NHTSA Complaint #10852337 — 2010 RAM 3500

IT WAS REPORTED TO ME BY GRADY AMBULANCE IN ATLANTA GEORGIA THAT THEIR RAM 3500 AMBULANCES, YEARS 2010 THRU 2013, WERE EXPERIENCING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING DUE TO THE FRACTURING OF THE DRAG LINK TO PITMAN ARM BALL JOINT DURING LOW SPEED HIGH TURN ANGLE PARKING LOT MANEUVERS. ELEVEN VIN'S WERE SENT TO ME, WHICH RANGED BETWEEN 2010-2013 MODEL YEARS, AND MILEAGE RANGING FROM APPROXIMATELY 80K -140K MILES. IT WAS REPORTED AND VERIFIED THROUGH WARRANTY THAT SOME OF THESE 11 VEHICLES HAD RECALL 13V-529 PERFORMED FOR THE TIE ROD PRIOR TO THE DRAG LINK BALL JOINT FRACTURING, AND SOME OF THE 11 VEHICLES DID NOT HAVE 13V-529 CAMPAIGN PERFORMED PRIOR TO THE DRAG LINK BALL JOINT FRACTURING. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DRAG LINK "END" WHERE THE BALL JOINT WAS FRACTURING WAS NOT PART OF RECALL CAMPAIGN 13V-529 SO GRADY WAS PURCHASING THE DRAG LINK END SERVICE PARTS FROM LOCAL DEALERSHIPS AND REPLACING AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. I RECEIVED 3 OF THE DRAG LINK ENDS, SHIPPED FROM ATLANTA TO MY OFFICE AT FCA US LLC IN AUBURN HILLS. I NOTIFIED MY MANAGEMENT OF THIS AND GAVE 2 OF THE 3 DRAG LINK ENDS WITH FRACTURED STUDS TO THE MATERIALS LAB FOR QUICK ANALYSIS. ALL 3 DRAG LINK ENDS AND BALL JOINTS APPEARED VISUALLY TO HAVE EXACTLY EXACTLY THE SAME FAILURE MODE, WHICH AT FIRST GLANCE WAS A FATIGUE FRACTURE (2 PC SEPARATION) THROUGH THE SHANK OF THE BALL STUD. FCA MATERIALSL LAB CONFIRMED FATIGUE WAS ROOT CAUSE. ALL MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS WERE WITHIN SPEC. NO EVIDENCE OF BALL JOINT OVERARTICULATION WAS APPARENT.