NHTSA Complaint #10873659 — 2004 DODGE RAM 1500

DRIVING HOME ON 5/27/2016, HEAR HAMMERING AND ASSUME LOCAL CONSTRUCTION. DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER AND HEAR HAMMERING AGAIN. 3RD TIME, I REALIZE IT'S COMING FROM MY TRUCK AND IN TIME WITH TIRE ROTATION. PULL OVER, BUT TIRES AND WHEELS LOOK FINE. DRIVE FURTHER, HAMMERING CONTINUES. PULL OVER AGAIN, BUT NOTHING BEING DRAGGED UNDERNEATH. AS I SLOWLY DRIVE 2 BLOCKS TO CLOSEST GARAGE, SOME GUY SAYS HE CAN SEE MY FRONT WHEEL MOVING. PULL UP IN FRONT OF GARAGE BAY. MECHANIC SAYS FRONT WHEEL RUSTED TO POINT OF NEAR COLLAPSE. TRY TO MOVE TRUCK INTO BAY BUT TURNING THE WHEELS STRESSES IT TOO MUCH, SO IT'S JACKED IT UP IN PLACE. ONLY IMMEDIATE REMEDY IS SPARE TIRE, BUT SPARE TIRE WINCH RUSTED FROZEN AND THEY HAD TO CUT CABLE AND BOX. MECHANIC SAID FRONT WHEEL MAY NOT HAVE ENDURED IF GONE FURTHER, SHOWED OTHER 3 WHEELS WERE SIMILARLY RUSTING, AND APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF THE COVER THEY PUT ON THE CHROME CLAD STEEL WHEELS. GOOD THING I WAS MOVING SLOWLY AND ON RESIDENTIAL ROADS; IF WHEEL HAD COME OFF ON FASTER ROADS IT COULD EASILY HAVE ENDED UP IN WINDSHIELD OF VEHICLE DRIVING THE OTHER WAY. CHROME CLADDING SEPARATED COMPLETELY. WHEEL HAD CHUNKS OF RUST 2-3"X1/2" + FLAKES FALLING OFF, COMPLETE SEPARATION IN LARGE AREAS. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE - APPARENTLY RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW MADE WORSE BECAUSE THE CHROME CLADDING HIDES THE RUSTING FROM VIEW ' THAT WAS KNOWN OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO MANUFACTURER (JUNK YARDS ARE AWARE OF IT,) AND THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF LIFE. THANKFULLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS BROKEN SWAY BAR LINK PIN (RUST) THAT CAUSED HAMMERING AND ALERTED ME TO CHECK WHEELS. HAD TO PURCHASE 4 NEW WHEELS, AND HAVE LINK PIN REPLACED. FC/RAM UNWILLING TO ADDRESS, BASED ON YEAR OF TRUCK AND MILEAGE, BUT NO ONE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO WORRY THAT THEIR WHEELS MAY RUST OFF WHERE YOU CANNOT SEE IT. SAVED 1 WHEEL AND CLADDING FOR VERIFICATION; OTHERS DISCARDED.