NHTSA Complaint #10807581 — 2012 DODGE RAM 2500

THIS TRUCK HAS HAD ISSUES WITH STEERING SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS STEERING RELATED RECALL (13V529000) FIXED YET THE STEERING STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I HAD BROUGHT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST SUNDAY I TURNED ON TO A TWO LANE ROAD AND AT A CRUISING SPEED OF ABOUT 35 MPH MY STABILITY CONTROL STARTED GOING CRAZY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, A LOUD POP. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT REACTING TO MY TURNING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS ON A SLIGHT RIGHT CURVE AND VEERING INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE WITHOUT STEERING AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES JUST BEFORE HITTING A PARKED VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I AVOIDED A HEAD-ON COLLISION ONLY BY CHANCE THAT THERE WASN'T A VEHICLE COMING THE OTHER DIRECTION. WITH THE KNOWN STEERING ISSUES OF THE TRUCK I AM NERVOUS THE EXISTING RECALL DIDN'T PROPERLY FIX THE TRUCK'S STEERING PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE STEERING RECALLS. I HAD A BROKEN DRAG LINK TERMINAL AND PITTMAN ARM (NEITHER UNDER WARRANTY). MY TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON-ROAD ONLY AND UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT CONDITIONS FOR ALL THE MILES. IN MY OPINION THESE CRITICAL COMPONENTS SHOULD NEVER BREAK ESPECIALLY AT ONLY 70K MILES ON A SUPPOSEDLY HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, THIS EVENT COULD HAVE ENDED MUCH MUCH WORSE. WE ARE THANKFUL.