LIST, DO I HAVE TO TAKE THEIR WORD FOR IT THAT IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT ? AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIRS I HAVE ALREADY DONE AT MY EXPENSE ? THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN.