NHTSA Complaint #10808334 — 2013 RAM 3500

I RECEIVED IN LATE OCTOBER 2015 A LETTER FROM FCA (FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES) REGARDING SAFETY RECALL R46/NHTSA 15V-541, WHICH STATES 2013 RAM 3500 TRUCKS MAY HAVE AN IMPROPERLY WELDED FRONT SUSPENSION TRACK BAR FRAME BRACKET, WHICH COULD SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION INCLUDING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. BEFORE I WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THIS REMEDIED, I EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, WHERE THE FRONT END SUDDENLY STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND I LOST ALMOST ALL STEERING CONTROL, NARROWLY AVOIDING HITTING A FREEWAY SIGN AND EVENTUALLY STOPPING IN A DITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE SHOULDER. THIS WAS ALL RECORDED BY A DASHCAM VIDEO. UPON IMMEDIATE INSPECTION UNDER THE TRUCK, THE TRACK BAR MOUNTS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME, WELDS WERE BROKEN, LEAVING THE TRACK BAR DANGLING (SEE ATTACHED). THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER, AND UPON INITIAL INSPECTION THE DEALER ALSO STATED THIS APPEARED TO BE THE ISSUE THAT WAS UNDER RECALL, BUT THEY HAD NO REMEDY FROM FCA CORPORATE ON HOW TO FIX IT AS OF YET. FOR NEARLY A MONTH THE TRUCK SAT UNTOUCHED AT THE DEALER, UNSAFE TO DRIVE, UNTIL I WAS NOTIFIED ON 12/3/2015 THAT FCA WILL NOT HONOR HANDLING THIS RECALL PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAD MODIFIED THE TRUCK WITH A LIFT KIT. I SAY: THE LIFT KIT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ACCELERATED THE FAILURE OF THE PART, BUT THE ULTIMATE REASON OF THIS SITUATION IS FCA'S POORLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCT IN WHICH A RECALL WAS REQUIRED, BUT ULTIMATELY NOT HONORED. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISSUE IN 2015 OR NEWER HEAVY DUTY RAMS, AS THE WELDING PROCESS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THEREFORE, FCA CLEARLY ACKNOWLEDGES THIS ISSUE BUT WHEN IT IS TIME ACT UPON THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THEY WOULD RATHER BLAME OTHERS. NOW I HAVE AN UNDRIVEABLE TRUCK THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHEN WILL BE FIXED.